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Wiring to "Code" Specs

 * Carbons Sent to: usa-tesla-at-usa-dot-net

Just thought I would update you all on my progress with setting
up a coiling lab in the new house. 

Saturday I began making the trips to the hardware store required
to obtain the materials for bringing 100 amp 240 V service into
the two car garage area where I will be firing. After pulling the
cover off of the master electrical panel (breaker box) in the
basement, I measured a ~50 foot run to the garage with one 90
degree turn required. Indoors, with this type of current
requirement (100 amp_, and that long of a run, I prefer using
galvanized steel conduit to sheath the cable.

The first trip to the hardware store ran about $100.00. I picked
up 160 feet of #4 AWG stranded copper (41 cents per foot) for the
run from the panel to the garage. Also on the list was five 10
foot sections of 3/4" conduit, one bag of double ended
compression fittings, one right angle fitting, one box of conduit
hangars, one box of 22 cal loads for the power driver (nail gun).

Starting out I discovered that the loads were not strong enough
for the job. I purchased Remmington "green" loads and had to go
out again for the stronger "yellow" loads in order to get the
conduit hangars driven into the basement foundation. Also, the
first hardware store where I had purchased the copper cable did
not have a 100 amp breaker that was compatible with my off-brand
electrical box ("Challenger", wasn't that the name of the ill
fated space shuttle?). The second store had a decent 100 amp
Westinghouse breaker and the more powerful "yellow" loads for my
nail gun. I also spent $20.00 on a much needed cable cutter (wire
cutters literally don't cut it when you get down below #8 AWG).
Anyway the breaker was $38.00, with the cable cutter and a few
other small misc. items I spent about another $80.00.

Back at the house I measured and cut the cable into three equal
sections. Hanging conduit and stringing wire as I went had me
thinking that I would use 1 inch conduit if I were to do this
over. While there was enough room to string three #4 AWG cables
through the 3/4" conduit, there was no room to spare. Getting the
heavy cable through the 90 degree fitting was also a little
frustrating, but not as bad as when I discovered I had not
allowed sufficient length to reach the breaker. I wasted nearly
45 minutes pulling additional cable through the right angle
fitting, galling the insulation and skinning my knuckles.