adding 2nd panel (detached garage)

SigZac · 04-02-2011, 10:27 AM

We moved into this house about 6 months ago, and as I look deeper into things I find that there were several items left never even started, and a few started but never finished. The one I am currently getting ready to start is the garage (when I went and applied for the building permit they found that there was one applied for back in 2007 before the market crashed

). At any rate, I found that the contractor, or previous owner, or someone had started on adding the electrical for a garage, but it, along with the garage itself, never happened before he gave up and sold the place!

There is a 2nd main breaker box added to the larger meter/main enclosure, it has wire going to a 60a breaker, but nothing leaving. Obviously I will be feeding the new garage/new panel with this. Leaving this main it will go in to my crawl space, then after about 25' it will go out the foundation in to (24" deep) conduit and out through the yard to the garage.
What gauge wire do I need to run for a 60a panel? 6ga copper/4ga alum?
I have a piece of 4ga service entrance cable that is more than long enough, can it be used in the conduit?

Thanks in advance!

J. V. · 04-02-2011, 12:14 PM

What type of SE cable do you have? Everything sounds great. Is all the conduit installed and what size is it? Is there a panel installed yet? And you do mean there is a disconnect at the meter main. A panel would serve no purpose there and frankly neither would a disconnect. If you have a meter main (meter and panel in one enclosure) thats all you need to run the new feeder.

SigZac · 04-02-2011, 03:25 PM

The wire I have is 4ga alum that was leftover from a Ga Power drop to my dads barn out in the country.

The conduit has not been purchased, much less installed as of yet. I was thinking of this 2". min/max size requirement in code is no more than 40% fill correct?

No panel as of yet, no garage even as of yet!

The meter/main has a 200a main breaker that feeds the panel in the house, and it also feeds a 2nd (60a) main in an enclosure next to it with nothing connected to it. The 200a main kills the house panel and this 60a breaker. I can only assume that it was intended to make it possible to kill just the (never built) garage without killing the house.

SigZac · 04-03-2011, 11:53 AM

OK since it is not marked, I can only assume that it is SE and not USE, so can that be used in PVC conduit underground? I am guessing no

From what I have found my best options are USE, UF or THWN, is that correct?

SigZac · 04-05-2011, 07:17 PM

a7ecorsair · 04-05-2011, 11:17 PM

Is this a detached garage? If so, you will need 4 conductors, 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground.
What size breaker in your main panel is feeding this panel?

Quote:

There is a 2nd main breaker box added to the larger meter/main enclosure, it has wire going to a 60a breaker, but nothing leaving.

SigZac · 04-06-2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a7ecorsair

Is this a detached garage? If so, you will need 4 conductors, 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground.

Yup detached. Yup. Line 1, Line 2, Neutral, and ground. Got it. UF? USE? Romex? 6 gauge copper/4 gauge alum? It is going to be underground, in 2" conduit for about 40' of the 85' total run.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SigZac

60a breaker

Sixty Amp breaker in place. No wire connected leaving the breaker at this time

SigZac · 04-09-2011, 07:46 AM

Coming off the meter base there is a 200a main that feeds the house panel and also a 60a for the garage
It will use copper 6g 3 with ground from the 60a breaker through the house basement, out of the basement in to and through the conduit and over to the garage where the conduit will be 2" schedule 80 24" deep
Additional ground rod will be installed at garage
Ground and neutral will be separate in garage panel

Anything else?

frenchelectrican · 04-09-2011, 05:05 PM

Just make sure you remove the bonding or jumper bonding strap or bonding screw off complety at the subpanel location so just be aware of it.

And some panels you may have to buy a ground bussbar kit to install in your load centre due some will not come standard and some will do so prepare for it.

Merci,
Marc

04-02-2011, 10:27 AM	#1
SigZac SigZac Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 12	adding 2nd panel (detached garage) We moved into this house about 6 months ago, and as I look deeper into things I find that there were several items left never even started, and a few started but never finished. The one I am currently getting ready to start is the garage (when I went and applied for the building permit they found that there was one applied for back in 2007 before the market crashed ). At any rate, I found that the contractor, or previous owner, or someone had started on adding the electrical for a garage, but it, along with the garage itself, never happened before he gave up and sold the place! There is a 2nd main breaker box added to the larger meter/main enclosure, it has wire going to a 60a breaker, but nothing leaving. Obviously I will be feeding the new garage/new panel with this. Leaving this main it will go in to my crawl space, then after about 25' it will go out the foundation in to (24" deep) conduit and out through the yard to the garage. What gauge wire do I need to run for a 60a panel? 6ga copper/4ga alum? I have a piece of 4ga service entrance cable that is more than long enough, can it be used in the conduit? Thanks in advance!

04-02-2011, 12:14 PM	#2
J. V. Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,346	adding 2nd panel (detached garage) What type of SE cable do you have? Everything sounds great. Is all the conduit installed and what size is it? Is there a panel installed yet? And you do mean there is a disconnect at the meter main. A panel would serve no purpose there and frankly neither would a disconnect. If you have a meter main (meter and panel in one enclosure) thats all you need to run the new feeder.

04-02-2011, 03:25 PM	#3
SigZac SigZac Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 12	adding 2nd panel (detached garage) The wire I have is 4ga alum that was leftover from a Ga Power drop to my dads barn out in the country. The conduit has not been purchased, much less installed as of yet. I was thinking of this 2". min/max size requirement in code is no more than 40% fill correct? No panel as of yet, no garage even as of yet! The meter/main has a 200a main breaker that feeds the panel in the house, and it also feeds a 2nd (60a) main in an enclosure next to it with nothing connected to it. The 200a main kills the house panel and this 60a breaker. I can only assume that it was intended to make it possible to kill just the (never built) garage without killing the house. Last edited by SigZac; 04-03-2011 at 11:32 AM.

04-03-2011, 11:53 AM	#4
SigZac SigZac Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 12	adding 2nd panel (detached garage) OK since it is not marked, I can only assume that it is SE and not USE, so can that be used in PVC conduit underground? I am guessing no From what I have found my best options are USE, UF or THWN, is that correct?

04-05-2011, 07:17 PM	#5
SigZac SigZac Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 12	adding 2nd panel (detached garage)

adding 2nd panel (detached garage)