HELP ME!!!!

[Canada EH]

If anyone lives in a house with a detached garage in Canada, please tell me if there is an electrical panel in the garage?

Obviously there is the main panel in the house, but I wonder if there would be, by electrical code, a smaller electrical box in a detached garage.

 

[dalekphalm]

I don't think there's a strict "answer" to this. I think it highly depends on the Garage itself, and how it was constructed.

 

IF the Garage has power, then it likely has it's own breaker. But even that, I don't think is guaranteed.

 

Why do you ask?

 

This might help:

https://www.airdrie.ca/getDocument.cfm?ID=952

 

From the sounds of it, Electrical into a garage can be a junction box, or a panel. But it doesn't seem to require it's own panel.

 

FYI: I'm not a licensed electrician, so I am under no liability to provide accurate or correct info. Take everything with a grain of salt, and consult a local professional.

[Canada EH]

 

10 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

Why do you ask?

Wiring 220 for a welder to a detached garage is what I am doing. And I need to know how much wire to buy. It is expensive stuff! Or maybe I am just frugal aka cheap.

 

This is all I could find below in quotes, but there is normal practice then there is code. So it could be a 120V branch from main panel in house, to garage, then just a disconnect switch. However I am betting 240V is run just in case someone wants to install a workshop in the detached garage. Its not a city house, its a cabin on a lake. I will know when I get to the premises. I just can not remember, I am like 50/50 if there is one in that garage or not. I just cant picture at all because there was just so much shit in that garage.

 

I can make it work either way. Just weld from a new circuit breaker and wire going from house panel, out the front door about 9', over the porch and to the side which is about 9', which would require 18' so if I up it to 20' to be on the safe side. Which would cost $16.40.

 

If there is a panel in the detached garage with 240V then I just need enough wire from the garage panel to reach the garage door, which is 15' which is $12.30 in wiring. So I should buy $20 in wiring, and a $20-$25 circuit breaker rated at 40-50A.

 

http://www.oak-forest.org/DocumentCenter/View/861

 

Quote

Provide disconnect/snap switch to disconnect all electrical power to structure.

Disconnect switch should be located where conduit comes into the garage and

labeled “Garage Disconnect” (NEC 225.36)

 

https://www.jadelearning.com/jadecc/courses/UNIVERSAL/NEC05.php?imDif=660.0

Quote

The disconnecting means for a building supplied by an outside branch circuit or feeder is required to disconnect all the ungrounded conductors that feed or pass through the building, and can be one of the following:

• Circuit breaker
• Molded case switch
• General use switch
• Snap switch
• Other approved means

 

[TetraSky]

Dunno about a detached garage. But when we had to wire up the Spa outside, we had to run the 220v cable from our main breaker box in the front attached garage, to a Subpanel beside the back door, just for the spa.
But all it does, is act as a breaker for the spa that's closer to the it, along with providing an additional outlet nearby. 

 

I'd say do it for convenience's sake, it's easier/faster to flip the breaker on/off if something happens.

 

I did find this subreddit thread that most comments agree you should add a subpanel to your garage

 

[Canada EH]

Well I do have a 8 year old electrical code book I could look at, but I bet there is a wide discrepancy between whats actually done on the home construction site. This cabin was custom built, no cookie cutter bullshit cutting corners to save a few bucks that end up costing the homeowner thousands and tens of thousands of peso's amigo.

 

I thought for sure I'd get a quick answer here at LTT, but I guess the age bracket of LTT's users is just not there. I know if I posted the same question in an offroad forum I'd get a for sure answer. I will probably make an account and do that.

 

Thanks for both of yours' help!

 

Gracias Amigo's

 

edit - Just got word the garage in question has a panel. Now I need to find out what brand the panel and its circuit breakers are.

 

10/1 is $0.90/m cdn I would link but Homedepot.ca is down!

So I will buy 3 wires making it 10/3 right from circuit breaker in the panel, to the welder.

 

[dizmo]

Every garage I've ever done has had one. Is it code? Not sure, I assume it would depend on what you're doing with the garage.

As for codes, you can reference this.

https://www.airdrie.ca/getDocument.cfm?ID=952

[dalekphalm]

44 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Every garage I've ever done has had one. Is it code? Not sure, I assume it would depend on what you're doing with the garage.

As for codes, you can reference this.

https://www.airdrie.ca/getDocument.cfm?ID=952

lol that's the same document from my post above - must be the easiest version of the code to be searched.

 

Anyway, agreed - I'd probably do it anyway, for future flexibility.