West1
New member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2013
- Messages
- 15
- Location
- Upstate NY
- Tractor
- SAME Mini-Taurus 60hp 4wd, Trenchman Backhoe
I agree with BuickAndDeere above and than some... Using pole wire which is Not explicitly designed for direct burial is a real NO NO.... Only electrical power wire which is made for direct burial usage such as with a UF ... USE insulation rating can be used in this application.. The U designation indicating underground use.... It appears also from your initial question that the barn wiring installation is not using the required four wire cable with separate ground and neutral conductors.... All sub-feed circuits from the power supply panel to sub-panels must have an isolated neutral return conductor which is NOT connected to the bare ground wires and the metal chassis's of the electrical panels at either end.... There are numerous electrical on line sites and forums which clearly explain the provisions of this section of the National Electrical and Fire Code.... Generally, the only place that the bare ground and neutral wires are Bonded together to the metal chassis is at the utilities service meter enclosure.... And further grounded as BuickAndDeere had indicated above.... The local electrical code inspector can also place additional restrictions.... If your main service panel currently does not have separated neutral, (white), wires from the bare ground lines you should think about having your panels upgraded.... Isolated neutral bar kits are readily available... And all electrical work should be certified by an electrical inspector.... One final note.... GFI fault outlets are required wherever a person has access to an outlet while standing on a concrete floor or ground such as in a barn scenario.... These GFI ground fault interrupters can either be installed within the electrical panel as branch circuit breakers or a the point of use GFI outlets.... You indicated that you are using heavy equipment such as a welder in the out building... Therefore,, percent of voltage drop caused by the wire resistance of conductors can be a factor.... Again,, there are numerous on line charts indicating the safe amperage of electrical conductors for both aerial and in ground use.... Remember that the amount of circuit resistance for all wiring is calculated at twice the distance of the actual wire/cable length.... And generally, no circuit should have a percentage of voltage drop greater than 4 to 5 percent... I would strongly suggest to consult with a local licensed electrician and/or electrical inspector before proceeding.... Safety First.... Good Luck...
West1
West1