Hoping to Light some SHED.

[TopCatGr58]

Hello again,

With regards to this SHED that I plan on building, I will also want to provide Electrical Power to it for both my machining tools, as well as lighting, and even a window AC unit....gets moderately hot here in Va.!

The shed will be built beside the house and garage, the existing fusepanel is at the back of the garage, at the side door location.

My air compressor, as well as my metal cutting bandsaw, need at least 15amps on an isolated circuit, not to mention my combo mill/lathe machine, and also the A/C unit.

How hard and Xpensive will it be to have an electrician run and setup a separate power line to the shed and equip it with it's own fusepanel to be able to support several separate circuits capable of handling the aforementioned power requirements?
The house has underground Electrical supply going to it. Would the line(s) to the shed need to be burried also, or could they be attached at shed roof height from garage to shed?

We are thinking of installing a natural gas powered generator backup system for the house while we're at it, would probably be a good time to get ALL of this done at the same time, huh?

Again, Xsively ThanXS!
T.C.

[Dennyz]

My shop is wired into my houses fuse panel via a 75amp 240v breaker running to a small fuse box in the shop. Otherwise, you would need a seperate connection and meter. My line is underground.

I run a 10,000lb lift (2 hp), 6.5 hp compressor, 2 hp (3phase) Bridgport mill, 1 hp lathe, a mig welder, plasma cutter, a table saw, 1 hp grinder, drill press, power coat oven, beer frig, 27" TV, a bunch of hand tool and all the shop lights off that 75amp 240 line. Of course, I don't run them all at the same time. I have my lift and compressor wired through a three-way switch so they can't be run at the same time, or the middle position so neither will come on. I have never popped a breaker.

Figuring 750watts per horse, a 1 HP motor consumes 3.125 amps. You have to watch out for start up surges and automatic startups (like a compressor).

Although it is not that hard to buy all the stuff at Home Depot and wire your shop yourself, you might find it impossible to get approved. By the time you learn all the codes (from several inspection visits), you might as well pay somebody. If you know somebody in the trade, you might be able to do most of the labor and they will do the final connections.

I am a DIY'er, so I like to do this kind of stuff myself. I have friends in the business that tell me how to do it and come over to check it before I call for the inspection and cerification. Usually for a bottle of their favorite anti-freeze.

[jeffe]

A word of advice..........we had some self appointed "electricians ' at work wire our new servcie annex. It cost about 1.5 times the amount of the original estimate to have it redone than it would of cost to have it doner the by a contractor the first. Does not count cost of phone service and 3 computers that were toasted.

[oseaghdha]

You should run at least a 75A line out there. 100 is better.
Add it up:
Lights min 15A, more like 20.
Compressor 20-30A surge
A/C 20-30A surge
Machines ??
Weld?
Beer box?
ShopVac?

It's the surge amperage that will get you, not just the operating draw.

Wiring in a generator will be complicated because you will have to run the line back to the house to a switching panel where the main power comes in. You have to be disconnected from the power company when the generator is running, or stuffs gonna splode when the juice comes back on.

You can get all the stuff, run the wires and have an electrician do the final hook up and sign off. Get a permit and a code book, so you do it right.
My preference would be to trench it and bury it.

O

[HobbyMan]

I would run at least 240V 30A out there. Some time later you might want the 240 for an air compressor, welder, or someting. I am no electrician but I think you could run your equipment on one "phase" and the lights on the other "phase." Then if you needed it, you could have the 240v if you needed it. I don't know if this is the right term to use or if this is ok according to the code but you get the idea. Rember, plan for your future requirements, not for what you need now. Plan for 4+" of reinforced concrete. On my shed that I am going to build, I have a 1/2 to 3/4ft thick concrete with rebar running everywhere. As for the structure waiting to be built, there are steel bolts set in the concrete that the support beams will be bolted to. The roof structure wil be welded together A frame style about 13ft high. I will be eventually running 240v 60A.

[Czekus21]

66,
Were are you. Sound like this is in your department.
As far a buring the main feed wire, Bury interduct, run your wire through it. It will pay for itself the first time you or smbo go to plant daffidills and petunias.

[sksxs1100]

or.. have the electrician wire from house to shed into a breaker panel with one outlet out the bottom have the final inspection, then wire the shop how you want it...

[fredintoon]

More power to TC!

Hi TC
betcha you'll need a 220V 100 Amp panel to run your stuff. Or all the stuff you're liable to end up with now that there's gonna be space for it. 3-phase is better yet but not practicable unless it's already laid on to your property.
Bury the cable. Perhaps run it below
the flagstone path that will go to the shed to minimise the risk of accidentally finding it with your digging fork. I'd definately advise against running wires overhead even if your local electrical code will allow it. You don't want to star in one of those electricity company ads that feature the fellow with the aluminum ladder who didn't look up.
Be sure the wiring is to code and get it signed off and hooked up all kosher. Many have bootlegged a hookup then found their fire insurance invalidated. Fred Hill, S'toon.