Help with overhead wiring between buildings

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
5,847
154
106
2 unit property has 3 electrical panels; 1 for each unit plus a landlord panel for common light fixtures, smoke detectors etc... Entire detached 2 car garage is wired to landlord panel with an underground UF cable buried in a trench under a concrete walkway.

At some point down the line I was going to dig up the walkway and redo the masonry. At that time I was going to lay a new bigger conduit and install 3 circuits going to the garage. Unit 1's side, unit 2's side and a landlord circuit. For the occasional garage door opener, motion lights I didn't mind paying the electrical for my tenants. It was a low priority project for a few dollars of electrical cost a year.

The issue is that my new tenant is a mechanic and spends the entire day in the garage. Tools, lights and a heater. And me paying for the garage electricity. As a result, I really want to rewire and place the tenants' garage circuits on their own panel.

Demolishing the walkway to lay new cable is cost prohibitive at this point, plus with the colder weather, I understand concrete work will have to wait. Which leads me to overhead aerial wiring as a hopefully cheaper solution that can be done now.

House and detached garage are 10-15 feet apart. Id like to run at minimum 3 20 amp circuits. No need for more power for now or subpanels in the garage, although with the wiring accessible in the air, that could always be an option in the future.

Now for my questions:

Do I need a grounding rod at each building?

Do I need a breaker or panel in the garage or can I rely on basement breakers in the house.

Suitable cable for overhead usage? Found guys telling me the UF cable that is weather and sunlight rated is acceptable. And other guys saying that I should use triplex. Others say to use messenger cable to first span the distance and strap the wires to the messenger cable.

Minimum height I found is 12 feet. That means I would probably need a mast at the garage and a weather head. Unless I can find a spot on the gable end of the garage roof to enter under the eave.

The service entrance cable for the that house connects to the utility pole is in the same spot where I would run the garage cables up the side of the house. Do I have to maintain a minimum clearance between garage cables and service entrance cable or can I run it side by side?
 
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Micrornd

Golden Member
Mar 2, 2013
1,338
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Not criticizing but WADR, You need to consult your local building department.
Seriously, the rules when you involve rentals are not always the same as rules for residences and the gotchas at inspection time can be expensive.

Where I live, I can do any of the electrical work at my residence, but any work at the rental must be done by a licensed electrician or it is not acceptable by the building dept.

As for maybe not involving the building dept. (no permit), not only does it open you to enormous liability, but many tenants will pick up the phone at the first chance the get and then you are really under the microscope.
 

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
5,847
154
106
Yes I know I need an electrician and inspection. Its outdoors an in plain visibility so I cant really hide it. I was hoping to gather some facts here, a second opinion of sorts.
 
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