You are better off getting a licensed electrician and pulling a permit. If you want 90 amps to the building it should not come from that panel. Breaker spaces doesn’t determine what you can pull to the building. Panel rating and the riser ampacity to Duke Energy does. Plus those mixed breakers are not code. Just because the breaker fit doesn’t mean its allowed.
what type of conduit to run AC lines underground?
- Thread starter Jayne
- Start date
- Replies 57
- Views 1,746
OP
They are in use still. The panel switches each one between grid and the generator power, but it still runs to those breakers before going into the house.
Do you physically shut off the other breakers when you switch to generator power, and the blue tape just lets you know which ones to leave on?
OP
when you switch over you don't touch these breakers or this panel at all. the tape is 100% not needed for anything, just haven't removed it.
OP
Looking at cable prices and conduit, I think that it's just going to make sense to run direct burial wire now.
Not that my panel can feed it, but 100A service out there could run over this I think: https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/2-2-2-2-wittenburg-underground-secondary-distribution-cable
While the trench is open, put that in and leave it spooled by where the panels might eventually go. Then I can get an electrician in to figure out what's going on at my leisure, but the wire is there when he needs it.
Not that my panel can feed it, but 100A service out there could run over this I think: https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/2-2-2-2-wittenburg-underground-secondary-distribution-cable
While the trench is open, put that in and leave it spooled by where the panels might eventually go. Then I can get an electrician in to figure out what's going on at my leisure, but the wire is there when he needs it.
For the love of God don't use aluminum wire.
OP
Copper seems to be priced out of reason.
Not saying it's not good but there is a reason some states banned aluminum wire in all construction.
I'll bet you are pricing at the big box stores. Try getting a price at an electric supply company. Like City Electric
OP
200' + enough to get into the house and to the panels, so maybe 250'.
When the rain stops I need to get out there and run a tape and get some exact measurements. Rangefinders are only part of the equasion.
Last edited:
OP
City Electric only lists aluminum wire in their direct burial section for anything but 12 gauge and landscape wire:
OP
2-2-2-4 URD direct burial on order. Oddly, ordering direct from City Electric, wire-your-way or Nassau was more expensive than getting it from Nassau via amazon. Saved on the price per foot and the shipping. You couldn't order 'custom lengths', only in 25' foot increments but that worked out for my purposes.
leaving 15' on either end to work from, seems like it should be sufficient for whenever 'some day' rolls around and the power project gets done.
leaving 15' on either end to work from, seems like it should be sufficient for whenever 'some day' rolls around and the power project gets done.
Aluminum is pretty common for what you are doing. Inside the house. No. Outside in trenches where you don’t have to worry about fitting it i to conduit it’s used a lot.
If you need anything else let me know. I might know a guy locally that could get you cable or related items.
OP
At some point I'm going to need an actual electrician to do the work. I'm just taking advantage of the trench to get this part of the project done.
OP
I'm paying top dollar to an actual company to do all the work, so presumably they're doing the needful.