Running Electric to Shed - advice please?

To met code you can either use rigid (heavy wall) pipe or schedule 80 (yes, I said EIGHTY) to meet code. (Scd 80 is required up to 8' above grade.) DO NOT CHEAP OUT AN USE PLUMBING PIPE. IT is rated 60 PSI. Electrical pipe is rated 90 degrees. They are NOT interchangeable. (Forgive me for the italics but that's one of my pet peeves.)

Pull #12 thhn wire. I recommend 2 hots, neutral and of course a ground. You can cap the 2nd hot for now but at least it will be there when you decide you need it, and you will. : )

The outlet is required to be GFI protected and it is cheaper than a breaker.

If you know what an "LB" is use it where you exit the house and a 90 where you enter the shed. You don't need a special sleeve coming through the shed floor. Silicon should be just fine.

After the first junction box you may use 12/2 (or 3) romex inside the shed stapled to the side of the studs, within 12" of a box and every 4' there after. To make your life easier use deep boxes at the GFI and what the heck the switch too.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

P.S. Don't wire the lights off the load side of the GFI

Update:

You've got it. You can have multiple GFI's on a circuit as long as the aren't wired off the load side of the one before it.

If need be, you can make a splice in the panel and have the existing wire and the new wires leaving from there, or pick it up at an existing box. (which is what I believe your going to do)

Good luck.

1

If you use a 20 amp breaker in your panel, and 12 gauge wire inside conduit I think you will be pleased with the set up for years to come. The main question for me would be plastic or metal, and what location. If you are along the concrete barrier wall, then the chances of contact with the conduit such that it would break or be worn down over time sounds very low. I would not pour the concrete over it, as it will be easily identified as electrical conduit now, and therefore less likely to be disturbed accidentally in the years to come when people are making changes and don't know the history of that wall and wire run.

I think you have it well thought out. As for the connection to the plastic shed, I would look for a flange with a center hole, sold in the conduit section that is applied to both sides of the plastic, screwed together inside the shed vs outside. If they dont' sell one, you could probably make it with what they do have for fittings for that conduit.

The GFCI will protect for ground faults, good for dealing with wetness. There are certain arcing conditions the GFCI won't protect, but I wouldn't worry about that if the rest of your house isn't using them. Have the GFCI be the first outlet in the circuit out there, and then you can run a few other regular outlets off that one and still get GFI protection without the extra expense.

Good luck with your project.

Build it yourself its easy and much cheeper. we built ours for two horses it measures 22 x 24 and is located on a fence. The actual run in is only 12 x 24 the other side - outside the fence is 10x 24 and has room for hay grain and saddle storage. Its sorta like this Feed_____________ ____[____________]______fence-------- field [ stall [ stall ] field The divided space has a fence in the middle so one horse cant rule the roost so to speak. We latter added two 16 x 80 foot padocks off the run in so that if we needed to a horse could be locked up and have access to his shed. three gates 16 feet from the barn open to allow acess from either side of the pasture and across the middle. It made things much easier so we could lock them up and be sure each got his own food, or to contain them until the smith came or for the vet. We used 2 x 8's for the bottom 3 feet of the wall then T1-11 for the rest of the way to the roof. It only stands 7 feet at the opening but is 9 feet at the rear. For added comfort for the horses in the summer, We put two Airwick automatic sprayers in, one on each side. they run about $9 each.. and will hold the Fly spray cans by country vet, we get about a month from each can and have No flys in the shed. Roofing is corogated metal with a gutter at the low edge that is channeled into a 55gallon ruber maid stock tank. A piece of gutter hose goes on when we have heavy rains and channels the water 40 feet away from the barn to cut down on the mud. recycled conveyor belts are cut to make stall mats and work well concidering they are free at quarrys.

I suggest using Type UF cable. It's designed to withstand outside weather, being buried in the ground, etc. Conduit may or may not be required by local wiring codes. More important, though, is whether or not common sense requires the cable be protected from mechanical "threats" which could damage it.

Depending on the shed's demand for power, you could use 12-2 w/grnd. and go to the hot outlet first, then the switch and lights... or, you could use 12-3/grnd and have two circuits in the shed ('though that sounds like overkill.) Consider a switch in the house allowing you to control all power to the shed. It sounds like the devices in the shed should be protected by a GFCI and you can do that by properly locating a single protected outlet.

You should be able to penetrate the skin of the shed with a spade bit or a hole saw. Consider protecting the cable from chaffing with a protective grommet or cable clamp - and plan hole size accordingly. There is electrical putty readily available (used to seal weather heads, etc.) or any kind of exterior putty or caulk should seal the entrance.

Complete Shed Plans Course : http://guideinfos.com/24X7

I will recommend to you to dig a narrow hole at least one feet deep and run one inch diameter plastic conduit with #12 electric wire inserted and connected from walls or foundation on both buildings. Your idea of hanging electric wires out doors from one structure to another is very hazardous and not legal in many cities. Good luck...!

You could get away with 14/2 wire inside pvc conduit without any problems. Home depot or Lowes can set you up with the correct connectors , and use a GFCI breaker inside the home to prevent any stray water outside from possibly shorting out and shocking you.