I'm looking at running electrical wiring from my home to my garage. The
distance is about 60 feet. I'm located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the garage,
would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40 or even 60
amp service?

Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is permitted
in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas company/contractor come
and install a gas line at the same time as I'm doing the electical?

Any information or suggestions are appreciated!

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 19:16:38 GMT, "Noozer" wrote:

I'm looking at running electrical wiring from my home to my garage. The
distance is about 60 feet. I'm located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the garage,
would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40 or even 60
amp service?

Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is permitted
in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas company/contractor come
and install a gas line at the same time as I'm doing the electical?

Any information or suggestions are appreciated!



I am recalling from memory. The main point in my response is that you
can do the work yourself except for the inspection. For that phone up
the city to get the exact regulations. I am from Edmonton.

The depth of the trench is 3 feet (phone up the gas company and ask).
Get the gas company to make up the gas pipe. The City inspector will
examine your istallation before you are allowed to cover it. The gas
pipe will be tested for leaks. The pipe will be pressurized from a
nitrogen tank and the pressure must be maintained over 24 hours or
something like that. The electrical cable can be one of those that
can be buried without using a conduit. It was required to be
separated from the gas pipe with a 2 x 4 treated wood stud. Use a
cable rated for 220 volt 40 amps service as 220 volts will be useful
for running tools like a table saw. Use a sub breaker box in the
garage. Inside the house it is connected to a 220V 30 amp breaker.
The garage 220 circuit is on a 20 amp breaker so that it will trip
first before it can go back to the main panel. The 115V circuits can
be regular 15 amp breakers. I also buried a PVC conduit in the same
trench. In it I ran two lines of telephone wires for a phone, burglar
alarm(?) and spares. I also ran a coax cable for TV and maybe a
computer link. There was also an outdoor rated 115V 14/2 cable to run
power back into the house.

I have so far only hooked up the 220V system and the phone connection.
If I had my druthers I wouldn't have the gas line. It will cost too
much to buy a garage gas heater and to operate it in an uninsulated
garage. If its that cold stay indoors and enjoy something else.

Noozer wrote:
I'm looking at running electrical wiring from my home to my garage. The
distance is about 60 feet. I'm located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the garage,
would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40 or even 60
amp service?

Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is permitted
in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas company/contractor come
and install a gas line at the same time as I'm doing the electical?

Any information or suggestions are appreciated!




You'll never regret running a larger service than you could have got by
with. You don't know; you might want to add a welder later, or a big
dust collector that runs at the same time as a big table saw, etc.

The trench is the expensive part, even with copper prices at historic
highs. Don't forget that there is nothing wrong with using properly
terminated aluminum wires for big circuits.

Bob

unless you need everything immediately run a bunch of spare conduit or
even 4 inch PVC pipes so you can add whatever later.


document the trench depth with inspection and photos and conduits so
theres never a inspection issue later. put everything in oversize
conduit,

GO BIG like 100 amp on sub panel and cabling, you will never regret the
extra investment

"Noozer" wrote in message
news:qy2Gg.438260$IK3.354951@pd7tw1no...
I'm looking at running electrical wiring from my home to my garage. The
distance is about 60 feet. I'm located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the garage,
would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40 or even
60 amp service?

Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is
permitted in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas
company/contractor come and install a gas line at the same time as I'm
doing the electical?

Any information or suggestions are appreciated!


All I can offer is what we would do here in WalkAboutCreek in Australia,
mate.

Dig a trench.

Put the wire in it.

Hook it up.

If no sparks, proceed to use it.

We have no inspectors or rules here. And if it fries a roo or wallaby, it's
just free lunch. I'd check with your local authorities to be sure. What
works here in WalkAboutCreek might not work where you are.

Steve ;-)

"Noozer" wrote in message

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

The local building inspector. will have that information. Here we can us
direct burile, but I have no idea in your area.


This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the garage,
would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40 or even
60 amp service?

What will yo do there? If you expect to run a table saw, you need a 20A
circuit for just that, maybe even a 220v for a larger one.


Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is
permitted in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas
company/contractor come and install a gas line at the same time as I'm
doing the electical?

If you ever plant to add heat, yes, do it now and save a bundle later.
Since you have cars parked in there, code may have something to say about
using a gas heater or where it must be mounted. Best to check that first. .

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
t...

"Noozer" wrote in message

It appears that wiring must be buried within a conduit and that direct
burial wire is not allowed. Can anyone verify if this is the case?

The local building inspector. will have that information. Here we can us
direct burile, but I have no idea in your area.

I'm planning on calling once I've decided what I really need and what I
would like.

This is a three car garage, with one stall being a small workshop.
Considering that there will only ever be one person working in the
garage, would a 30 amp double circuit service be OK, or should I run a 40
or even 60 amp service?

What will yo do there? If you expect to run a table saw, you need a 20A
circuit for just that, maybe even a 220v for a larger one.

What's got me wondering is what gauge wiring that I'll need, since the run
will be about 70+ feet. Code calls for NMDU wiring, installed into PVC
conduit, 6-3 gauge for split 60amp, 8-3 for split 40 amp and 10-3 for split
30 amp.

Since I'll have the trench open for electrical, and a gas line is
permitted in the same trench, would it be wise to have the gas
company/contractor come and install a gas line at the same time as I'm
doing the electical?

If you ever plant to add heat, yes, do it now and save a bundle later.
Since you have cars parked in there, code may have something to say about
using a gas heater or where it must be mounted. Best to check that first.
.

I'm hoping to add heat, but I was also thinking about going with an oil tank
and furnace. I've got to room for it and lane access to have it filled.

The reason I'm considering running the 80+ foot gas line is to add a BBQ
oulet. I had having to fill those propane containers.

I'm hoping to add heat, but I was also thinking about going with an oil tank
and furnace. I've got to room for it and lane access to have it filled.

The reason I'm considering running the 80+ foot gas line is to add a BBQ
oulet. I had having to fill those propane containers.

gas furnace requires less maintence, why add a oil tank if not
necessary?

if you run the gas line for the BBQ might as well run a larger diameter
one and have the ability to add a furnce later if you want.

any need for water in the garage?

run a empty 4 inch pvc for later additions if you hadnt wanted now