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spencerin
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 04:26pm
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My cabin is done and ready for electricity to be connected. Since I don't know much beyond P=IV and V=IR, if I wanted to have electricity run from inside the cabin to outside at a later time (e.g. to a yet-to-be-built shed), how is that done professionally? There's plenty of capacity to add on in the electrical panel, but all the electrical going into the cabin is sealed up (e.g. gray box and conduit, buried, etc.) right now. Do you just take it all apart on the outside, add on what you need to at the panel and run it outside, and then seal it all back up? I don't know what to expect when that time comes.
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ICC
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 04:57pm
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If the shed is relatively close and the power needs are modest it is easy enough to run a line to it using a new branch circuit (or 2) out of the grey box (known as a service panel).
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Absolutely
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 05:36pm - Edited by: Absolutely
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When I had my service replaced the electrician asked if I was ever going to build an outbuilding. I said that I was likely to, somewhere along the road. He then installed a 40 amp CB in the panel and ran 40 amp wire from the panel (without connecting the two) and terminated it in a JB below the panel, under the cottage. It was easily accessible from either under the cottage or from outside.
When I built the bunkie the electrician tied the teck cable into the JB easy-peasy. Then, he connected the 40A wire inside the service panel to the 40A breaker. Having installed that JB ten years before made life easy.
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spencerin
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 10:15pm
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I'm wondering how exactly how it gets run outside, though. If everything is sealed up, what does a pro do to add that in? I'm sure there is more than one way to do it.....
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ICC
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 10:56pm
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Is the service panel inside? Inset into a wall? That is more of a problem that would need some wall cutting. I was thinking the panel would be outside like on most cabins around me.
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spencerin
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2019 11:49pm
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Yes, it is inside, inset into the wall. I don't think I've ever seen a breaker box outside.....unless we're using the same term (service panel) for 2 different things.
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ICC
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2019 12:49am
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Breaker box / service panel.... Same thing, different name if I am thinking right. As double row of breakers. Usually with a double breaker ad a master or main. Then branch circuits. There are indoor and weather resistant outdoor ones.
How does the power main line get to the service panel? Is there a grid tie meter meter base on the exterior? Or?
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Brettny
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2019 07:17am
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Since its inset in the wall more than likely you will have to do some interior repair. Personaly i would never allow an inset pannel in my home. No insulation behind it (usualy) and a paint to add onto later.
A branch circuir is what i would do. Direct burrial wire. No need for conduit.
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old243
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2019 04:44pm
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I agree with brettny. A service panel recessed in an exterior wall , that is finished will be a pain to add circuits . If you have to open the wall, to make changes, have a wall panel above and below the service panel , that you can remove and replace as necessary. An alternative if you want to service a shed or whatever , is feed from the panel down the outside of the building using pvc pipe of the proper size, I would run the cable to the shed in conduit as well. Might cost a bit more than direct buried , but protects the cable better. old243
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spencerin
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2019 09:21pm
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The meter is outside, attached to a free-standing pole. Power runs from the meter down the pole through conduit into the ground, runs underground for a couple of feet, then up the exterior side of the cabin through conduit, then through the wall and into the service panel inside.
I'm wondering if it would be reasonable to use this existing routing to add a circuit and run power back outside. I just want to minimize tearing apart walls and/or drilling more holes in walls or floors to accomplish this.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2019 09:26pm
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Quoting: spencerin I'm wondering how exactly how it gets run outside, though. If everything is sealed up, what does a pro do to add that in? I'm sure there is more than one way to do it.....
Sheet rock, one can remove it between the studs and run it down through the floor, install new panel, texture, done. You could poke out the back of the panel to the wall outside, drop it down the outside of the wall in gray conduit and some conduit or some UF stuff for direct bury to shed.
I ran a 10AWG 3 wire with ground from inside my panel to under the floor. Its not hooked to anything, just in place if I ever needed it. I can use it for a heavy 220V circuit or even make 2 separate 110VAC circuits out of it, its all in place.
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spencerin
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2019 05:45pm
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Yota, sounds like what I just described - running it back out how it's coming in. I don't know if a pro would have issue with doing that, since the main power's being delivered that way and would require dismantling all the conduit (not a pro here in these matters).
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2019 08:39pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Shouldnt have to remove any existing conduit, there is knock outs on the back of the panel visable once cover is off, lower corner would do it, out the back, down the wall, underground to remote location. Should be able to not even touch the incoming feeder/conduit.
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old243
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# Posted: 1 Oct 2019 09:06am
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I don't think you could route a sub circuit in with the conductors coming into the building, in the same conduit. The feeder conductors are unfused, except by the utility. The incoming conduit is probably, sized to accommodate, only the feeder cables The subfeed conductors should be fused at the rating of the subfeed cable . eg a 10/3 cable would be fused at 30 amps. Similar to what Toyota , just described. old243
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