Existing Outdoor Conduit

Hi guys. I'm Dan, and I'm in Knoxville, TN. I know running power to a shed is a very common topic here. I've been doing tons of reading and feel pretty comfortable with the requirements, but I have two questions I haven't been able to find a clear answer to.



First, my situation: I'm having a 10x16 shed built in my backyard, to be used primarily as a woodshop. I need more than a single circuit, so I know I need a subpanel and two grounding rods at least 6' apart, bonded to the subpanel with #6 bare copper wire.



My house has 200 amp service, and the main panel is in the garage at the opposite corner of the house from where the shed will go, so it would be pretty inconvenient to run a feeder from, there. But there's an existing 100 amp subpanel in the basement, presumably installed when the previous owner finished the basement. I'll be running a 60 amp feeder from that subpanel to the shed.



My total run will be something like 75', so I'm running #6 THWN for the two hots and neutral, and #10 THWN for the ground. I plan to bury it in 1.25" schedule 40 PVC, buried 18" deep.



My first question relates to how I need to run the wire when it's not underground. The basement is finished with a drop ceiling, so I plan to run the feeder across the drop ceiling, out of the house, down to the ground (it's a walk-out basement), then underground the 26' to the shed. I assume it still needs to be in conduit for at least the part that runs up the wall of the house. But what about inside, when it runs through the drop ceiling to the panel? Does it need to be in conduit for the whole run? Or would I just staple the four wires to the joists or something?



The other question relates to the trench. I've got a rain gutter downspout that discharges right at where the shed will soon be, so I'm running a 40' length of 4" PVC to pipe that water past the shed. It will be buried just about 6-12", just enough to run under the shed. Can I run the power conduit in the same trench (obviously, deeper)? Presumably I'd dig the 18" trench to the shed, lay the schedule 40, then add a few inches of dirt to bring it up to about 12" deep, and extend the trench past the shed at that depth, then lay the 4" drain pipe and backfill. Or do I need to dig two separate trenches? Is there a rule about how far apart they need to be if so?



If anyone sees any other flaws or concerns with my plan, please do speak up, I want to do this right. Thanks!



Dan
      

I want to run Romex from a j-box, that is in the ceiling of my basement, to the main panel.  I know that I can run Romex from the box along the face of the joist (not the bottom), but what are my options once the Romex gets to the wall?  The joist I am using, conveniently enough, meets the wall ideally for where the panel is.  However, I've read that I need to run the Romex through EMT, or some form of conduit.



If you look at the picture I've attached, the panel is mounted on a piece of plywood that extends out underneath the joist.  Can I just staple the Romex to the plywood and then run it into the panel without using any conduit?  The cast iron pipe makes using any conduit quite a problem.



The cable you see is MC Lite, but I want to replace it with Romex.  There are going to be up to 9 more lines coming into the panel this very way.
      

First off im in So Cal. and a few months back my pool equipment stoped working after a rain storm. I have an underground conection that is accseible through a plastic box in the concrete. There is a water proof box there that housed the wiring as it runs from 220 breaker underground to the pool equip., I opened it to find it full of water. The short burned the wiring some where under some 60 feet of cement. I forgot to mention the wiring in existing conduit will not pull through have tried several times even as despreate as a come-along.



Ive had an electrician and Genral contractor both look at it and both said wiring is fried, but im looking for advice on my two options.



1st is cutting a trench in the cement about 60 to 70 feet from circuit breaker to pool equipment. Then using conduit the whole lenght like it was previously but no under ground box. Just two connections breacker & pool Equip.



2nd option the breaker is near my atic. run power from breaker through the house atic to where pops out on the other side of the house. would be about 50 feet through atic and about another 50 feet of conduit 25 above ground attached to eves and 25 below ground to pool equipment. This is a similar route as the gas line to pool equipment they will come out of atic about 20 feet apart then eventually follow similar path is this a problem?? I was told to use 12-3 Romex?? Suggestions on which route to take would be great. Atic is clearly easyer but concerend with closeness to gas line. Thanks before hand for the help
      

My existing service entrance consists of an external Meter can mounted on the outside of the garage wall directly behind a SD Main Breaker Panel (MBP) with a 150 amp main breaker.  In order to support upgrades, I am installing a second MBP (200 amp) inside the garage in the wall cavity right next to the existing panel.



Local code requires that the upgraded Meter can be purchased from the City Utility.  I have already confirmed with the local inspector that either 4/0 Al or 2/0 Cu SE cable are acceptable for both the existing and new MBP.



My question is what is the code requirement for getting the 3 SE cables run from the dual lugs to the new panel?  Can those conductors run into the same wall cavity where the existing panel is installed?  If so, I'm certain they can't go through the same conduit nipple that connects the back of the meter can to the existing MBP.  Can they route in behind/above/below the existing panel and through a hole in the wall stud to gain access to the adjacent stud bay to get to the new panel?  If not, do they need to be routed out of the meter can on the external wall in conduit over to the next stud bay and then enter the wall there to gain access to the new panel?  If external conduit is required I would expect it must be metallic as opposed to PVC.



Best Regards,



Ted
      

Is it ok (up to code) to connect 2" rigid conduit to the breaker box using this type of hub  menards.com/main/electrical/rough-electrical/metal-conduit-fittings/2-water-tight-hub-insulated/p-1442092-c-9538.htm  ??



The conduit will exit the panel at the top, go up about 6", then to an LR, then out to the meter about 6' away.  The 6' run will be supported.



Thanks.
      

I have an older home and i wanted to add a new 15 amp breaker for a circuit for the outlets for my upstairs. I noticed that the existing old black romex runs from the circuit breaker in electrical conduit in my walls. There is no way i can get more romex through that conduit. Can i add the romex outside the electrical conduit? i am not really sure why they ran through the conduit to begin with.
      

I am running power about 180 feet to power a 60A subpanel in an outbuilding. I am expecting to use 2-2-2-4 AL. The run is underground for about 150', and the balance through crawlspace and basement to the panel. My question is: can I use a sheathed cable such as SEU in the conduit so I can simply continue (unconduited) under the house, or do I have to run URD in the conduit to a juction box and change to a sheathed cable to run under the building?  Or can i run URD in the conduit under the house to the panel (this would be less preferred). Thanks
      

Our pool was installed 10 years ago and we need to change the 3 underwater lights because they are leaking. The cable for each light box goes through a conduit and up to a "deck Box" or junction box per code so water from pool can't run up to the box. In order to change the lights we need to locate the box and pull the wires out, then feed the wires through for the new light. The problem is that one of the boxes seems to be missing. That light sits under a stone waterfall and there is a planting area behind the waterfall. Ive searched under all the bushes and even done a bit of digging but cant find the box. I'm wondering if there is some smarter way to locate it.



I tried a metal detector but there were too many false alarms from every metal scrap the work men left behind. I was wondering if there is something that could be fed through the conduit to junction box that would send a signal allowing it to be located. I know the cesspool guys use something like that and thought maybe an electrician might have a similar tool.



The new lights are completely different than the old ones so we can't just change out one. if we can;t change this light we can;t change any of them and the whole project goes down the drain. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
      

Just curious which is the prefered way to get the electrical cable through the conduit, and why? 



I see some pull a rope through as they glue the conduit and pull the wire when done.



Others feed the cable through each individual piece of conduit as they go along. 



Thanks in advance for your answers.
      

Need to run wire for automatic horse waterers (1.3 amps each) to an open field about 350' away from the barn.



Ran 14/2 UF wire to 3 waterers inside the barn.

350' away from barn, is #10 wire OK for such a small load (1.3 amps for each waterer - 3 waterers in the field)? or do I need #8?



In the field, need to run to 3 separate wateres, so I think I need a subpanel out in the field...

How do I install the subpanel in an outdoor setting & what materials do I need?

If #10 wire is ok, I need 10/3 UF to run from the main panel to the subpanel - correct? Also, does the entire run need to be in conduit?

What size conduit if needed?

Is 18" deep enough?



What size breaker at the main panel?

What size breaker at the subpanel?--> only need to run 3 waterers (1.7 amps each) and maybe two separate circuits of outdoor receptacles...

What else is needed here? type of outdoor subpanel, grounding rods, etc...????



Thanks for the help!