New answers tagged subpanel
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Sub Panel to a Shop
The first thing to do is to figure out the total power needs for your shop. This is officially called a Load Calculation. There is a complex way of doing this for an entire building. For a shop it may ...
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Sub panel location question
There is a rule for panels (whether main panel or subpanel) that they need a clearance in front of 30" wide x 36" deep. The catch here is that you have a window sticking out an inch or two ...
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Sub panel location question
Electrical code often dictates the amount of clearance around a panel or sub-panel, and also dictates heights above the floor. So first you'd need to check your local electrical code to see what is ...
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Wire Size for 100 amp Sub panel? 230 ft
There are several key issues to consider that can make a huge difference:
Using the Southwire Voltage Drop Calculator for 100A, 240V aluminum wire and 230 feet, I also get the 3/0 answer. However:
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Existing 30 amp breaker to subpanel best way to utilize max power
Most breakers are never used to their full amps/derated amps. A 20 amp breaker with the 80% use is 1920w.
The lights would be ~half of this, if on. Most small shop tools are just a bit more.
30 amps ...
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Existing 30 amp breaker to subpanel best way to utilize max power
If it's a two-pole (240V) 30A breaker you can use 7200W intermittently, or 5760W continuously.
Given that typical loads are not maximum, and maximum loads on all breakers is unusual at the same time, ...
- 226k
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Does Sub panel need ground rod?
No.
A subpanel only needs its own ground rod when it is in another building not attached to the building with the main panel.
There could be an argument for an additional ground rod if the subpanel is ...
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Can I downsize wire sizes using Polaris Taps?
Edit: All wires discussed here are aluminum. Nevermind my previous typos.
This is you not using the calculator properly. Most novices make the same mistake.
First, DO NOT use an amp value of "...
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Can I downsize wire sizes using Polaris Taps?
Yes, you can do that. The issue of voltage drop due to wire size over long distances is proportional to the length of the smaller wire - i.e., 2 feet inside the panels is not a problem, and Polaris is ...
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