New Sub Panel for Garage...

Nacho78

Hello Everyone, i'm new on the forum. Short story, bought my house last year and want to add electricity to my garage which is located 90ft from my home. From what I was seeing I have a square D main panel in my house. I recently purchased a murray 125amp, 8 space, 16 circuit indoor nema type 1 panel.

I mainly want electricity for a millermatic 211 Auto-Set with MVP mig welder with the following specs:
Input Power
230 V, 25 A, 60 Hz, 1-Phase
120 V, 20 A, 60 Hz, 1-Phase

My main panel looks like this:


My second (sub) panel looks like this:


Anyway, I was told to run the following:
Feed Sub panel with a 60 amp 2 pole breaker & 6/3 wg Cable (another electrician stated 6/2 wg cable).
Use a 30 amp 2 pole breaker using 8/3 cable for the welder receptacle.

For the lights I will be using 14/2 cable with 15 amp and for the receptacles I will be using 12/2 cable with 20 amp (this I have done before as I added lighting and receptacles to my home already).

Now, I went to homedepot and noticed that they sell a 6/3 wg cable ($215) and a 6/2 wg cable ($148). What's the difference between both other than the price and also what's the difference between 8/3 and 8/2 cable?

Sorry for the long story, I want this to be my weekend project.

Thanks for the help guys... I'll be posting progress pictures.

Jim Port

A cable sold as xx-2 has two conductors, a black and a white along with a ground. A xx-3 cable adds an insulated red in addition to the black, white and ground.

The XX represents the wire gauge or size.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

Nacho78

So which would be best to install in your opinion? 6/2 or 6/3?

jbfan

With 6/2 you will get 120v, or 240 without a neutral.
6/3 will give you 240/120v.

I would use conduit and individual conductors instead of cable.

You will also needs ground rods and a disconnect for the garage.

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Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late. "Jimmy Buffett"

Missouri Bound

Since you need to run a ground from the main panel as well, you will need 4 wires. Perhaps you should consider burying conduit and runnning indvidual wires. This would give you more circuit protection and the ability to upgrade if and when your needs change.

Nacho78

Awesome thanks

Nacho78

So basically run 3 6 gauge wires from the main to the sub instead of 6-3?

jbfan

And a #10 ground wire.

__________________
Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late. "Jimmy Buffett"

Nacho78

Cool thank you what'll happen if I run a #6 ground?

Also I this the cable to buy if I go with this option?
6 gauge stranded THHN cable?

Missouri Bound

You could run #6....but a #10 or #8 is all that is required....and you will need a THWN. Any wiring used underground, in conduit or not, must be marked as for use in wet locations.

Nacho78

Awesome thanks!

SD515

If you're going to pull separate #6 wires through conduit, the neutral has to be white (can't use black and re-mark it) and the ground has to be green or bare. You'll also need a couple ground rods for the detached building.

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Kyle

Just because you can, doesn't always mean you should

Nacho78

sweet thank you very much... I think i'm going to go with 6-3 to make it easier lol...

Techy

you're not allowed to use type NM(romex) underground, it must be type UF cable

Nacho78

alright guys, question... i'm going to go buy the cable tomorrow, can I use this one? I was reading that thhn can be used as thwn nowadays.

This link is the one i'm thinking of buying:
Southwire 500 ft. Black 6-Gauge Stranded THHN Cable
For use in wet or dry locations at temperatures not to exceed 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius) or not to exceed 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) when exposed to oil or coolant

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...kuId=202895699

Thanks for the help, all of you have been very helpful.

Nacho