Ground wire ??

Bob1955 · 12-25-2010, 08:14 PM

I have 2 questions.
I have a new 200 amp service and 3 high voltage wires go underground from it to my new shop (pole building). There is a 100 amp service installed inside the new building and I need to run these 3 wires up the conduit and into the new service.
1....1st question is what is the easiest way to get those 3 fat high voltage alum wires to make that bend at the top of the conduit and into the service box??

2....2nd question is when the electrician returns he will need to install the grounding rod so will he need to run a wire back down that same conduit to the outside for that grounding rod or will that wire be run somewhere else seperatly. I would like to know if I can bury the conduit when I am done since the gound is frozen hereor make it harder for him to run that ground wire back through?? Its a pole building so maybe he can just put the ground rod inside the building or run the wire under the wall?? The ground is frozen here .. so should I bury the conduit after I put in those 3 wires or will he need to get another wire in there too for the ground??
Thanks

joed · 12-25-2010, 08:24 PM

First problem is it should be a 4 wire feed to the detached building according to the 2008 code.

Speedy Petey · 12-25-2010, 08:33 PM

Two points.

1) The wires going to the building are not "high-voltage" wires. They are simply 120/240v line voltage.

2) If there is an electrician on the job WHY are you doing the critical and difficult work like terminating an UG conduit in the panel?

The ground rod can be inside the building. I would just come out of the panel with a bare CU to the ground rod.

Bob1955 · 12-25-2010, 08:46 PM

Thanks guys
Long story short
He (the electrician) trenched this and burried the 3 wires 2 months ago. Then the building was put up. However he was about 3 feet short of the building wall and the ground has since frozen solid. He installed the panel inside the new building but didnt want to hack his way through the frozen ground.....So I have no actual power yet....so I finally thawed the frozen ground and hacked out the trench now just to appease him. I have the trench open but want to bury it now and get the wires up and into the service for him. Then maybe he'll get back out here and finish up the job.
So what is the easiest way to get those wires bent inward when I get to the top of that conduit...the elbow is installed at the top (goes into the back of the panel) and has the cover plate that screws on?? Its cold and they are stiff as well?? So do I just pull it all up and out the elbow then pull it inward to the panel. Or just pull a couple feet out the back of the elbow and then feed it in??? Whats the easiest as there is a ton of extra wire.

Speedy Petey · 12-25-2010, 08:57 PM

Without seeing pics of the situation I think it will be impossible for us to tell what your best route is.

Bob1955 · 12-25-2010, 09:23 PM

Thanks
I put up a photos to help simplify it.
There is a pvc conduit fitting that is 90 degrees that comes out the back of the 100 amp service and through the outside wall.... I am installing2 the conduit from the ground up the outside wall into this elbow whats the easiest way to get thoses thick stiff wires through this 90 elbow ??

Stubbie · 12-25-2010, 11:32 PM

What awg size are the al wires? As Joed said you likely need 4 wires not 3. However 3 wire feeders are allowed if you do not have any other conductive paths going out to that shop like metal water lines or other cables for tv etc .... and your jurisdiction is on a code cycle prior to 2008 and there are no local or state code amendments disallowing 3 wire feeders.

Jeez how did he miss the building by 3 feet? What he should of done was put in a stub up so you could sweep up on the inside wall after the walls went up and come in the bottom of the panel.
If the concrete is poured you don't have much choice but to use the LB you have pictured. At the bottom of the trench install a pvc sweep then a riser length of pvc to the sweep and terminate into the LB. Take the cover off the Lb and pull the wires out of the LB to the length needed to make the proper terminations to the inside panel be sure to measure for the farthest point and then allow allow another 3 feet if possible. Take the wires and bend them over and the pass them back into the LB and out the inside panel. Pull the wires until they are neatly seated into the LB. This will take a little grunt work. Put the cover back on.

I had to chuckle a bit when you implied the electrician didn't want to mess with frozen ground. I think I would pass on him and either finish the wiring yourself or get another electrician that will finish the job you hired him to do.....

How about putting up a picture of the inside panel with the front cover removed...

As Pete said you need to run a #6 bare copper out to a ground rod and protect it where it needs to be when it is exposed. Again not sure why you have to do this if an electrician has been hired....