[Shop-talk] Cable requirements

[David C.]

Here's a couple of answers, but I'm not an electrician, engineer, code 
official or anything like that.

According to an on-line ampacity chart (it's on the Internet so it must 
be true):> http://www.cerrowire.com/default.aspx?id=46

   #6 NM or UF is good for 55 amps, and #4 is good for 70.  What I would 
probably do is run #6 UF for the entire circuit since it's rated for 
direct burial, and install a 40 or 50 amp panel.  In my previous house I 
had a detached garage/shop which I ran off a subpanel from my pump 
house, which was subpaneled from my house.  The servcice to the shop was 
installed by a local electrical contractor.  The garage/shop had a 40 
amp panel.  I ran the lights, two garage door openers, a 220 volt 
contractor's table saw, an old Craftsman 220 compressor and other tools 
and never popped a breaker.

Dave C

eric at megageek.com wrote:
> OK, I want to add electricity to an outbuilding.
>
> I was thinking 60amp circuit (just enough for lights, a few plugs for
> chargers, and maybe a garage door opener in the future.)
>
> Here is the set up.  My shop has 200amp service.  The service panel is on
> the exact opposite side of the building as the new building.  So I would
> have about a 50' run, inside the existing shop, then a 65' run of buried
> cable to the new building.
>
> A few questions...
>
> One, what gauge wire do I need to run?
>
> Should I do direct bury wire or conduit?
>
> Am I missing anything?
>
> Moose
> Everything I know about knots, I learned from Alexander the Great.
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