Advice on Upgrade Main and Sub and new sub

rugby1

House is 100 yrs old. Please excuse incorrect terminology
Setup
- 15 ft away from house on pole - 60 amp Main with 60 amp battery shaped fuses. Meter is at this point. There is a ground rod at this point.
I can shut off power to house at this point.
- 3 separate Wires run overhead to house apppx 15 and tie into the 2 hot and 1 neutral.
- in house, 3 wires run into main lug subpanel(can not shut off power at this point). There is a ground rod at this point on outside wall from the sub and it is also tied into gas pipe.
- in the sub, there is nuetral and ground are separate.

Questions:
1) I bought a main breaker panel to replace the subpanel in house. It is a 100 amp and came with a 100 amp breaker. Can I run the 60 amp main to the 100amp breaker or do I need to run to a 60 amp breaker?

2) I want to run a new subpanel to my detached garage/carriage house that is near the main box 15 ft away. 60 amp is more than adequate for this subpanel in garage. Can I run a 60 amp sub off of the new panel that is receiving 60 amps? Or do I need to drop to 30 or 40 amps?

3) if ok to run 60 amp to garage, what size wire should I run in the conduit and also should it include ground in conduit or separate ground bar at sub in garage?

I appreciate all feedback. I am exploring updating to 100 amp service, but this may not be in the budget yet.

Thank you

220/221

1) Yes

2) 60 is fine

3) #6 with #10 ground

There are a few issues here, one being the 3 wire feed to the house and the neutrals/ground separate. I understand that money is an issue but you should at least run a ground wire from the new panel to the disconnect on the pole and terminate it at the same place as the neutral.

The gas/water bonding should be to the service disconnect too (at the pole)

Be careful.

rugby1

220/221 - thank you for the information, confirming to make sure clear

1) So good to connect 60 amp service to a 100 amp breaker

2) Ok to run 60 amp sub off of sub in house.

3) If I run a ground from the current main lug sub in the house back to the main shutoff(w/meter), I can lose the ground rod at the house, correct? The neutral and the ground bars are not bonded in the house subpanel currently...just has the ground going to rod and gas/water.

4) I would then run bonding back to house water/gas from the main 15 ft away? Is this run underground since it is only grounding? What size wire for this?

There is currently a ground rod at the main shutoff w/meter.

I have scoured all post and am pretty clear, but I am terribly cautious with electricity so thanks for your feed back on my specific setup questions. I am pretty versed in the DIY aspect of this type of work ( in house wiring, outlets etc)

HouseHelper

The setup between the house and the main disconnect is an acceptable (prior to 2008 NEC) installation IF the ground and neutral are bonded at the house (subpanel). There is no need to run a grounding wire back to the disconnect. Ground rods are needed at both locations.

__________________
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220/221

If that is the case, don't run the ground but you must tie the grounds/neutrals together.

I though the service was the first means of disconect and that the bonding/grounding had to originate there. Y'all do stuff different in the the old country.

Ground rods stay in place for lightning protection.

rugby1

1) ok so i need to bond the neutral and ground in the house, they currently not....is that dangerous?
Everything i've read is that sub's should not be bonded, but I guess this is different since a ground is not running from main shutoff that is located outside right?

2) I'll leave the bonding to gas/water and rod from house subpanel.


Any other considerations?