Installing Electric To The Barn

theboman · Jan 24, 2003

I think adding a seperate sevice is the best and safest route to go. It's a little more expensive but in the long run it'll pay for itself many times over.
Power companies put in services all the time for barns, out buildings etc.
When you wire the barn look around flea markets, surplus dealers, Ebay etc for breaker boxes, breakers etc.

Mark_in_NH · Jan 24, 2003

I am no longer in the electrical trade, but RayS, has hit ALL the nails directly on the head. I can't add or improve on his words or advice, they are sound and correct.

gws · Jan 24, 2003

Skip the 12 anything wire and do it right. If your going to dig the trench then put 220 out to the barn. A couple hundred freet of 100 or 200amp wire is not that expensive. Around here its called trailer wire, 3 wrapped #0 wire, no ground.

Put a breaker box in the barn and wire as needed.

MikePA · Jan 24, 2003

<font color=blue>I think adding a seperate sevice is the best and safest route to go. </font color=blue>
Ditto. That's the way we did it.

We had to dig the trench from the nearest pole to the barn. Our electrician mounted the meter base, breaker box, etc. Our electric co-op came out, ran the cable, wired the meter. Done deal.

Hoeman00 · Jan 24, 2003

I'll second the skip the 12 ga.
W/ aluminum prices run 100 amp circuit, use the
I think 2-2-4 triplex UF, it won't cost much more.
If u ever want water do this now too.
Check your electric co.some sell wire at cost to
customers which is a good buy.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 24, 2003

Only thing I can add to that is to make sure the water line is well below the frost line. I just built a garage with 100A service, cable, phone, gas, and water. The water had to be down at least 4 ft. and the rest is at 2 ft. The gas, electric, phone and cable are all seperated by at least 6 inches and is covered with 6 inches of rock free dirt. My trench is about 150 ft long.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 24, 2003

If you don't run a ground from the main service panel, the subpanel would have to be bonded and connected to a ground rod. The best aproach is to run a ground back to the main panel. When you do this you DON'T bond the subpanel. You can put in a ground rod in, but keep the neutral and ground seperate.

Darren · Jan 24, 2003

What type of wire is needed for an underground 200 amp feed in plastic conduit (say 400')?

Trev · Jan 24, 2003

<font color=blue>What type of wire is needed for an underground 200 amp feed in plastic conduit (say 400')? </font color=blue>

I don't know, but when we ran a 100 amp service to the garage, we laid it deep.. about 6 ft.. that's what the contractor recommended due to frost, vehicles driving over the line, etc.

The other thought I might offer is that it was suggested we upgrade the house to a 200 amp circuit. Turns out we aren't using even half that, with everything turned on.. stove, oven, dryer, washer, all lights, etc. I hear this is a trick "electricians" use to get money.. putting in 200 amp circuits where they aren't needed. Just my $0.02.......