taps on a farm

[whofrankw]

A customer wants a 30 amp panel upgraded on a farm. They have a pole on the driveway with a two hundred amp line that taps in multiple directions..house, and a couple barns and garages. In one direction a line is run to a small cottage and tapped to a garage which has the 30 amp panel. So basically a bunch of taps at the pole, then one to a cottage with a tap to the garage. I think the triplex is a #4 aluminum. its old and I wouldn't know until I open it. Would I be able to put a 60 amp breaker out there with this line or since the cottage is there I would need to run a new line to the pole. (Im trying to avoid that)

 

[electrofelon]

We would need more details about what is at the terminus if the taps. Outside feeder taps can be unlimited length, but need to terminate on an OCPD with a setting not exceeding the ampacity of the taps. Also sounds like you may have a "tap a tap" violation.

 

[whofrankw]

One of the lines from the pole goes to two places, the cottage and the garage. The line goes directly to the garage but there is a tap halfway to the cottage. Everything terminates to OCPD (I believe, I havent been in the cottage but I'm assuming there is a panel). The 30 amp panel keeps blowing fuses because he is running wood working equipment. I don't know the specs yet, I am just trying to figure out if what he wants is up to code without major work. Seems like it is a tap tap...I couldn't upload pictures because they were too large and I don't have the time to figure out how to make them smaller at the moment.