Outdoor Subpanel 350' Feet Away From Barn

Folowing up from a previous post...thought a new post would serve better...



Installing Direct-Wired waterers in horse barn (breaker to waterer directly)....

I want to install GFCI breakers, but I'm concerned about the distance with 1 waterer.

2 waterers will be about 75' from subpanel.

1 waterer will be about 350'

Do I need to install a second subpanel for the waterer 350' away?

What is the distance the GFCI breaker will correctly protect without false tripping/issues?

Thanks again!
      

Greetings,



I am looking to wire a sub-panel in my barn to support a general workshop.  Loads would include standard woodworking tools (including 220V table saw), welding, air compressor, etc.



The house has 200AMP main breaker and minimal in-house loads.  Dryer is gas, Oven and cooktop are gas.  Water heater is off the oil furnace.  I think the biggest single load is the well-pump and/or fridge compressor.  We do have sporadic toaster oven, hairdryers etc.  Otherwise its just lights, ceiling fans, flat-panel tv, stereo...



We had 4" conduit installed to the barn, so there is plenty of room to pull a big cable.  The entire run from the house panel to the barn totals around 155' (probably less, but rounding up)



My questions a



Can I pull a 100AMP sub-panel from my main house panel as described?


Would 4/0,4/0,4/0,2/0 aluminum service entrance cable be a good choice for this run?  Could I do it with something lighter?


Could I put an additional sub-panel in the garage (about halfway to the barn) by interrupting the run?  The garage subpanel would have a 220V plug for possible welding and/or electric car charging.  Would this require a separate run?


Are there any other considerations I should be thinking about in planning this?




Thanks for any thoughts you can share on this! 



Cheers,



pete
      

Quick question - the electrician that installed 200 amp service to my horse barn has a grounding rod laying in the ground horizontally.



It is a 4' rod buried about 30" down and about 2 feet off the outside wall of the barn...laying horizontally (not driven into the ground).



Do I need to correct this???? (only came across this when I was installing insulation around the perimeter of the barn 24" underground).
      

Hi guys. I'm Dan, and I'm in Knoxville, TN. I know running power to a shed is a very common topic here. I've been doing tons of reading and feel pretty comfortable with the requirements, but I have two questions I haven't been able to find a clear answer to.



First, my situation: I'm having a 10x16 shed built in my backyard, to be used primarily as a woodshop. I need more than a single circuit, so I know I need a subpanel and two grounding rods at least 6' apart, bonded to the subpanel with #6 bare copper wire.



My house has 200 amp service, and the main panel is in the garage at the opposite corner of the house from where the shed will go, so it would be pretty inconvenient to run a feeder from, there. But there's an existing 100 amp subpanel in the basement, presumably installed when the previous owner finished the basement. I'll be running a 60 amp feeder from that subpanel to the shed.



My total run will be something like 75', so I'm running #6 THWN for the two hots and neutral, and #10 THWN for the ground. I plan to bury it in 1.25" schedule 40 PVC, buried 18" deep.



My first question relates to how I need to run the wire when it's not underground. The basement is finished with a drop ceiling, so I plan to run the feeder across the drop ceiling, out of the house, down to the ground (it's a walk-out basement), then underground the 26' to the shed. I assume it still needs to be in conduit for at least the part that runs up the wall of the house. But what about inside, when it runs through the drop ceiling to the panel? Does it need to be in conduit for the whole run? Or would I just staple the four wires to the joists or something?



The other question relates to the trench. I've got a rain gutter downspout that discharges right at where the shed will soon be, so I'm running a 40' length of 4" PVC to pipe that water past the shed. It will be buried just about 6-12", just enough to run under the shed. Can I run the power conduit in the same trench (obviously, deeper)? Presumably I'd dig the 18" trench to the shed, lay the schedule 40, then add a few inches of dirt to bring it up to about 12" deep, and extend the trench past the shed at that depth, then lay the 4" drain pipe and backfill. Or do I need to dig two separate trenches? Is there a rule about how far apart they need to be if so?



If anyone sees any other flaws or concerns with my plan, please do speak up, I want to do this right. Thanks!



Dan
      

Hello All,



I'm about to "re-locate" some existing breakers and wires into a subpanel and have a few questions.



1) My existing hot water heater is wired with 2 conductor w/ground wiring (30 amp, #10 wire). Is this still Code compliant or do you have to have 3 conductor now as with dryers?



My existing dryer also has 2 conductor w/ground wiring (installed in 1999).



If I relocated it or the hot water wires/breakers to my new subpanel will they require me to upgrade to current code (3 conductor, if applicable)? The subpanel will attach to the Main Load Center which is where those breakers/wires are currently attached.



Main question is will I be grandfathered with existing wiring in only relocating the breakers/wires to subpanel?  I'm not relocating the appliances or recepticles themselves.



2) I have 3 conductor w/ground wires for my cook top. It only requires 2 conducter w/ground however. They wired the ground/neutrals together but has flexible metal conduit running to the cook top itself. Should I remove the ground and bond it to the metal conduit?



Thanks, Ralph
      

I want to set up a hobby woodworking shop in my garage. I was going to run from the panel maybe four or five 12/2's to accommodate lighting, power tools, dust collection, etc. or should I put a subpanel 60 to 100 amp? The main panel is on an outside wall on one side of the house and the garage is on the opposite side of the house. The distance from the panel to the entry into the garage is about 50 ft. I would be pulling wire- a straight run- through a ceiling chase that runs the length of the house. No basement.
      

I have an older QO-Square D eight circuit panel. It is being used as a subpanel and when installed was not bonded.

The neutral bar consists of a bar mounted with one screw and a second bar mounted to it by standoffs. This second bar is where the bonding screw is. I can see no way to separate these two bars for proper bonding. There is no provision for mounting this second bar.

I wish I could post a picture but I will have to work on that.

I am thinking I will have to purchase a new panel but can't understand why neutral and ground cannot be separated.
      

What size wire is needed to run 100' from the main breaker panel at the house to a portable building? The load center at the protable building will run an 8000 BTU 110V window AC, two single bulb light fixtures and one 110V wall eletrical outlet.



Thanks for your help.
      

I am running power about 180 feet to power a 60A subpanel in an outbuilding. I am expecting to use 2-2-2-4 AL. The run is underground for about 150', and the balance through crawlspace and basement to the panel. My question is: can I use a sheathed cable such as SEU in the conduit so I can simply continue (unconduited) under the house, or do I have to run URD in the conduit to a juction box and change to a sheathed cable to run under the building?  Or can i run URD in the conduit under the house to the panel (this would be less preferred). Thanks
      

First off, I have read a majority of the posts concerning this subject and they have been very helpful and answered many questions, but I still have a few.



I am wanting to run power to a detached shed that is around 100 feet from the house. However, due to the location of my main panel and the easiest route to run the power, I am looking at running cable about 270 feet. I measured it out to exactly 263 feet, but figured it would be best to go longer. I am wanting to run at least 60 amps to the shed, as I won't be using it for nothing more then power outlets (basic power tools) and lights. Here are my questions:



1) What cable would be best for such a long distance run?



2) Would a 60 amp subpanel be sufficient for this job. I am looking at only 4 circuits: 1 for internal outlets, 1 for lighting, 1 for motion sensor light outside and 1 for external outlet. I am looking at the following panel:

http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...&storeId=10051



I have seen some marked 70 amp and wondering if they make a difference:

http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...&storeId=10051



3) Also, I will be installing a 30 amp RV connector circuit from my main panel  to the where I park my Camper Trailer, which is a run of about 75 feet. What would be the best cable for this sort of run under ground? Can I run both cable together in the same conduit until I junction if off to where I will be installing the plug for the camper?



4) Would the following be the circuit breakers to use:



60 amp - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051



30 amp - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051



I think that is it for now. Thanks in advance for all your help!!