#60 amp sub panel cost install#
#60 amp sub panel cost update#

That being said, having some extra room for future expansion - e.g., more lights, security cameras, etc. The other lights can all share a single 15A or 20A circuit because the total usage is < 1A! My guess is, unless this is a HUGE sign, that the actual load is far less than that. That should mean actual load load is 16A or less. In fact, your actual load is probably way below 20A! The sign requires a 120V 20A circuit. However, your stated loads are not anywhere near 60A.

#60 amp sub panel cost install#

There are grounding and other requirements which apply once you install a subpanel. the lights is beneficial (so that if the sign is undergoing maintenance the other lights will still work), a subpanel logically makes sense. Since having a separate circuit breaker for the sign vs. You can also, generally, only run one circuit of a given type to a separate location. However, you likely do need a shutoff switch (which the main breaker in a subpanel provides). In fact, you may not need a subpanel at all.

60A is a standard size and the usual minimum size. You generally don't (but technically could) put in a subpanel for 20A. The NEC recommends 3% loss on feeders, and 5% total loss including branch circuit wires. If you are feeding the sign from a service panel then you could easily use voltage drop allowance of 5%, but if fed by a subpanel you may have to consider some additional loss feeding that panel and increase one size or more. If the sign company specs 20A circuit which would allow 16A I would be hard pressed to calculate at less than 16A on the 20A circuit. If the sign will be able to be turned on separately from the lights then you would need to calculate your voltage drop on the singe 120v sign circuit. feed from the sign to the lights if installed on opposing leg of 240v feed. You shouldn't need more than #12 for the 115 Ft. Serious explanation is needed for why anybody would specify a 60A panel!ġ20v, 16A, 400ft, 5% loss fed from service panel, gets you #6 copper.

#60 amp sub panel cost update#

The aluminum feeder will work fine since we are going panel-to-panel, so we're running between lugs that are either made for aluminum, or are aluminum.Īssuming since this is commercial that it is probably 208v 3Ø, and that whoever told you you needed a 60A panel knew that signs and lights were rated as continuous loads, and they told you 60A panel based on 125% of actual load, and your voltage drop tolerance is 3%, then you are looking at about #2 awg copper or 2/0 aluminum.Įdit: Your update changes things. If we go with the 2-2-2-4 MH feeder, we're at 3.13% which is completely acceptable anywhere but maybe Canada, and even there it's within the margin of error, for Pete's sake. We have to go clear up to #6 just to get 4.71% drop, but that makes more sense since it's much more expensive than the MH feeder I mentioned earlier. The minimum legal size is #10 copper, but that's right out, giving 11% voltage drop at 16A. The 120V load is probably at least 10A (since it's demanding a 20A dedicated circuit) but should not be more than 16A continuous as that's too much for a 20A circuit.Īnd when we consider voltage drop at 120V, that's a very grim picture. Which really throws a wrench into it, unfortunately.

This means you really need to do your voltage drop calculations on 120V not 240V. Given your application, the power usage is 120V and wildly lop-sided onto one leg. (not so good for #10, but not our problem). The difference is aluminum, which is absolutely fine for large feeders of #2 size. An oddity of wire economics is that 2-2-2-4 'MH Feeder' (90A 100A if service) is about the same cost as 10-3 UF-B cable (30A).