The Dean of Home Renovation & Repair Advice

COMMUNITY FORUM

longracing25

01:30PM | 05/25/02
Member Since: 05/24/02
2 lifetime posts
Bvelectrical
The story: I want to run from the meter to my detached garage(about 90ft),install a service panel,and have up to 8 circuits available....plus one will be a 240,for a welder.What size,and kind of wire do i use from the meter to the panel?.....also,could somebody take my idea,...and tell me how YOU would do it?

rpxlpx

09:46AM | 05/28/02
Member Since: 03/13/00
1678 lifetime posts
If it was me... I would pay to have the wire from the meter, the service panel and breakers installed professionally.
Then I would do the rest myself.
(Everybody's different.)

Lawrence

12:41PM | 06/03/02
Member Since: 11/14/00
333 lifetime posts
I agree; I would hire the job out for getting the line to a new box in the garage, and then do it from there. If you need to ask how to do it, then the job probably has too many risks and potential pitfalls for you to undertake. The problems would not only surface in your garage, but also at the electrical meter, which could cause a fire.

As an overview, though, if you do not have a breaker at your meter, you will need to arrange to have the power turned off by the electric company. You should also install a main breaker as a part of this project so you don't need to do so again.

You should run the circuit out of your main breaker box, not from your meter, even if that means using more wire. The splice should happen in an approved breaker box, not an ordinary junction box and DEFINITELY NOT just inside the conduit or on the meter conntection, itself (two wires coming from each connection is a HUGE hazard). Taking it from the main breaker box also makes it a more routine electrical project. You would use one of the slots in the main box to create a sub-panel circuit with a new feeder breaker that feeds out of the breaker box.

From there, you will need exterior grade cable (UF cable; NOT ordinary sheathed electrical cable/BX cable) at a gauge that will carry the amps you will need to service the new box. Bury the cable according to code from the meter to the entry point for the new box. You should also use metal conduit to bring the cable at either end of the underground run from the underground to an exterior-grade junction box, along with a special water-resistent rubber nipple for the underground cable to slide through into the metal conduit. You also should run metal conduit underneath any sidewalk or high-traffic area.

You should attach the metal conduit on the garage end to an outdoor, aluminum electrical box, and then tap into the garage through that box.

The ampacity (size) of the UF cable will depend upon what else you plan to put in the garage: how much electrical service you will need in the garage. Check out a chart at your local home center or, again, consult an electrician.

Also, make sure that you do not overpower your electrical service at your meter. Some homes are wired for 30, 60, or 100 or less amps. (Another judgement an electrician would better make.)

This is just an overview; there are other pitfalls. Again, I would hire it out.

longracing25

03:33PM | 06/03/02
Member Since: 05/24/02
2 lifetime posts
thanks guys....i'm not planning on actually hooking it to the meter myself, i'm just running from the garage to the meter. 100 amp panel actually, about 3-5 actual circuits,with one of those being a 240v....probably a 60 amp

acostabj

10:13AM | 07/14/07
Member Since: 07/13/07
1 lifetime posts
i also want to wire a detached garage in the same way as this guy mentioned and also plan on running a welding machine in there too. i only want to have three outlets and two flourescent lites with switces and a 220 window unit ac inside and that is it as far as electrical things.

my question is what would be a large enough wire size to run from my breaker box on the house, to the box i will be putting on the garage. i plan on putting another breaker box on the garage itself. i already have a 60amp breaker that is not being used on the house panel box so i will be coming out of that breaker and going to the one on the garage.

an electrician told me that a 6/3 wire should be enough but i just want to make sure that i dont under-rate anything. my house breaker panel is about 75 feet from the new garage and it has a 150amp main service breaker.

Billhart

11:54AM | 07/14/07
Member Since: 04/25/05
1918 lifetime posts
You have to figure the largest combination of loads that you will be using at one time.

And that is based on nameplate ratings and not the size of of the circuit.

Both AC and welders can vary drastically in their loads.

Here is a lot of inforamtion about wiring detached garages.

http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/homewiringusa/2002/accessory/detgarage/index.htm


Post a reply as Anonymous

Photo must be in JPG, GIF or PNG format and less than 5MB.

Reply_choose_button

captcha
type the code from the image

Anonymous

Post_new_button or Login_button
Register

Follow Us

horizontal divider
facebook
 
webapp2