Wire size

[Sumboodie]

Need to send power to a shed. About 50ft run. Will either come off meter panel or be a subpanel off shop. shop is only 100 amp, #2 wire though, so looking into a 4 breaker meter panel.

It has a 5hp and 3hp air compressor, 2 oil boilers (figure 10 amps each max, more like 5 running), 10 amp air dryer, couple lights, maybe a hanging water to air heater, couple courtesy outlets

My math is working that 60 amp would be more than plenty? #2 4 wire wire is about $3.25 a foot. #4 is about $1 less

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Need to send power to a shed. About 50ft run. Will either come off meter panel or be a subpanel off shop. shop is only 100 amp, #2 wire though, so looking into a 4 breaker meter panel.

hopefully the wire is #2 copper. why would you need a 4 space meter main here?

It has a 5hp and 3hp air compressor, 2 oil boilers (figure 10 amps each max, more like 5 running), 10 amp air dryer, couple lights, maybe a hanging water to air heater, couple courtesy outlets

My math is working that 60 amp would be more than plenty?

Are you running this all at once?

The 2 compressors alone may be pushing 35-40a. everything else could push you over 60a

#2 4 wire wire is about $3.25 a foot. #4 is about $1 less

#2 cu or al is way overkill for 60a. you would only need #6 THWN or #4 AL w/ #10 cu or #8 al EGC

 

[Sumboodie]

hopefully the wire is #2 copper. why would you need a 4 space meter main here?



Are you running this all at once?

The 2 compressors alone may be pushing 35-40a. everything else could push you over 60a



#2 cu or al is way overkill for 60a. you would only need #6 THWN or #4 AL w/ #10 cu or #8 al EGC

#2 aluminum is rated to 100 amps for main feeder wire. It's a very common size used here so in stock and not crazy money. 2-2-2-4 SER they call it. 1/0 and 4/0 are fairly common too.

Breaker for future house, current shop, current shed and an outlet at meter required by power company. 4 breakers. May need 5 if I put the generator over by the meter.

Yes, could all be on at once.

#6 THHN x4 wires is around $3.95 a foot plus would need conduit so more money for less capacity. #6 UF is around $6 a foot.

 

[mm08822]

#2 aluminum is rated to 100 amps for main feeder wire. It's a very common size used here so in stock and not crazy money. 2-2-2-4 SER they call it. 1/0 and 4/0 are fairly common too.

Breaker for future house, current shop, current shed and an outlet at meter required by power company. 4 breakers. May need 5 if I put the generator over by the meter.

Yes, could all be on at once.

#6 THHN x4 wires is around $3.95 a foot plus would need conduit so more money for less capacity. #6 UF is around $6 a foot.

#2 AL is only rated for 90a. If you happen to be using the 90C ampacity column then that is wrong to do so b/c the hardware it is connected is only rated for 60/75C.

And for another possible exception that wont apply in your case, feeders are not service entrance conductors.

 

[Norcal]

#2 aluminum is rated to 100 amps for main feeder wire. It's a very common size used here so in stock and not crazy money. 2-2-2-4 SER they call it. 1/0 and 4/0 are fairly common too.

Breaker for future house, current shop, current shed and an outlet at meter required by power company. 4 breakers. May need 5 if I put the generator over by the meter.

Yes, could all be on at once.

#6 THHN x4 wires is around $3.95 a foot plus would need conduit so more money for less capacity. #6 UF is around $6 a foot.

2AWG AL is not rated for 100A, it is allowed under certain criteria to to be used for 100A, none of which the OP meets.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

#2 aluminum is rated to 100 amps for main feeder wire

not quite. its only allowed to be breakered @ 100a when it serves the entire load of a dwelling. that isnt what youre doing here so doesnt apply. so its allowable ampacity is 90a

 

[wyliesdiesels]

2-2-2-4 SER they call it.

2-2-2-4 gauge wire is NOT called SER. 2-2-2-4 comes in several cable types including SER and MHF. Did you run this SER underground?

 

[Sumboodie]

2AWG AL is not rated for 100A, it is allowed under certain criteria to to be used for 100A, none of which the OP meets.

Yes, but it's allow for 100 amp service for the wire from the power company feed to the panel. In my case, from the meter to the house, shop (also a house). But for a shed, 90 amps.

Look up 310.12 in the book.

Granted, that's if I following codes.

I would have run larger wire for the shop, not my doing.

But for the shed, it would be more than plenty and as far as I can find, is cheaper than the minimum #6 copper or #4 aluminum.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

It is here.

cite the code amendment then

 

[Sumboodie]

cite the code amendment then

I already did.
310.12

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I already did.
310.12

doesnt apply as has already been stated

 

[Sumboodie]

doesnt apply as has already been stated

Yes it does, it's classed as a dwelling.
Doesn't matter what you think anyhow, it's what the local power company wanted and SOP for the area.

 

[mm08822]

Yes it does, it's classed as a dwelling.
Doesn't matter what you think anyhow, it's what the local power company wanted and SOP for the area.

Is this set of conductors fed from a cb in the main panel or before the main panel OCP?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yes it does, it's classed as a dwelling.
Doesn't matter what you think anyhow, it's what the local power company wanted and SOP for the area.

a shop is classified as a dwelling? thats a new one

is the PoCo the AHJ aka building dept?

 

[Sumboodie]

Is this set of conductors fed from a cb in the main panel or before the main panel OCP?

from the meter panel to a panel

 

[mm08822]

from the meter panel to a panel

describe this meter panel......what all is in it?

 

[Sumboodie]

describe this meter panel......what all is in it?

The panel that has the meter and main breakers in it. How else would it be?

 

[mm08822]

The panel that has the meter and main breakers in it. How else would it be?

Once the metered conductors receive ocp, they are no longer service conductors. They become a feeder, both into the house and into the shop.

 

[Sumboodie]

Once the metered conductors receive ocp, they are no longer service conductors. They become a feeder, both into the and into the shop.

Not what is done here.

Regardless, it's not relevant to my wire sizing for the shed.

 

[mm08822]

Not what is done here.

Regardless, it's not relevant to my wire sizing for the shed.

So it ain't to NEC code and 310.12 doesn't apply. That's all.

 

[Sumboodie]

So it ain't to NEC code and 310.12 doesn't apply. That's all.

Or, you're wrong.

Highly doubt 100s of thousands of houses are done wrong.

 

[mm08822]

Or, you're wrong.

Highly doubt 100s of thousands of houses are done wrong.

Based on your description of the interconnections, you don't have service conductors going to your shed. It's a feeder.

I highly doubt you know anything about how 100s of thousands of houses are wired.

NEC 310.12 pertains to single family dwellings, 2 family dwelling units and multi-family units all as part of the same structure. Your separate building (shop) being separate from the single family dwelling makes it a feeder. (Not to mention the cb at the meter main.)

Even if you call it a dwelling, what's in it to make it fit the definition of a dwelling? Kitchen, Full bath, bedroom or just a sleeping bag and teddy bear?

 

[Sumboodie]

Based on your description of the interconnections, you don't have service conductors going to your shed. It's a feeder.

I highly doubt you know anything about how 100s of thousands of houses are wired.

NEC 310.12 pertains to single family dwellings, 2 family dwelling units and multi-family units all as part of the same structure. Your separate building (shop) being separate from the single family dwelling makes it a feeder. (Not to mention the cb at the meter main.)

Even if you call it a dwelling, what's in it to make it fit the definition of a dwelling? Kitchen, Full bath, bedroom or just a sleeping bag and teddy bear?

The shop is a dwelling. I currently live in it. There's a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment in it.

Never said the shed applied to that. In fact I said just the opposite. Just that I was planning on using #2 feeder wire, mobile home wire, SER, whatever the hell you want to call it, because it's priced well and would be more than enough wire for 60 amps.

 

[Sumboodie]

And yes I know, my good friend does dirt work and they put in wiring, septic, well piping, foundations, etc. They put in service wires to new places almost everyday 7+ months a year.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Just that I was planning on using #2 feeder wire, mobile home wire, SER, whatever the hell you want to call it,

SER is not rated for nor permitted for underground use

 

[Sumboodie]

SER is not rated for nor permitted for underground use

Probably not. Whatever it is they carry is for burial.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Probably not. Whatever it is they carry is for burial.

smh there is no probably.

post a pic of the cable or wire youre using