Wiring multiple buildings

[Zaffer]

I posted on here earlier about wiring my garage and barn, it now I've also decided to wire a couple of other outbuildings and wanted a little guidance. I'm running 2-2-2-4 to my garage for 100 amp 220V service, which is about 100 feet from my house. I'm running 2-2-2-4 to my barn as well, due to cost and POTENTIAL upgrades like a water heater, which sits 120 feet beyond my garage (garage sits between my house and barn). I'm pulling the barn wiring from the garage panel and usin a 60 amp 220V breaker, though my loads will be FAR beneath that right now.

Now for the guidance. I have two other buildings I'm planning on running power to from my garage: one sits 80 feet away and the other run will be either 120 feet or 50 feet, depending on how I wore the buildings. I'm only planning running a 30 amp 220V using 10-3 UF copper to both buildings as in each building I'm going to have 5 LED lights each and about 3-5 outlets each. One building is an equipment shed and the other is my tractor shed. The max amperage either will see is the use of an battery charger.

I can run the wiring one of two ways: option 1 is to run each building on its own two-pole 30A breaker and use a lug box in each building (I have the space in my garage panel), the equipment shed being a 80 foot run and the tractor shed being a 130 foot run due to trenching. Option 2 is to run a two-pole 30A breaker to a small panel in my equipment shed (80 foot run) and then run a two-pole 30A breaker from my equipment shed to my tractor shed (50 foot run).

Which would be better, and why, if either is better. Also, am I missing anything?

Thanks!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I posted on here earlier about wiring my garage and barn, it now I've also decided to wire a couple of other outbuildings and wanted a little guidance. I'm running 2-2-2-4 to my garage for 100 amp 220V service, which is about 100 feet from my house. I'm running 2-2-2-4 to my barn as well, due to cost and POTENTIAL upgrades like a water heater, which sits 120 feet beyond my garage (garage sits between my house and barn). I'm pulling the barn wiring from the garage panel and usin a 60 amp 220V breaker, though my loads will be FAR beneath that right now.

Now for the guidance. I have two other buildings I'm planning on running power to from my garage: one sits 80 feet away and the other run will be either 120 feet or 50 feet, depending on how I wore the buildings. I'm only planning running a 30 amp 220V using 10-3 UF copper to both buildings as in each building I'm going to have 5 LED lights each and about 3-5 outlets each. One building is an equipment shed and the other is my tractor shed. The max amperage either will see is the use of an battery charger.

I can run the wiring one of two ways: option 1 is to run each building on its own two-pole 30A breaker and use a lug box in each building (I have the space in my garage panel), the equipment shed being a 80 foot run and the tractor shed being a 130 foot run due to trenching. Option 2 is to run a two-pole 30A breaker to a small panel in my equipment shed (80 foot run) and then run a two-pole 30A breaker from my equipment shed to my tractor shed (50 foot run).

Which would be better, and why, if either is better. Also, am I missing anything?

Thanks!

#2 al is max 90a. What type of 2-2-2-4 wire are you using?

Option uses less wire...

 

[Zaffer]

I'm running mobile home aluminum service cable to the garage and barn. I was thinking about using larger cable to the equipment shed so I could use aluminum, but finding direct burial cable in aluminum for the same price as the 10/3 is more difficult than I thought it would be. Also, I don't need, nor will ever need, anything close to 90 amps at either the E.S. or T.S. as they are mainly for storing my lawn equipment and horse trailer.

As for my garage, I'm putting in a 60A breaker in my house panel as the need for anything larger is not necessary at the moment. I just want the option of upgrading the breaker if need be. I misspoke when I said it was 100A service to the garage and am aware that the wire is rated at 90A, but thank you anyway for pointing that out.

 

[sberry]

You can actually run the smaller services on 20A and save some equipment.

 

[Zaffer]

What, just run 10-2 copper from the garage to each building, using 2 - 20A at 220V?

 

[sberry]

You could run 3 conductor, use a 20A breaker, could use 2 for that matter also. In the end you are going to be on a 20 anyway.

 

[sberry]

It only matters if you are running multiple heavier loads, 1 thing at it a time and all this is pretty much moot. There are a lot of thes34e out there on 12 wire too, we got one 250 ft and never run anything so heavy we even notice an issue.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm running mobile home aluminum service cable to the garage and barn. I was thinking about using larger cable to the equipment shed so I could use aluminum, but finding direct burial cable in aluminum for the same price as the 10/3 is more difficult than I thought it would be. Also, I don't need, nor will ever need, anything close to 90 amps at either the E.S. or T.S. as they are mainly for storing my lawn equipment and horse trailer.

As for my garage, I'm putting in a 60A breaker in my house panel as the need for anything larger is not necessary at the moment. I just want the option of upgrading the breaker if need be. I misspoke when I said it was 100A service to the garage and am aware that the wire is rated at 90A, but thank you anyway for pointing that out.

U can get #2 MHF for $1.17/ft here:

https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/2-2-2-4-aluminum-mobile-home-feeder-cable.html

And 10/3 UF-b is anywhere from more than that to just over $1/ft

What, just run 10-2 copper from the garage to each building, using 2 - 20A at 220V?

If u want 120v AND 240v u will need 10-3 w grd or 4-wire individual conductor.

 

[Zaffer]

I didn't think it would be an issue, but based on a voltage drop calculator, i'm over the 3% mark. Just didn't know how big of an issue that would be. I'd rather run either 12-2 or 10-2 due to cost differences and I'm not going to even get near the 20A mark with what I'm going to use it for.

 

[Zaffer]

I don't need 240V, was just thinking about running that due to less voltage drop over the entire run with the same sized wire.

 

[Zaffer]

Here's another question. If I wanted to do a load center at the equipment shed, what should I look for? I would only need four spaces, but the load centers seem to want to go with 8AWG wire at the smallest. Would I be able to use 10AWG?

 

[sberry]

You can use 10. As for the Vdrop difference between 120 and 240,,,, only is improved if you are actually running 240. You likely have the need calculated correctly as you point out it only applies if you are using 20A. most stuff with a 15 plug draws about 13 and some doesn't hurt with some drop, could lose 10 percent and be fine.