Figuring out an old subpanel

[Jellyroll]

Hello!!

We moved into this house a year ago, so I’m just beginning to to uncover electrical issues.

The current issue is a shed located about 50-ft from the main service panel. It is only supplied with 6-awg wire........a single neutral and a single positive....there is no ground. The subpanel is an old 2 glass fuse panel. It’s ugly. But it worked last year fine.
Our electrical needs are minimal.....this shed backs up to some animal pens and we only use fluorescent lights, a couple of small fans, and about 4 heat lamps
during the winter.......it’s not heavily utilized electrically, but probably more in the winter due to the lamps.

The main service panel provides a 20amp single pole breaker to this shed, and I would like to bump it up to a 50 amp breaker and a subpanel that supports about 3-4 breakers.

my question is in regard to what the electrician will tell me or might tell me. He’s scheduled to come out next week.
Am I okay just adding a grounding bar to the panel (separating the neutral and ground) and installing a grounding rod outside of the shed that can be connected to the new ground (since there isn’t a ground coming from the main service panel)??
Or, is it possible that the electrician will tell me that I need to pull new wires to this subpanel?
The current case conduit situation is white / plumbing PVC pipe with hard 90-degree turns. Not sure about the ability or cost from him to pull new wires or
if he’ll require new conduit and wire. This shed was constructed in the early 70’s.

im just trying to understand what is a reasonable request from an electrician compared to an unrealistic request.


Jellyroll

 

[charlie b]

The good news is that a #6 wire is good for the 50 amp rating of the new subpanel. The bad news is that you need to have an equipment grounding conductor pulled between the main and sub panels. The really bad news is that we are not allowed to use plumbing pipe (PVC) as a raceway. So the electrician may tell you that a new conduit is needed. In that case, you might as well pull a 3-conductor (hot, hot, neutral) with ground wire in the replacement conduit. You will need to have a means of turning off all power to the shed someplace internal or immediately external to the shed. The best way to achieve this is to buy a sub panel that includes a main breaker of its own. Finally, you will need to have a ground rod (or two) installed at the shed's location.

 

[LarryFine]

In my ever-so-humble opinion, a 30a, 120/240v feeder would be more economical, require only 1/2" PVC, and supply slightly more power than trying to use a 50a, 120v feeder. A max of 6 circuits means no main breaker, of course.

 

[Adamjamma]

In my ever-so-humble opinion, a 30a, 120/240v feeder would be more economical, require only 1/2" PVC, and supply slightly more power than trying to use a 50a, 120v feeder. A max of 6 circuits means no main breaker, of course.

What I think too... but, he said original was two screw in fuses, right!