12/3 to garage

849 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mudslinger, May 8, 2016

mudslinger

Discussion Starter · May 8, 2016

Hello, its been a long while since ive visited.
I have a 12/3 w ground existing underground from my house to the garage. The run from the main box to the garage is 80'. I'd like to ask what the best configuration in terms of the most power to the garage, using the existing wire. As it stands I've set it up as 1 20a circuit with the 3rd wire unused. I'm hoping for 2 20a circuits, but am unsure with the single common.
Thanks in advance

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rjniles

· #4 · May 8, 2016

mudslinger said:
Ok. Double pole 20 at the main. Now at the garage sub, I would use 2 20a breakers with a bonded ground and ground rod?
Thanks

You don't need a sub-panel, breakers or ground rods in the garage. With the multiwire circuit you have 2 20 amp circuits.

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rjniles

· #7 · May 8, 2016

mudslinger said:
I over do most things, and wouldnt mind breakers in the garage to save going back to the house in case of overload, I,m dabbling in woodworking and theres a fairly heavy initial draw from the air compressor and saws. Would the breakers and ground rod be a problem? Nothing has tripped the main up to this point, but the lights draw down.

thanks

With a 20 amp breaker in the house and a 20 amp in the garage, the house breaker may trip before the garage. Don't over think this, do as has been suggested.

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