Help With Wiring Breaker Box


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Old 05-29-17, 06:11 PM
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Help With Wiring Breaker Box

Hey Ray, you closed the last thread before I could thank you for your help. Thanks for explaining things, you and the rest of the posters are a great group. Got kinda confused there and you were very patient.

So could I ask you exactly what kind of service cable I would need for my project? I would want direct burial cable so I don't have to mess with conduits. Also is there a good source with good prices? All I found at home depot was this:
Southwire (By-the-Foot) 2-2-2-4 Black Stranded Al Quad Dyke URD Cable-55417399 - The Home Depot
 
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Old 05-29-17, 06:43 PM
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If you use a 90 amp breaker* at the meter disconnect and the distance is ~100 feet or less that cable would be okay. One caveat that does not appear to be dual rated cable so it can't enter your cabin however if your subpanel is outside that will work fine. If you must enter the cabin you can use a junction box outside the cabin to switch to approved conductors for inside use or look for mobile home cable. It is similar but is dual rated so it can enter the cabin.

* 90 amp breaker based on 75° column aluminum. Assumes 75° rated terminals.
.
 
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Old 05-29-17, 06:45 PM
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Aluminum cannot terminate within 18 inches of the earth.

There is an exception to allow a grounding conductor to be run external in some cases. I would ask your inspector what they will allow.
 
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Old 05-29-17, 06:55 PM
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I beleive PCboss's reply was to your previous thread.
 
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Old 05-29-17, 08:02 PM
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It was about a grounding conductor or for a gec.
 
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Old 05-30-17, 10:18 AM
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200 amp breaker. So that won't work. How about this?
https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/...ion-cable.html
 
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Old 05-30-17, 11:24 AM
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200 amp breaker. So that won't work.
You don't come off the main breaker of the disconnect. You install a breaker in the disconnect panel. Tell us your loads at the cabin. Usually all you would need would be 90-100 amps unless you have electric heat.

The cable you listed would work but I doubt you need that many amps at the cabin. Tell us your main loads at the cabin and the distance from the pole and we can go from there.

Also please post a picture of the disconnect at the pole with the cover off so we can be sure what we are talking about. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...rt-images.html
 
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Old 05-30-17, 02:30 PM
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I need to reactivate my Photobucket account and then will post a pic of the disconnect. Want to avoid any confusion this time. The 200 amp breakers are set up above the lugs that I assume the power to the cabin would be connected to, then a set of breakers that control my well pump, power to the trailer where I am living at the moment, and an outlet on the pedestal itself. I will get a pic posted tho.
 
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Old 05-30-17, 04:07 PM
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It would be better to post your picture directly to the forum rather than use PhotoBucket.
The 200 amp breakers are set up above the lugs that I assume the power to the cabin would be connected to, then a set of breakers that control my well pump, power to the trailer where I am living at the moment, and an outlet on the pedestal itself
The cabin can be connected in the exact same way your pump and trailer is, from a breaker installed in the panel. That will allow you to size your service to the cabin to match your needs and save you money on wire.

Again how far is the cabin from the meter pole? If it is close (~50 feet or less) there may be better but still affordable options than have already been discussed.
 

Last edited by ray2047; 05-30-17 at 05:10 PM.
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Old 05-30-17, 08:34 PM
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About 100'. I will eventually put a shop in also as well as a couple other out buildings. Electric heating, tho not our primary heat source will need to be available for back up.

Photobucket merely acts as an embedded link, but I will check out the tutorial.
 
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Old 05-30-17, 10:24 PM
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Then yes 4/0 mobile home cable from the lugs is you best choice. You do have a 200 amp main breaker panel at the cabin don't you?

Examples:
PER FOOT 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 Aluminum Mobile Feeder Cable 600V Direct Burial Cable

https://www.lowes.com/pd/4-0-4-0-4-0...e-Foot/3129329
 
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Old 05-31-17, 07:32 AM
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Yes sir, I do.

That Wake Forest cable I posted earlier would do it, tho, correct? So far its the cheapest I've seen, although I have no idea what shipping would be yet.

Depth of the cable when burying. I have read everything from 12" to four feet. ??? Soil is sandy and there will be no chance of excavation in the area afterwards.

I found this also, great price, but I want to make sure the application is correct.

https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/...ion-cable.html
 
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Old 05-31-17, 10:07 AM
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The cable you just listed is only good for 60 amps. It is #4 not #0000 (AKA 4/0). Burial depth on conduit is 24". The lesser depths you may have seen refer to conduit with depth varying depending on the type of conduit.

I keep saying mobile home cable because I do not know if your subpanel is outside. If it is not outside then you need dual rated, that is printing such as XHHW on each individual conductor. The other cables you have asked about I couldn't tell if they were dual rated. If your subpanel is outside it doesn't matter.
 
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Old 05-31-17, 10:56 AM
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Panel will be inside. The cables I've listed were under "direct burial" categories. So you're saying that even tho listed as direct burial, you need it to be rated as XHHW to use it on an inside panel? Holy crap!
 
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Old 05-31-17, 12:34 PM
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So you're saying that even tho listed as direct burial, you need it to be rated as XHHW to use it on an inside panel? Holy crap!
Yes, that rating or similar every couple of feet printed on each of the conductors. (It's for fire rating purposes.) You can put a junction box outside and switch over to approved wiring to your. breaker box. (The SE cable you have would work for that.)
 
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Old 05-31-17, 12:46 PM
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Would the junction box have in/out terminals or would I have to splice?
 
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Old 05-31-17, 12:55 PM
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You would splice with connectors rated for aluminum. They are going to be expensive. Things will be a lot simpler if you just move the breaker box outside or use mobile home cable.

Pros: What connectors do you recommend for 4/0 aluminum to 4/0 aluminum.
 
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Old 05-31-17, 01:40 PM
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Seems weird to me to have the breaker box outside. It would have to be a specialized outdoor box, correct? I have no qualms about using mobile home cable, as long as its direct burial and I don't have to worry about splicing or conduits. Are both those links you provided that type of cable?
 
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Old 05-31-17, 03:24 PM
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Yes, that is why I posted them. Yes, if outside it needs to be an outdoor rated box. Here boxes are almost never inside.
 
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Old 05-31-17, 03:27 PM
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That's what I figured. Will do some checking and see if there are any other outlets that may be a bit cheaper. Thanks!
 
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Old 05-31-17, 04:24 PM
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The enclosure would need a 3R rating.

Polaris connectors are what I would use to splice.
 
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Old 05-31-17, 10:55 PM
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I'm partial to the Polaris bugs too. A little pricey but do a great job.

All these choices would work.....

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Old 05-31-17, 11:37 PM
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He is now considering mobile home cable so since it is dual rated he probably won't need to splice.
 
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Old 06-01-17, 05:55 AM
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Michael, one thing not mentioned yet but the MH cable will need to be protected by conduit from the pole disconnect to where it enters the ground and from where it comes out of the ground to the subpanel. It must be in conduit in the house. You will need at least 2" PVC.
 
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Old 06-01-17, 07:22 AM
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Yes sir. Got some left over from my first attempt.
 
 

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