Wire size for a 150 amp sub panel from a 150 amp breaker added to a 400 amp main panel

subpanel

I have a 400 amp Siemens main panel it has a 200 Amp breaker to the house and a secondary 150 amp breaker added to run power to a metal building approximately 150 feet from the main. what size wire should i use to compete this? Also grounding the panel to the building and to the ground rod what size wire would be adequate? And can i use a bolt to run thru the base rail of the building to complete the ground for this?

Best Answer

For your 150' run depends on whether or not you use Copper or Aluminum (aluminum being cheaper). You would need

  • Copper 1/0 @75 degrees C or better 90 degree c
  • Aluminum 3/0 @75 degrees C or better 90 degree c

http://www.cerrowire.com/ampacity-charts

Grounding Panel to the building - the following article gives a more complete answer than I should write here.

https://fyi.uwex.edu/mrec/files/2011/04/W4.-Biesterveld-NEC-grounding-MREC2010.pdf

NEC code section 250 should be of some help to you.