What type of wire should I use to make a 50 foot over head run from the
house to the garage? This will be a 50A 240V circuit from the main house
panel. Right now we have separate service from the electric company to
the garage with a separate meter (1 meter for the house 1 for the
garage). The electric company now wants to charge a 30 dollar per month
service charge for the garage. We can't afford that. To go below ground
would we would have to deal with a 4 foot across driveway and a gas
line, that's why we want to go overhead. Do we need 4 conductor wire
that being 2 hots a neutral and a ground? What about 3 conductor (2 hots
and a neutral) and a ground rod at garage panel? Do we need to enclose
the wire in a pipe to run up the house then leave it open till it
reaches the garage then more pipe down to the garage entrance?