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05-05-2012, 03:29 PM
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#1
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Newbie
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Hello,
I'm new to this forum but people here seem to be very helpful. I have been trying to research running electrical to my detached garage but haven't found a scenario that matches mine.
I just bought a new house and want to move my workshop out to the detached garage. My workshop will contain a table saw, drill press, dust collector, planer and other misc. small tools but they are all 120v. Eventually I would like to put a window A/C unit out there for extremely humid/hot days and that may need to be 240v but I would like to stick with 120v. I will be the only one working out there so only 2-3 of pieces of equipment will be running at a time, for example I may be running the dust collector and table saw possibly the a/c unit if I ever get it.
The garage will require about 80 feet of wire from main panel in the house to the sub-panel and it will be run underground in conduit. I'm thinking I will need 6-3 wire to feed a 50 amp sub panel with grounding rod. I have heard the wire needs to be stripped in the conduit and then I've heard don't strip it.
So I guess the big questions are what type of wire do I need? Is a 50 amp sub panel going to be enough? Do I need to strip the wire in the conduit? I'm open to any thoughts/suggestions anyone has.
Thanks!!
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05-05-2012, 03:35 PM
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#2
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Average Joe/ex-Navy IC3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Midwest - Central Illinois
Posts: 9,273
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
We get this same question about once a week. Do a search through the forums, it has already been covered over and over.
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05-05-2012, 04:54 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 157
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
.....AND welcome to the forum. Plenty of knowledgable pros here willing to take the time to answer your questions (I'm just another DIYer, not one of them).
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05-05-2012, 05:07 PM
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#4
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I=E/R
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,052
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Quote:
Originally Posted by tempest1785
Hello,
I'm new to this forum but people here seem to be very helpful. I have been trying to research running electrical to my detached garage but haven't found a scenario that matches mine.
I just bought a new house and want to move my workshop out to the detached garage. My workshop will contain a table saw, drill press, dust collector, planer and other misc. small tools but they are all 120v. Eventually I would like to put a window A/C unit out there for extremely humid/hot days and that may need to be 240v but I would like to stick with 120v. I will be the only one working out there so only 2-3 of pieces of equipment will be running at a time, for example I may be running the dust collector and table saw possibly the a/c unit if I ever get it.
The garage will require about 80 feet of wire from main panel in the house to the sub-panel and it will be run underground in conduit. I'm thinking I will need 6-3 wire to feed a 50 amp sub panel with grounding rod. I have heard the wire needs to be stripped in the conduit and then I've heard don't strip it.
So I guess the big questions are what type of wire do I need? Is a 50 amp sub panel going to be enough? Do I need to strip the wire in the conduit? I'm open to any thoughts/suggestions anyone has.
Thanks!! |
You cannot strip NM-B cable and then pull it into conduit. Plan to use THWN wire.
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05-05-2012, 05:19 PM
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#5
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Lic Electrical Inspector
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: The Great Police State of New Jersey
Posts: 1,364
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Quote:
Originally Posted by tempest1785
Hello,
I'm new to this forum but people here seem to be very helpful. I have been trying to research running electrical to my detached garage but haven't found a scenario that matches mine.
I just bought a new house and want to move my workshop out to the detached garage. My workshop will contain a table saw, drill press, dust collector, planer and other misc. small tools but they are all 120v. Eventually I would like to put a window A/C unit out there for extremely humid/hot days and that may need to be 240v but I would like to stick with 120v. I will be the only one working out there so only 2-3 of pieces of equipment will be running at a time, for example I may be running the dust collector and table saw possibly the a/c unit if I ever get it.
The garage will require about 80 feet of wire from main panel in the house to the sub-panel and it will be run underground in conduit. I'm thinking I will need 6-3 wire to feed a 50 amp sub panel with grounding rod. I have heard the wire needs to be stripped in the conduit and then I've heard don't strip it.
So I guess the big questions are what type of wire do I need? Is a 50 amp sub panel going to be enough? Do I need to strip the wire in the conduit? I'm open to any thoughts/suggestions anyone has.
Thanks!!
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Please update your profile with city/state and NEC version. It will make it easier for we professionals to assist you.
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05-05-2012, 08:13 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Almost Arkansas
Posts: 2,764
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Quote:
Originally Posted by a7ecorsair
You cannot strip NM-B cable and then pull it into conduit. Plan to use THWN wire.
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Yeah, stick with conduit and THWN. And I would oversize the conduit just in case you find out that a 50 amp panel just isn't large enough. That way you can pull larger wires if the need arises. It is true that these type of installations have been reported here time and time and again, but if you want answers tailored to your questions you must ask them yourself....as you did. Have you done this type of electrical work before?
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05-05-2012, 10:04 PM
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#7
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Newbie
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
I have done a lot of electrical inside a house and even replaced a couple of main breaker panels but never ran a sub panel or anything outside.
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05-05-2012, 10:39 PM
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#8
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Newbie
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
One more question. Home Depot carries a 6 awg stranded wire with all 4 wires in a sleeve/casing whatever you want to call it. Can I run that in the conduit or do I need to buy each wire separately?
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05-05-2012, 10:56 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Almost Arkansas
Posts: 2,764
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
What you need will be 4 individual wires....3 6's and a number 8 for ground...and they need to be THWN, rated for damp locations. (underground conduit is considered a damp location no matter how well it is sealed)
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05-05-2012, 10:59 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Posts: 308
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
if its NM cable, no good.
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05-05-2012, 11:10 PM
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#11
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Licensed Electrician
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,223
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Quote:
Originally Posted by Missouri Bound
What you need will be 4 individual wires....3 6's and a number 8 for ground...and they need to be THWN, rated for damp locations. (underground conduit is considered a damp location no matter how well it is sealed)
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Most THHN is dual rated THHN/THWN.
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05-05-2012, 11:16 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Almost Arkansas
Posts: 2,764
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Subpanel in Detached Workshop
Quote:
Originally Posted by k_buz
Most THHN is dual rated THHN/THWN.
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You are probably right....but I'm old school and remember when it was just THHN or TW.
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