How To Install A Garage Sub Panel

Whether you are looking to run power to a garage, barn, shed, office, or any other structure on your property we have you covered! We will walk through the full process of running power to a subpanel through an 80' trench ensuring you are doing the job to code and safely. Remember to check your local code and if you are going to do this as a DIY project be safe and ultimately you are responsible for a safe and code-compliant install.

Parts List
Schedule 80 conduit
Schedule 40 conduit
LB conduit bodies
90-degree elbows
45-degree elbows
Box connectors
1" STD minnies for PVC
Ground Rods
Ground Rod Clamps
#8 ground wire

Chapters
0:00 Project Intro
1:09 Project Plan
2:25 Clearing A Path From The Conduit To Outside Of Home
7:24 Connecting Conduit From Panel To Outside Conduit Connector
8:42 Prepping Wire To Pull Through Conduit
10:05 Conduit Fitting From House To Trench
12:45 Trenching Best Practices and Code
15:40 How To Avoid Damaging Utilities And Drainage During Trenching
16:56 Connecting Conduit Through Trench From House To Garage
17:43 Mounting Sub Panel In Garage
19:50 Pulling Wiring Through Conduit
22:40 Wiring Sup Panel
24:50 Wiring Panel In The House Basement
27:18 Checking Voltage At Sub Panel

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[EverydayHomeRepairs]

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[keithharrington]

As an electrical guy, we get to install what the customer wants inside code. I would encourage a homeowner in this situation to consider larger conduit. With all that digging and concrete cutting and all, it was only a 60 Amp panel.

With electric cars needing a 50 Amp circuit, upsizing th pipe will allow the 60 Amp wire to be used to pull in a larger wire for the electric car without re-digging. A power up-grade would just need to pull larger wire and swap the panel for a larger one.

Also, consider 2 or 3 extra pipes while the trench is a hard-wire server or security cameras or some kind of diner bell/distress warning system (flashing light for high noise areas).

Love the work Joel.

[joelhoffman]

One of the best videos I've ever seen. Also, a shout out to Scott for deferring to more qualified people on larger jobs.

[Zavala]

Best video on this subject I have seen so far.
Thanks a lot for all the tips. Great work!

[samjones]

Love how detailed the view is. No skipped steps

[GS-lhnx]

I was watching this and thought hey you just tied your neutral and grounds together, that's not right. Then you fixed it. Thanks for showing us all of this including your mistakes. We are all human and constantly learning. Great video and collab.

[marcmarrero]

This was hands down the most informative and helpful video I have ever watched on YouTube. Thank you so much! Well done! Subscribed today!!!

[OpSic]

Kudos for citing N.E.C. So many folks on videos just say or show how to do things. Citing N.E.C fully with numbers gives great reference points for others to go do more research.

[alannaperez]

This was probably the most perfectly explained and detailed video I’ve ever watched! It wasn’t overwhelming at any point. Just specific and explained very very well. Great video!

[Jacoblikesyoutube]

I've been doing a mountain of research for exactly the same project. This is far and away the most informative video I have watch about doing a subpanel job

[coburninator]

Nice video, believable cost breakdown from an actual electrician is valuable, almost missed it snuck in the end

[krampus]

The very second he said "penetration" I was hooked for the full 28:26. Excellent content!

[georgef]

Joel is by far the best I’ve watched on the tube. Great teacher.

[FrederickDunn]

Excellent Job all the way around, I found it very interesting at 15:13 regarding the expansion and contraction of the conduit due to seasonal warming and cooling. Brushing up for some out-building wiring jobs. Your tips are golden! Another pro-tip for some extensive digging and excavating small scale, buy used equipment that runs well, keep it as long as you need it, and then sell it off after the job is complete, It's far cheaper than renting for several weeks. :)

[oldscuba]

Just found your channel. Licensed electrician going on 40 years. Nice job !

[americandreamsicle]

I'm a subscriber to both of you guys.
Retired 25 year commercial electrician.
You guys keep me up to date on codes, how-to's and trends.

[xfactor]

Absolutely the best video I found on youtube regarding how to install a sub-panel!!! Thank you!

[brianzaug]

This guys the best! Thanks for teaching me the correct way to install sub panel. Followed your directions and it wen't really well!

[stevenmoomey]

This was one of the crazy things I ran into, in the Midwest back in the 70’s. The previous owner had to post a bond to my mortgage company, for his wiring to the detached garage. He burned up the UG wire, and just ran wires overhead. I tried to get a Homeowners permit, couldn’t because it wasn’t part of the “Home.” Put the Sub-panel in the Cellar where the Boiler was. Had an Electrician pull the wiring permit to the garage. I did the digging and most of the work. Passed inspection and got the Bond money. In the end it worked out better.

[meganw]

You totally threw me off, thinking this was gonna be an Electric Pro Academy video, seeing Joel in the thumbnail, then when I clicked it, seeing you with Everyday Home Repairs.
Between you two, Stud Pack, Dustin Stelzer's two channels with Electrician U, and a few others, I am so in love with learning all this stuff about electrical!