There were a couple of emails about the specifics of the barn power project – and a couple of emails for pictures (from readers here – and the best forum on the web – tractorbynet.com)… SO – here are some of the finished work photos for all to see. I guess it’s important to understand the run was 135′ from the barn, underground, to the garage (which is this picture), up into and around the garage attic, down the other garage wall into the basement, between the joists in a straight run to the main box. This is the LB from the barn into the garage – note the slip joint connector to prevent snapping of the box if there is frost heaving.
This next picture is on the other side of the garage wall from the above photo… this conduit run goes up into the garage attic.
Once you go around the attic – there is another run like the last down the drywall and into the basement – then a run right to the main box… here’s that box. The new run is the one that comes in on the lower left.
Here’s a closer shot of the work inside the main box. The big #2 AL wires go to the new 100A breaker – the neutral goes to a special clamp on the neutral bar… all AL wires are gooped up with the anti-oxidant paste stuff. On this end of the run – after all wires were pulled – we cut off about 8′.
This is back out in the barn – the new panel… With expansion joint that reduces from 2″ to 1 1/2″ schedule 40 to fit the knockout on the box.
Here’s the inside of the new box up close and personal… on this end of the run I cut off 1/2″ of wire… yes – 0.5″ of wire… I’d say this project was planned to be precise!
Outside the barn there are 2 – 8′ grounding rods pounded all the way in (no cheating here) and a continuous loop of copper grounding wire… The rope you see in there is between the garage and the barn – should I ever need to pull something else through there… not likely though!
And yes – it works!
