Question for electricians

[MNBobcat]

LD1,

I think that would be okay. Before I use more than 10 amps the generator will be replaced with a line from the house.

Still, I may check the generator just to know what I have for future reference.

 

[LD1]

Check your house too.

I have no idea where you live. Around me, I get 121-122v. But know of other places that are only getting 115 to theit house. All depends on how far you are from the transformer, who your power company is, and where on their lines you are.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Can always use $0.9 -$1.15 a foot 2-2-4 aluminum wire. Will be about the same as 4ga copper wire, but cheaper than 3 10ga THWN lines... And, you can direct bury.

edit: corrected price.. found for 93 cents a foot. http://www.menards.com/main/electri...-4-aluminum-urd-per-foot/p-1469814-c-6441.htm

 

[teejk]

Can always use $0.9 -$1.15 a foot 2-2-4 aluminum wire. Will be about the same as 4ga copper wire, but cheaper than 3 10ga THWN lines... And, you can direct bury.

edit: corrected price.. found for 93 cents a foot. 2-2-4 Aluminum URD, Per Foot at Menards

Bigger breaker on the source side and probably a subpanel on the other side. Cost differential probably "spit" especially when in a few years he will want more juice and will be wishing he had done it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Can always use $0.9 -$1.15 a foot 2-2-4 aluminum wire. Will be about the same as 4ga copper wire, but cheaper than 3 10ga THWN lines... And, you can direct bury.

edit: corrected price.. found for 93 cents a foot. 2-2-4 Aluminum URD, Per Foot at Menards

this is what i was going to recommend. I run this all the time for gates, etc far away from power sorce. It also allows for alot of expansion in circuits down the road. The alum #2 feeders will cost less than copper, can be direct buried or placed in a pipe (i ALWAYS use pipe) and good up to 100 amps. Or even kick in 0.20/foot more to run a 4th wire if you ever think youll need 220 in the future.

youll have 0% voltage drop at 300 feet and 20 amps.

 

[RalphVa]

I'm not an electrician, but our handyman that we used for 2 or 3 projects is. DO NOT PUT ROMEX inside conduit. Think it's illegal (according to code). I'd use conduit and multistrand wire. I had about 200 or 300 feet of run to our carriage house. I made the mistake of putting Romex 10/3 inside conduit. Now have 8 gauge multistrand wire good for up to 50 amps for possible eventuality of putting solar panels and back feeding through that line.

 

[teejk]

I'm not an electrician, but our handyman that we used for 2 or 3 projects is. DO NOT PUT ROMEX inside conduit. Think it's illegal (according to code). I'd use conduit and multistrand wire. I had about 200 or 300 feet of run to our carriage house. I made the mistake of putting Romex 10/3 inside conduit. Now have 8 gauge multistrand wire good for up to 50 amps for possible eventuality of putting solar panels and back feeding through that line.

Never heard of that one before...maybe a function of how tight the conduit is packed and it lacks proper airflow??? Anyway, your utility doesn't use conduit in coming to your transformer or from there to your meter socket (I guess they figure 3 ft deep is enough). Code dictates conduit use to make sure you don't hit a wire when planting a tree.

Now...on the subject...what is the intended use???

 

[aczlan]

Never heard of that one before...maybe a function of how tight the conduit is packed and it lacks proper airflow???

Its because outdoor conduit will eventually get water in it and romex isn't rated to get wet. How tight it is packed may come into play as well, but IIRC its mainly due to the probability of it getting wet

Aaron Z

 

[grsthegreat]

Its because outdoor conduit will eventually get water in it and romex isn't rated to get wet. How tight it is packed may come into play as well, but IIRC its mainly due to the probability of it getting wet

Aaron Z

yup, only UF grade wire, that looks like grey colored romex, can be pulled in conduit either above or below ground. Romex is dry use only.

 

[teejk]

yup, only UF grade wire, that looks like grey colored romex, can be pulled in conduit either above or below ground. Romex is dry use only.

So what you are saying is that with/without conduit, UF cable is required??? So even single stranded wire would be a no-no unless it is UF (never checked but I doubt what I have on my spools is UF)? I guess it comes down to the insulation on the wire (I've played with that 3 wire underground wire before and didn't like it much...totally encased in molded plastic with the insulated wires inside...a lot of band aids from the knife cuts). So what is different in the wire that the utility uses? That insulation peels off pretty easy.