We are soon to be building a new house. In the mean time, we have contructed a small building that we will live in while the house is built. We have a 200amp pole installed and power supply is hooked up. The pole is near where the house is and about 200' from the shop. I am wanting to run power to a breaker box at the shop from the breaker box at the pole. The box at the pole has pass thru lugs. One person told me the 200' is not a problem and to use #6 wire. At the hardware store, I was told #6 wire is really expensive and I should get the power company to install a new meter/box at the shop.
It will just be the wife and I living in the shop so I don't expect too heavy a requirement. The biggest will probably be an instant water heater that requires 80 amps.
Long winded but my ? is what size wire should I run planning on having a sm refridge, window ac unit, 80 amp heater, computer and a few lights? Or should I get power company to put in a new drop?

Thanks!

 

You say a 200A service. Generally the service is unfused until it gets to your main circuit breaker. Since it is unprotected, you need full size wire to the main breaker (or lugs of a panel with 6 or less breakers) of your service rated panel. 2/0 copper or 4/0 AL minimum.

 

Thanks for the reply Ron. I should have given more detail....

We set a temp pole that has a breaker box with a 200amp main breaker in it. The pwr co hooked up to this box, which has the pass thru lugs at the bottom. I am wanting to connect to these lugs and run to a new breaker box at the shop. I had wanted a temp pole that had the meter base and main switch only but that was not avail in the area.

Thx.

 

The circuit conencted to the feed through lugs are then protected by the 200A main breaker. The feeder to your shed is now clearly under the jurisdiction of the local electrical code. You shed panel will now be a sub panel, so you will have to keep the neutral and ground seperated. Still a 200A cirucit is required. Now that it is a sub panel, there will be argument regarding whether you can use the more relaxed code chart of 310.15(B)(6), or the full sized chart of 310.16 requiring 3/0 copper or 4/0 AL. You subpanel will have to be 200A rated too.
You must check with the local inspector.

 

Ron,

Thanks again. I'll see if I can track down the local guys.

 

Is there room for additional breakers in the temporary panel? Surely there is or else the 200amps is pretty much useless for temporary power. Most 200 amp feed -thrus will acccept at least 8 single-pole or 4 double-pole breakers

 

If my understanding is correct, you need to install conductors of an indefinite size between a utilty-pole and a structure which is 200 ft. from the pole. You mention an 80 amp load.

I advise a seperate Service for the structure which is 200 ft. from the pole. The only Code requirements you'll have to adress, as applied to the Service, is the wiring between the utility connection and the Service panel.If you installed your own "Feeder", at your own cost , from the Load side of the existing meter to the stucture, you would need #1 copper conductors, this calculated on the basis of 100 amps and a 200 ft "one-way" distance.

You must determine what the Utility Co. will require for this installation, such as poles on private property.Perhaps you should have first determined the maximum lenth the Utility Co. allows for an aerial Service-Drop cable, and then located your "shop" at that point.

Good Luck and keep us informed!!!