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barbee6043

barbee6043

barbee 6043
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Here goes. We live out in the sticks. The breaker box at the meter pole feeds our well system with a 60 amp breaker, this feeds a jet pump with pressure and in turn feeds a pump with a pressure switch, that sends water from a 4 gal holding tank, all 220 amp stuff.
I need to put a breaker box at the well house, and feed a line to the shed for 4, 125 watt heat lamps.
Question is what do I need at the well house for breakers for the heat lamps?
I figure I need to change out the 60 amp breaker at the main box at the pole to 100 amp , place a 60 amp breaker the at the box at the well house for the well system, and then run 1 or maybe 2 lines to the shed to feed the heat lamps. I would have 40 amps to use for breakers to the heat lamps. Two lamps per one wire feed by a 20 amp breaker??
The distance from the well house to the shed is about 60 feet or so. When in use, all 4 heat lamps could be going at the same time.
My description is probably clear as mud!
 
What voltage are the heat lamps? Need that to figure amp draw
 
Worst case, each of your lamps is going to draw 1 amp.

W/V=A
125/120=1.04A
220/120=0.56A
 
barbee6043 said:
So a 15 amp breaker could run 5 - 125 watt lights all the same time no problem.
Click to expand...

Yes, you want to plan to stay under 80% of the rated capacity. Run some #10 and use a 20A breaker for possible growth. Put a 30A at the pole.
 
So if I used the bigger heat bulb like 250 watt you are saying it uses less voltage or current?
I took a course in "farm electrification" 40 years ago but it was too much like math which I hate!!!
 
barbee6043 said:
So if I used the bigger heat bulb like 250 watt you are saying it uses less voltage or current?
I took a course in "farm electrification" 40 years ago but it was too much like math which I hate!!!
Click to expand...

No, 250W divided by 120 Volts is just over 2 amps.

The equation is Watts/Volts=Amps

If the Voltage was 240, it would be 125W/240V=0.52A
 
Cuda416 said:
Yes, you want to plan to stay under 80% of the rated capacity. Run some #10 and use a 20A breaker for possible growth. Put a 30A at the pole.
Click to expand...
I guess it would maybe easier/cheaper to leave the well feed right off the box at the pole like it is already, and put a 30 amp breaker in the pole box and run a wire to a small box and 20 amp at the shed for the heat lamps?
 
barbee6043 said:
I guess it would maybe easier/cheaper to leave the well feed right off the box at the pole like it is already, and put a 30 amp breaker in the pole box and run a wire to a small box and 20 amp at the shed for the heat lamps?
Click to expand...

That's what I would do if you are staying with 120V. There is no need, it sounds, to overkill it.
 
Cuda416 said:
That's what I would do if you are staying with 120V. There is no need, it sounds, to overkill it.
Click to expand...
I got it. Just put a 20 amp at the pole box and run it directly into the series of sockets for the heat bulbs at the shed , and into the tack room for switch and light.
 
Honestly though, you have no reason to trust my advice. I'm just internet guy 100222020. Get a second opinion if you can.

You should bury the line in some 1" schedule 80 PVC conduit, at least 18" to the top of the PVC. Pull 3 lines (Hot, Neutral and Ground) of #10 THHN stranded and call it a day.
 
barbee6043 said:
I got it. Just put a 20 amp at the pole box and run it directly into the series of sockets for the heat bulbs at the shed , and into the tack room for switch and light.
Click to expand...

You might need a cuttoff switch at the shed so you don't need to run 60 feet to turn power off in an emergency.
 
Cuda416 said:
Honestly though, you have no reason to trust my advice. I'm just internet guy 100222020. Get a second opinion if you can.

You should bury the line in some 1" schedule 80 PVC conduit, at least 18" to the top of the PVC. Pull 3 lines (Hot, Neutral and Ground) of #10 THHN stranded and call it a day.
Click to expand...

I have the wire left over from the pull to the well house by previous owner's electrician 15 years ago. I also have the pvc I got free last year! I have to rent a small trencher as this place is full of large oak and pine, but now I have a plan!
We have about 8 Boer goat nannies that will kid in Jan. so I have to get 'er done! Record cold here today, hopefully in Jan it will be normal temps!!!! not a low of 23 and high of 40 with 20 mph wind!!!
Thanks for the input. I can actually do math but I admit I am dyslexic, I see so much upside down, inside out, and backwards!!!!
 
barbee6043 said:
I have the wire left over from the pull to the well house by previous owner's electrician 15 years ago. I also have the pvc I got free last year! I have to rent a small trencher as this place is full of large oak and pine, but now I have a plan!
We have about 8 Boer goat nannies that will kid in Jan. so I have to get 'er done! Record cold here today, hopefully in Jan it will be normal temps!!!! not a low of 23 and high of 40 with 20 mph wind!!!
Thanks for the input. I can actually do math but I admit I am dyslexic, I see so much upside down, inside out, and backwards!!!!
Click to expand...

Good luck brother. Definitely use a trencher. I just pulled 4 #4 lines, through 120 feet of 2" conduit with 2 45's and two sweeps over the summer... No way I was digging that by hand.
 
I lived back in Missouri 38 years, Southwest Missouri, it had ROCKS!!!!!! Lots of rock. This Tx sand in great but the tree roots are a booger. About Sept. two years ago I put up fence for weeks, next thing I knew I was in N. Houston hospital getting a triple bypass! And right in the middle of the Harvey flood!!! That is another story!!!!
 
I agree with everything Cuda416 has said so far. I would NOT upgrade the panel unless there are loads on there you're not telling us, but you should be able to look on the pump and see what amperage it's drawing if you're worried. As far as I can tell you have plenty left.

Remember, years ago, complete houses were on 60A panels.
 
If your trying to keep your water system from freezing and you've already got electricity in the shed, I've had excellent results using typical body heating pads wrapped around a few critical parts like my pressure switch and taped in place. Takes virtually no amperage (draw), even in multiples, and has prevented freezing for several seasons now. My overnight lows in Dec. and Jan are typically in the low to mid 20's. I won't be going back to lights as an indirect heat source, ever.
 
barbee6043 said:
So if I used the bigger heat bulb like 250 watt you are saying it uses less voltage or current?
I took a course in "farm electrification" 40 years ago but it was too much like math which I hate!!!
Click to expand...

Why do you need so much wattage? What is the situation of the well/ tank enclosure/ wellhouse? And how cold are we talking? My Mom/ Dad used to have a little insulated wellhouse, it rarely was in danger of freezing. "when it was" I took a pair of fairly large incandescent lamps (I forget, maybe 200W) and wired them in SERIES, that is, two 120V lamps across 120V. That made the lamps draw 1/4 of the wattage, so effective only about 40w or so. They being on at all times, provided a bit of heat, and because they were in series they would last forever.

I just meant the above as an example, the question remains, why you need so much? Also are you putting them on a thermostat?
 
Buy this book. Twelve bucks on Amazon. Wire size, breaker size, conduit depth, etc questions answered.

image.jpeg
 
Ugly's book at Home Depot too.
We install heat tracing a lot where I work.
I did a water line in my garage too.
120 volt stuff is 5 watts / foot
240 volt is 10 watts / foot.
It costs about 5 bucks per foot though.
Turns on with a thermostat
 
Just FYI, electrical lines should have at least 24" of cover, minimum schedule 40 PVC, with warning tape at 18" to 20". Just a thought.
 
You have a 60 amp meter socket with a 60 amp breaker box? If so, And the distance from the meter socket/breaker box is less than 100 feet, then the breaker box should have no more than 20 amp breakers [or fuses] to protect the downstream wire and pump. I am assuming # 12 copper wire. This will provide plenty of extra electricity for the heaters. Split the 220 volt in the well house into [2] 110 volt plug in outlets. Then you can decide what type of heaters to use and easily change them to a different type if you want to. And unplug them when not needed.

My jet pump draws 13 amps at 110 volts. 20 amp circuit breaker. #12 wire @ 50 feet. I am not an electrician.
 
pt70 said:
You have a 60 amp meter socket with a 60 amp breaker box? If so, And the distance from the meter socket/breaker box is less than 100 feet, then the breaker box should have no more than 20 amp breakers [or fuses] to protect the downstream wire and pump. I am assuming # 12 copper wire. This will provide plenty of extra electricity for the heaters. Split the 220 volt in the well house into [2] 110 volt plug in outlets. Then you can decide what type of heaters to use and easily change them to a different type if you want to. And unplug them when not needed.

My jet pump draws 13 amps at 110 volts. 20 amp circuit breaker. #12 wire @ 50 feet. I am not an electrician.
Click to expand...

When the PO did the well his guy put a 60 amp breaker at the pole box to fed it, 220 amp jet pump and the pump that handles the large tank. The well is about 75 ft from the pole, sound lke I need a 20 amp to feed the well pumps , 20 amp to fed the line to the shed with the heat lamps. II will all our guy that repairs the well when needed and find out exactly what size breakers I need for the well house.
Over the last 15 years I built and wired 2 small homes ( some would all them cabins @ 1000 and 1500 sq ft) a garage and several barns. I bought a similar book one wiring from Lowe's, I got it done and returned the book. Knew I would never find it again if I needed it!!! I got it all done but I was NOT fast! Never had any problems with any of it.
I admit out here in the country we don't always do things correctly!
 
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