Step by step photos of new garage

[gemini5362]

well thanks all for weighing in on this subject of the electric. I am sure I am going to get a lot of what is he thinking but here goes.

I was going to jump off the box in my house to a breaker box in the garage. 60 or 100 amp.

Then a few things happened. 1. the wife got mad at me for running around the house turning off lights and complaining about the elec. bill. She said what till the garage is finished and see what happens. So I thought seperate service would settle that point.

2. I found a 200 amp box never opened at a yard sell, square d for 45 bucks.

3. My box in the home was or is close to being full.

4 if my daughter ever moves back home I am just a few walls from inside to having a place for her. ( with sewer being the execption plumbing kit. etc.)

5. I have a bigger garage than the brother in-law so now I have a larger pannel too.

So all in all I have 200 amp service that I will never have to worry about not that I would of in the first place.

The way I see it the only diffrence in the cost is the weather head the 3 lines of copper #2 which was 3x14 42 ft. at 2.00 a foot. gal pipe and meter base. so all in all cheaper than going form the house that would have been about 50 ft. of heavy wire.
Except for the monthly min. charge if I do not use the elec. of 8 dollars a month.

So there we have it my way over done wire job, that goes fine with my way over built garge that is setting back in the hill with 10ft ceilings, and a heck of a lot of concrete. But hay its my home a way from home.

thanks all.

Roger

Roger I am not trying to rain on your parade. I dont believe that #2 copper will carry 200 amp service. The electric company probably wont like it and I think it might be unsafe. If you are going to put in a 200 amp breaker panel go to a bigger wire. You are looking at a potential fire if you have a short.

 

[fullmetal]

Roger I am not trying to rain on your parade. I dont believe that #2 copper will carry 200 amp service. The electric company probably wont like it and I think it might be unsafe. If you are going to put in a 200 amp breaker panel go to a bigger wire. You are looking at a potential fire if you have a short.

200A service requires #2/0 copper, #4/0 aluminum.
#2 copper is good up to 125A.
Wire size requirements all over the internet and in my library books.

Regards,
Dave

 

[gemini5362]

200A service requires #2/0 copper, #4/0 aluminum.
#2 copper is good up to 125A.
Wire size requirements all over the internet and in my library books.

Regards,
Dave

As I said in an earlier post you are asking for trouble any time you put a larger breaker than the wireing capacity. Actually if you look at the way breakers work you will find out that a 200 amp breaker does not actually trip instantly at 200 amps it takes an overcurrent condition quite a while to trip it unless you see an extreme overcurrent condition such as 300 amps or more. I hope that in your electrical work you are not useing a circuit breaker that is larger than the ampacity of your wire.

 

[kmdigital]

In regards to whether a terminal is designed for copper or aluminum, it should be labeled as CU for copper use, and AL for aluminum. Most breaker and other main panel bus bars are rated for both.

 

[gemini5362]

In regards to whether a terminal is designed for copper or aluminum, it should be labeled as CU for copper use, and AL for aluminum. Most breaker and other main panel bus bars are rated for both.

I

I thought that was the case but I have seen a few that said copper only and I wanted to make sure that people knew to look

 

[roermo]

Thanks guys, you are right about the sizing of the wire, I am using the right size ( #2/0 copper) I am just not good about remembering what sizes are. The bother in law is the one I ask things for he told me right I typed it wrong. The city inspector was here yesterday and told me I was good to go with the weather head, ground wire meter base and the box inside. The only thing he told me was that some tree limbs would have to be cut out the way. Not bad I thougth.

The brother in must of cougth the inspector out on the street and told him to give me a hard time becasue early on in the iinspection he told me I had a big promblem. I asked him what was that? He said the wire was fine just the wrong color coating for that type of wire, I told him thats fine what color I will spray paint it. That was the end of that and he was on his way.

I will post some pics later, of the box and the ice covered roof we worked on. It was a blast.

thanks all for keeping me safe.

Roger
200A service requires #2/0 copper, #4/0 aluminum.
#2 copper is good up to 125A.
Wire size requirements all over the internet and in my library books.

 

[fullmetal]

I

I thought that was the case but I have seen a few that said copper only and I wanted to make sure that people knew to look

I checked my meter pan and main panel. Both are rated cu/al. Thanks for the heads up.

Roger, It sounds like you are getting close to the end.

Dave

 

[roermo]

well here is the latest pic of the week, #1 is what is is left of the 2 inches of ice that was on the roof that came so fast I did not get the shingles down. 4 is the picture of the ice on the hill that I feel on 8 days agao. Have not hurt myself doing all the high work and feel on ice and cracked two ribs on my left side while safe on the ground. I have been feeling better until yesterday when I tried to move a 30 pound pig of lp gas and now I am down for the count. The doc told me to lay off any work what so ever.

So today I am just here haning out.

other photos are of the box, and and a up close view of the top of the short 7 ft wall and what the shelf will look like.

hope you enjoy the photos. Its 9 degree today out side so to cold to work out there.

I found out a 30 pound pig only lasted 4 hours costing 15 dollars. but there is no insulation and a lot of gaps right now.

Still have not figured out how I will heat the place.

Any way have enjoyed all the help every one has given.

Watch your steps out there.

Roger

 

[kmdigital]

I found out a 30 pound pig only lasted 4 hours costing 15 dollars. Roger

That is certainly the most expensive way to buy LP gas. A 30 lb cylinder has about 4-5 gallons in it, which, even though LP is quite expensive now, still shouldn't be over about $1.50 per gallon. The people that refill those little tanks know that people will pretty much pay whatever they charge for the convienence they provide in their gas grilles and whatever.

If you are going to use that little heater a lot you should get a 100 lb cylinder, because you can get it refilled for the current price per gallon if you take it to an LP dealers place of business.

What I do is get the 100 lb cylinder filled and then use it to fill the 30 lb cylinders myself. This also bypasses the regs that won't allow a comercial refiller to refill 30 & 60 lb cylinders that are more than 5 years old. It's a stupid law, but great for the companies that make those little tanks as they get to sell lots of them!

 

[roermo]

KMd, your right, about the size and price of the lp tank and gas, this unit is a friend of mine so I used what he had. If I go lp I will have or use the 100 pd tanks too,but more the more I think about it I think I might just tap into the house natural gas line after the meter and not worrie about fills ups. I am just lp take for now to get me by. Never thought about what you said about filling it up and down loading to small tanks good idea.

Roger