Quattro

OK, I meant the heater would probably be electrically ignited, but fueled by propane or natural gas. Sorry for the confusion.

Looks like a sub panel is in my future. Copper prices going down anytime soon?

speedy petey

For 40'??? What could the total run be? Sixty feet?
Sorry, but this is not very much wire. And your worried about the price?

What about aluminum?

Quattro

I'm a cheap *** for sure. Yeah, 60 feet should get me close, maybe a bit more depending on where I make the connection in the shop. Actually, there is a concrete apron around 3 sides of the shop, and the back side (farthest from the house) is the only place I can come up from the ground. So, in effect, I have to go around the shop before I can come into it. So, that will add probably 25 feet.

Let's say 100 feet of 10/3 w/ground to be safe (can probably only buy it in 50 or 100ft rolls), plastic conduit/fittings/cement, sub-panel, breakers, etc. As you know, it's not just the wire.

Anyway, thank you for sharing your knowledge. When I'm ready to pull the trigger, I'll put up a photo of my current main panel and perhaps you could help me make the proper feeder attachments.

travelover

Sometimes you can find electrical wire for sale on Craigslist and also at garage sales. Many people don't realize how much the price of copper has gone up and just want to get rid of extra that was purchased for past projects.

Nothing wrong with saving a few bucks as long as you stay safe.

Quattro

Alright, I have figured out how I can fit a double-pole breaker in my main panel to use as the feeder disconnect. Now the question is, do I use individual conductors (#8 or #6) versus running a 10/3 w/ground cable? If I run individual conductors, which type do I need for burial in conduit? There is a 20-foot stretch of basement the cabling will have to travel before leaving the house. Does the cabling need to be in conduit all the way to the main panel? I assume it does.

Thanks for your continued help!

travelover

Here is a really great resource for electrical wring questions. You can pick your expert by specialty, qualifications.

http://www.allexperts.com/browse.cgi?catLvl=3&catID=1734

Another resource is the National Electric Code:

http://www.nfpa.org/freecodes/free_access_agreement.asp?id=7008SB