Ask Me Help Desk - I want to run electric to my shed??

Ok I live in Florida so there is no going under my house to run wire. Two I've never done electric work before but I'm very skilled and I have common sense . So with the right guidance I can do anything
Ok so I'd like to put in two lights , I have lots of hand held power tools that I use , a table saw, a small air compresser , a table grinder that I think takes the most power of all. Its usually just me working at any giving time usually have my radio, two fans, and at least one power tool on at one time . And I would like to get an ac unit out there too an we can't forget the shop vac lol.
So with that said where do I start. Talk to me like an amiture cause that's what I am my shed is about 30 feet from the back of my house were my main shut off is I'd assume I'd follow that up an over to the breaker box in the garage witch is about another 30-40 feet up an down .
Any help would be great an if any info on my part is need just ask .

An electrical construction project this size is not recommended for "amitures"...
Consider hiring the right contractor.

I did not know that Florida would allow folks from Boston inside it's borders. Everyone on this planet knows that Florida is a suburb of NYC. :)

To begin with, there are lots of codes that must be adhered to properly bring power to a stand-alone building. Not the least of which is a "Load Calculation". This is done by a licensed electrician to determine the size of the feeders needed to supply both voltage and amperage to the panelboard in the shed. Also the potential branch circuits need to be properly sized and protected.

It is not as simple as saying there is a 30' distance between my shed and my main service panelboard. Such things as are you going overhead from the main service panelboard or underground are required to be known . What is the average "Ambient" temperature of your area. What "Type" conductors are you planning to use. If underground, do you have to make corrections to the size of the conductors to compensate for the ambient temperature of the conductors either in the conduit or cable.

Also, you need to bring a four wire feed from your main service panelboard to your shed. You must set up a qualifying grounding system at the shed and you must keep the Neutral from the main service panelboard isolated from the grounding and bonding system at the shed.

Personally, I strongly suggest your finding a reputable licensed electrician to either just layout the task in front of you or bid on the entire job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hfcarson

an electrical construction project this size is not recommended for "amitures"...
consider hiring the right contractor.

Thanks for the recommendation but I don't have the money to pay someone to do what I'm capable of doing it will just take me longer that's all but thanks anyway :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

I did not know that Florida would allow folks from Boston inside it's borders. Everyone on this planet knows that Florida is a suburb of NYC. :)

To begin with, there are lots of codes that must be adhered to properly bring power to a stand-alone building. Not the least of which is a "Load Calculation". This is done by a licensed electrician to determine the size of the feeders needed to supply both voltage and amperage to the panelboard in the shed. Also the potential branch circuits need to be properly sized and protected.

It is not as simple as saying there is a 30' distance between my shed and my main service panelboard. Such things as are you going overhead from the main service panelboard or underground are required to be known . What is the average "Ambient" temperature of your area. What "Type" conductors are you planning to use. If underground, do you have to make corrections to the size of the conductors to compensate for the ambient temperature of the conductors either in the conduit or cable.

Also, you need to bring a four wire feed from your main service panelboard to your shed. You must set up a qualifying grounding system at the shed and you must keep the Neutral from the main service panelboard isolated from the grounding and bonding system at the shed.

Personally, I strongly suggest your finding a reputable licensed electrician to either just layout the task in front of you or bid on the entire job.

Well if that isn't the truth but my mom brought me here an now I'm stuck lol but really I thought I explaind it all as far as the run like I said I need steps to start with I need to know what I need for what I'm doing I put every thing I use an plan to use this shed for the fact that I have to go up into the Attic then back down like I said I'm very skilled an can follw directions just need a diretion to start in :-)

My roommate put in burial wire for my shed. Conduit for where it goes in and out. Shed is about 100' away. But although not an electrician, he was a builder for 40 years, so he knew what he was doing as far as all the variables. I spent less than $200 on it but he spent hours with his backhoe and doing the panel etc.
Get a quote and ask that it be specified what exactly you are getting. That will be some clue. For how to burn down your shed, I suppose, if you are a novice.

Apprenticeship?
Unless you have significant knowledge of electricity and familiarity with an up to date
Electrical code book, it would take far too long to tell you what you need to know.

I am not sure what edition of the NEC is being used in Florida, but you need to start somewhere so I suggest you go to your library and see if you can find, "Electrical Wiring - Residential" by Ray Mullin and Phil Simmons.

This book will take you through residential wiring and point you to relevant NEC references. There is one for the 2008 edition of the NEC and the 2011. Their book on the 2014 code revision is not due out until shortly after the release of the 2014 NEC, late this Fall. While you are at the library see if you can also check out the matching code book.

This will begin your trek to wire the garage/shed. Do not speed read. I know you are chomping at the bit to get the work completed, but even a tiny mistake with electrical wiring could lead to a burnt down structure or people becoming dead unnecessarily.

If you would like to continue this discussion offline send me a private message and I will do what I can to assist you. However, I still strongly suggest that you do not attempt this by yourself. If you cannot afford the full price, maybe you could get a reduced price if you offer to assist doing the menial work.
.

Quote:

Thanks for the recommendation but I don't have the money to pay someone to do what I'm capable of doing it will just take me longer that's all but thanks anyway :-)

Just because you know how to physically use the tools does not mean this is an appropriate project for someone with absolutely no electrical experience. Someone would have to tell or show you every minute aspect of this job in detail.
Sorry, but on principle alone I am not that someone.
I bet someone is willing though.

I will defer to Stan's last position. There is really to many safety and code rules to adhere to and without actually being there, the risk outweighs the work.