50 AMP sub panel in new shed

Question

I have built a new shed and would like to install a 50 amp sub panel for power to the building. I did not install conduit into the slab. I will need to come up the side of the slab and then enter the building. I do not know what the best option would be. I was thinking SCH 80 out of the ground to a 90 degree LB and then run Liquid Tight into the building with a rubber grommet in the opening to protect it. If you have any advice please let me know. The slab is only 4 inches thick and the shed is 6 inches away from the edge of the slab.

Answer 1

Schedule 80 is good. But once you get to the outer wall of the building, you may be much better off putting the panel on the outside of the building. Why? Because you need a 30" wide x 36" deep space. That is usually not hard to do in a house. It is often quite a problem in a shed, as you usually don't want to lose that much wall space.

In addition, keep the following usual concepts in mind:

• Ground rods - if you didn't put an "ufer ground" in the slab, you need two ground rods. That is in addition to including a ground wire going back to the main panel.
• Panel size - Do NOT get a "tiny panel just barely big enough for 50A". Get a bigger panel, and possibly even a "main" panel. Why? Because the "main breaker" in a main panel can be much larger than the feed (e.g., 100A or even 200A compared to a 50A feed) and you need a disconnect anyway, which can be satisfied by using the "main breaker" even though it is wired as a subpanel.
• Panel spaces - keep in mind that in a shed most things will require GFCI, which in many panel brands limits you to "full size" breakers. Plus extra spaces are cheap now, very expensive if you have to replace the panel later to add more spaces.