Pros/cons to using a main breaker (as opposed to a BOB) service panel for the new shed?
Service panel for shed...
- Thread starter Hamberg
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Not sure what a BOB is, Google wasn't much help. How many circuits and what are you looking to run in your shed? Some lights and outlet to charge batteries for a mower? A full shop? A single circuit I'd probably just run a line out to the shed, and maybe include a local shut off/disconnect in the shed so you could kill the circuit and not have to worry about someone energizing it while you're working on the electrics. If you're running more than one circuit and want more than 20 amps for one of the outlets, for a welder say, I'd install a 50 amp (or larger depending on load) sub panel off of your main. The grounds and neutrals would need to be separated on the sub panel, which involves buying a separate ground bar and mounting it to the panel and NOT installing the green bounding screw on the neutral buss bar.
Non-fusible disconnect. 60 amp is its max, you can use it for a 20 amp circuit since it isn't fused, it is just a disconnect with no overcurrent protection, that would be the breaker's job in your main or house sub panel. I installed one of these on a new HVAC unit I had installed because the breaker was inside the house and it required a visible shut-off nearby.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-60-A...osed-Molded-Case-Switch-Disconnect/5013278167
Non-fusible disconnect. 60 amp is its max, you can use it for a 20 amp circuit since it isn't fused, it is just a disconnect with no overcurrent protection, that would be the breaker's job in your main or house sub panel. I installed one of these on a new HVAC unit I had installed because the breaker was inside the house and it required a visible shut-off nearby.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-60-A...osed-Molded-Case-Switch-Disconnect/5013278167
Sorry, fingers going faster than the brain...brain still hasn't caught up :O/
Meant to say pros/cons of a main breaker panel or just a main lug (MLO). For now it's lighting (2 circuits - inside and outside) and receptacles, so 20A would suffice but should probably go with 50A to future-proof.
Quick search and not finding a Main Breaker "50A" panel!? Is my thought process above wrong? should the feeder be run to a disconnect (assuming I do want to be able to shut the main to the shed off) then to a subpanel?
I was leaning towards this Square D panel: Homeline 125 Amp 12-Space 24-Circuit Indoor Main Lug, which does have a convertible main but I couldn't find a bolt-on 50A main!?
May as well ask this too: are "indoor" panels damp rated? Is there a problem using an indoor panel in a shed?
If your shed is weather proof, no problem using a panel. I have a 125 amp sub panel in my basement but it only has a 100 amp breaker supplying it. It doesn't have a main breaker in the panel, that is in the main panel under the electric meter. As long as the wire feeding your panel is in sync with the breaker supplying the panel you're OK down rating the supply to your shed panel. With 50 amps 240 nominal volts you could run a variety of equipment in your shed if you had the need. You could run all of that on a single 20 amp breaker provided you use 12/2 wire for the lighting. Given the outdoor location a GFCI would be required, and quite possibly an arc fault/GFCI breaker. That's what I had to use in my basement. So I have about $350 worth of breakers in the basement plus the 100 amp breaker in my main.
Ended up getting the Schneider (square D) bolt on main panel but had to order (online) the 50A breaker. Looks like NEC/IBC is saying I need to be (at least) 18" under ground - through 60' of the rockiest soil ever, so that should be fun! Plus another 50' to the service panel.
Looks like I can run #6 copper or AU - AU may be the lesser expensive option. Sure if I look hard enough I will find it but what does the NEC say about "having" to use conduit?
Did bite the bullet and bought 3 PON arc/gcfi breakers - $160 bucks!
Looks like I can run #6 copper or AU - AU may be the lesser expensive option. Sure if I look hard enough I will find it but what does the NEC say about "having" to use conduit?
Did bite the bullet and bought 3 PON arc/gcfi breakers - $160 bucks!
