More service panel questions. .


  #1  
Old 06-11-07, 04:53 AM
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More service panel questions. .

getting closer to putting it all together I have a few more questions. . .

1. I am mounting my new 200 amp square D outdoor panel on the side of the house next to where the service wire/meter is located. I will be running conduit through siding into the crawl space in order to provide an entrance into the back of the panel. Currently there are only two cut-outs at the back of the panel and they are located at the very bottom. If I was to use those to feed wires directly from the panel into the crawl-space the panel would be located much to high on the exterior wall. By lowering the panel I have to either drill new holes at the top of the back panel (in the service box) or run conduit out, down and around the panel to the bottom (which would end up need 2 90' turns). I would assume that cutting holes is a better option but i'm curious why no cut-outs currently exist?

2. When running the circuit wires from the panel into the crawl space (about 30 circuits) is there a prefered size conduit and number of wires? It will be a very short run (6" if I go in directly). I will have mostly 20 amp circuits and then probably 1-50 amp (range), and 2- 30 amp circuits.

3. As my water line is located on the other side of the house and is plastic I need to use copper grounding poles. Near the service panel location there is a narrow strip of land between my house and the neighbor. I know that there is a gas line located in this area. Is there a rule about how closer the grounding line can be to a gas line?

thanks in advance for the advice. . you guys have been very helpful.

-nalle
 
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Old 06-14-07, 02:24 PM
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Grounding poles?

No. Grounding ROD. You'll need two since as you mentioned your water main is plastic.
 
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Old 06-14-07, 05:35 PM
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There are specific limits on how many romex can be run through a conduit stub into a panel. There are also limits for individual wires depending on the cross-sectional capacity of the conduit and the number of wires of a particular gauge. So, it depends on the wire you're using.

Hand-dig in two places very carefully until you find the gas line, and then drive your rods a safe distance away. I can't say it is or is not OK to put the ground rods next to a gas line, but I am not aware of any restrictions. I would think further is better, naturally. There are restrictions on how far away a service panel or maybe an outlet must be from a gas meter.
 
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Old 06-14-07, 05:44 PM
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Whenin doubt, contact the AHJ
 
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Old 06-15-07, 08:42 AM
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> Currently there are only two cut-outs at the back of the panel and
> they are located at the very bottom.

Carefully check the instructions that came with the panel. Many panels can be disassembled and flip the "guts" so the panel box itself can be mounted top feed or bottom feed.

> (6" if I go in directly).

For a 6" conduit nipple, the only limit is the number of wires you can fit through without binding or damaging them. I would recommend something like 1-1/2" or 2" for back-to-back panels.

> I know that there is a gas line located in this area.
> Is there a rule about how closer the grounding line can be to a gas line?

Call the gas company; they will come out with a metal detector and mark the location of the line so you can avoid it.
 
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Old 06-15-07, 09:07 AM
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>Call the gas company; they will come out with a metal detector and mark the >location of the line so you can avoid it.

The reason I suggested finding the gas line by digging is that around here, they mark the line but tell you to hand dig within 18" of the markings. So that would be 9" either way from the center. Especially when they use a HDPE line with a copper wire taped on as a tracer, they will tell you that sometimes the tracer does not follow the exact path of the gas line.

In a narrow strip it may be impossible to pound the rods outside that area, so the only way to be sure of not hitting the gas line is to know exactly where it is. I should have mentioned the locator service, however.
 
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Old 06-15-07, 09:09 AM
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In most cities, the utilities have collectively contracted out all utility marking to a service. In different cities, it's called different things, like "Blue Stake Center". Some places are even dedicating the number 811 to this service.
 
 

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