Thinking about finally trying to get AC power to our shed. Probably should have thought about it when we had it built 20 years ago, but oh well. Yes, I could just drag an extension cord out there when I need power, but I'm wondering about the cost of a more permanent solution. We have a junction box of sorts at the corner of the house that feeds a backyard light and I'm wondering if we could tap off of that. Then I guess we'd have to bury wire in conduit for the ten foot span over to the shed. All I really need is one outlet pair in the shed.

Either way, this is probably beyond my capabilities, so any idea what I might be looking at for a cost for something like this? I can get estimates, but I'd like some kind of idea what I'm looking at if anyone knows. Thanks.

Anything else on the circuit for the backyard lamp? What size circuit?

Without seeing your actual setup, you should be able to easily tie in an outdoor rated 14/2 cable to that line running down your house using PVC conduit. Put in a Type-T box to rout the wires along the wall.

Run the conduit to the ground and then the wire across the gap and come into the shed.

It really is a rather simple job.

---

“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld

"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias

The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late

A inexpensive, bright yellow 12ga 50' extension cord would work well in that situation.

But if it had a lighted end to show that it's connected to power, 1.5" in. dia. PVC tubing would be needed.

You'd also have to get creative with the elbows to pass such an end through.

Running power to the shed in compliance with applicable code would probably be more work and money than I'd care to spend for the need you mentioned.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

What do you want to power?

Your choices that are up to code are to either use an extension cord as a temporary use. Which means just laying it on the ground, if you put it in conduit or secure it to anything then it will not be up to code as their only use is for temporary power that is put away when when the job is done.

To get power to a shed you should have it on a seperate breaker, if that outdoor light is on its own that should be fine to tie off that. If not, you should have an electrician install a cable from the breaker box to the shed. You will need a GFCI or a small sub box in the shed.

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C(-)ris
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Lots of good questions and thoughts. Let me try to address some of them.

Anything else on the circuit for the backyard lamp? What size circuit?
If it's the one I think it is, it looks like it's for all the outlets in the addition, but I think the most that gets used is a floor lamp and maybe a portable heater in the winter. It's a 20amp breaker.

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Run the conduit to the ground and then the wire across the gap and come into the shed.
Don't I have to bury the wire/conduit?

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Running power to the shed in compliance with applicable code would probably be more work and money than I'd care to spend for the need you mentioned.
That's what I'm concerned about.

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What do you want to power?
Maybe a shop light or some other light on a switch. Also, a battery tender for the motorcycle battery so I don't have to remove it and bring it in the house.

Quote
C(-)ris
Your choices that are up to code are to either use an extension cord as a temporary use. Which means just laying it on the ground, if you put it in conduit or secure it to anything then it will not be up to code as their only use is for temporary power that is put away when when the job is done.

To get power to a shed you should have it on a seperate breaker, if that outdoor light is on its own that should be fine to tie off that. If not, you should have an electrician install a cable from the breaker box to the shed. You will need a GFCI or a small sub box in the shed.

Is a permit required for an electrician to do the work or could they do this without a permit?

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Northern California Coast

....thanks all for shed....ding some light on the situation.....

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Quote
steve...

Quote
C(-)ris
Your choices that are up to code are to either use an extension cord as a temporary use. Which means just laying it on the ground, if you put it in conduit or secure it to anything then it will not be up to code as their only use is for temporary power that is put away when when the job is done.

To get power to a shed you should have it on a seperate breaker, if that outdoor light is on its own that should be fine to tie off that. If not, you should have an electrician install a cable from the breaker box to the shed. You will need a GFCI or a small sub box in the shed.

Is a permit required for an electrician to do the work or could they do this without a permit?

Depends entirely on your local code enforcement agency. Where I live? I need a permit to anything more than change a light bulb or replace a single outlet.

Out in BFE on my friends farm? They can do almost anything, no permit needed.

Also, the permit just is to say you are doing the work, then an inspector comes out when it is done. I've had people do all the work themselves(bury the conduit, pull the wiring, put in boxes, etc.) and just have the electrician do the connections on both ends and be there for the inspector.

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C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2020 07:38PM by C(-)ris.

Quote
RAMd®d
A inexpensive, bright yellow 12ga 50' extension cord would work well in that situation.

But if it had a lighted end to show that it's connected to power, 1.5" in. dia. PVC tubing would be needed.

You'd also have to get creative with the elbows to pass such an end through.

Running power to the shed in compliance with applicable code would probably be more work and money than I'd care to spend for the need you mentioned.

That's exactly what I'm doing to get power to a garage where I plan on doing some work

---

And I recall in spring
The perfume that the air would bring
To the indolent town
Where the barkers call the moon down

Don't I have to bury the wire/conduit?


Yes.

But that's not a big deal, unless there's concrete or similar in the way.

12" or so more should be fine.

Code compliance might be deeper.

But if you're doing it on the D/L burying it would be trivial.

The only genuine concern might be getting a mortgage or selling the house or anything that might require an inspection.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Quote
RAMd®d
The only genuine concern might be getting a mortgage or selling the house or anything that might require an inspection.

In which case, you remove the wire and new conduit, go back to the current setup. Let the new owners run their own power.

---

“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld

"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias

The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late

Thanks again.

IF I wanted to do it the right and legal and code way, am I looking at a couple hundred bucks or closer to a couple thousand?

The more I think of it, a big-a$$ extension cord might be the best option all around. Actually, the best option is to pull the battery out of the bike and bring it into the house and put it on a tender inside.

Does the shed have a window where you can place a solar trickle charger?

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA

It has a window but doesn't see much sun at all. Plus I already have a trickle charger...with a plug.

Quote
wurm
Thanks again.

IF I wanted to do it the right and legal and code way, am I looking at a couple hundred bucks or closer to a couple thousand?

The more I think of it, a big-a$$ extension cord might be the best option all around. Actually, the best option is to pull the battery out of the bike and bring it into the house and put it on a tender inside.

If you aren't doing any of the work yourself and there isn't easy access to run wires then you are looking at closer to a couple thousand. A truck roll/paperwork/permits and 1 hr of labor is $200 around here.

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C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quote
C(-)ris

Quote
wurm
Thanks again.

IF I wanted to do it the right and legal and code way, am I looking at a couple hundred bucks or closer to a couple thousand?

The more I think of it, a big-a$$ extension cord might be the best option all around. Actually, the best option is to pull the battery out of the bike and bring it into the house and put it on a tender inside.

If you aren't doing any of the work yourself and there isn't easy access to run wires then you are looking at closer to a couple thousand. A truck roll/paperwork/permits and 1 hr of labor is $200 around here.

Yikes. Good to know. Thanks.

A solar charger is not exactly big bucks.

[www.amazon.com]

[www.walmart.com]

[www.harborfreight.com]

.....last time was taken to the wood shed........

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

How hard is the dirt between the house and shed? Know anyone with a small garden tiller, like a Little Mantis? We've used a small rototiller to till a trench.

If you put the wire in PVC conduit, it doesn't have to be too deep, usually 12 to 18 inches is sufficient. Stub up outside each building. Make sure to pull the wire thru the straight length of conduit before attaching the elbows. Use the same type of box that is on the conduit going to your light to elbow into each structure.

Another option may be to run an aerial feed from house to shed.

If a contractor does the work, you can save a few bucks by getting the permit yourself and digging the trench.

If you want to do more yourself, there are books available for the lay person. And get a book of the electrical code.

We had this done to get power to my shop. We dug the trench and the contractor ran the conduit and put the breaker box in the shop. I ran the wiring for outlets and lighting. It cost $1500 for the contractor. Permitted and inspected.

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Seal ALL air gaps, secondarily add insulation, THEN decide about the rest.

In which case, you remove the wire and new conduit, go back to the current setup. Let the new owners run their own power.


Which is a given.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

If a contractor does the work, you can save a few bucks by getting the permit yourself and digging the trench.


This.

A friend had a Generac installed, and we did the digging, laying the bed/footing and excavation for the electric.

Pros did the gas line and electrical plumbing.

It saved him a lot of money, but a whole house generator was still pricey.



What wurm has to contact his city/county office and find out what is code and is a permit required and not mention and extension cord option. LOL!

Only after he knows that can he effectively gauge the cost and feasibility of a professional installation.

(Which I think is ridiculous overkill for his needs.)



Actually, the best option is to pull the battery out of the bike and bring it into the house and put it on a tender inside.


That's one way to go, if removing/reinstalling is simple enough.

I've got a few things wired to the battery, and I have to remove the seat and side cover to begin removing the battery, so Tender at battery in the bike is the only acceptable option for me.

Though the bike battery in the house, along with a USB socket wired to it, could be handy in the event of a power failure.

As for lighting in the shed, you could always get an LED lantern and an LED light on a headband.

(Said mostly in jest, as I'd just run an extension cord.)

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

I don't remember the exact cost, but we had electric run to our shed. Don't recall the electrician pulling a permit. He added two outlets and an overhead light. Probably cost a few hundred dollars.

Don't recall the electrician pulling a permit.


It might be simple enough that done to code, neither a permit nor licensed electrician would be needed.

I'd want to be certain of that before proceeding.

An extreme example to be sure, but I know somebody who will be getting screwed by not checking first.

My friend who got a Generac installed lives in an incorporated county, so the County handles permits.

A friend of his ordered a smaller Generac because the next larger size was OOS, his second and third mistake because the incorporated City he lives in thinks of itself as a posh bedroom community, and the generator is too small.

His first mistake was not checking with the city and getting a permit, because the electrician advised against it.

So— the company doesn't know when they'll get a Momma-size generator in stock, they charge a hefty restocking fee on a high-dollar item, and the buy has to pay shipping.

And— the city doesn't have a single standard, ordinance, or even guideline for a resident installing a whole-house generator.

They keep demanding various plans and specifications drawn to scale, and each time they're presented, the city wants some other detail and demands the plans be redrawn, to scale.

They're obviously never going to approve the installation, and are just d¡cking him around until he give up.

IF, and that's a big if, he can sell the generator to somebody, he may be able to recoup some of his loss, but I'm not betting on how much.

A bit extreme compared to wurm's situation, but still a look before you leap advisory.

(I'd still bury a cord and conduit.)

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

....don't shed.....a tear.....if it doesn't work out....

---

_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Quote
deckeda
Seal ALL air gaps, secondarily add insulation, THEN decide about the rest.

Not A/C, AC.

Wow. Thanks to everyone for your comments. I've been distracted for a day or so and just noticed all the additional replies. Very helpful.

Also, after talking to my Harley owner brother, he mentioned that he never takes his bike off the road because "you never know when you're going to get one of those 50 degree December or even February days." Once every week of so he runs the extension cord out to his shed and trickle charges it for a day and he's good to go. Has never had an issue and has never pulled his battery for the winter.

That's one way to go, if removing/reinstalling is simple enough.

I've got a few things wired to the battery, and I have to remove the seat and side cover to begin removing the battery, so Tender at battery in the bike is the only acceptable option for me.


Yeah, last year with my old Honda, I did pull the battery and bring it in the house for the winter because it was easy enough to do. The new bike I just bought (oh, did I mention that?) is a bit more inconvenient to pull the battery. I may pull it once just to attach pigtails if i can figure out a convenient way to route them.

And that solar option is certainly cheap enough and something I hadn't even considered. I don't think the shed actually gets much sun, but I'll investigate.

I'm thinking it's not worth going the electrician route for what I need/want to do.

Thanks again!