Ray wrote:
I intend to run an underground feeder wire (approximately 150') from my home
service panel to a subpanel for a shop that I'm building in my back yard.

The question is...do I have to get a special service panel to allow for the
connection of the new wire for the shop or can I just piggy back (attach to
the same terminals) the new wires to the existing service coming in ?

Thanks,
Ray



If I understand your question, the "connection" you want is a big breaker
in your service panel; for that kind of distance, I'd use a 60A 2-pole
breaker and run #4 wire. You can use a 100A breaker with #4 wire, but 100A
breakers are expensive. If 60A turns out to be not enough (are you running
a TIG welder *and* a big air compressor at the same time?) you can replace
the 60A breaker with a 100A without having to replace the wires.

I haven't looked up the wire size/voltage drop chart for that distance; I
don't know what your load is. You might want to run #3 or #2 wire.

If you have more than 6 switches (breakers) in the subpanel in the shop, it
needs to have a main disconnect. If it has six or fewer switches, you can
get by without a main disconnect.

Bob