# Adding circuit to recessed exterior breaker box



## jon_no_h (May 31, 2008)

I want to pull cable to my garage that I'm finishing so that I have power for outlets and wood working equipment. My breaker box is recessed on the exterior of my home with wood siding. There are plenty of knockouts in the bottom and I can add up to 4 new circuits to the panel (spare breakers). 

Are there standard approaches to cut a hole in the siding below the breaker box so that I can feed cable from EMT conduit? I can mount an all weather box with a 3/4" threaded hole in the back and connect conduit from there down to my garage. The question is, what's the best way to feed the wire from the weather proof box up inside the wall cavity to the knockout on the bottom of the breaker box?

I'm considering metal flex conduit for the 6-8 " span. Are there better ways to do this?


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## triple D (May 31, 2008)

What kind of wire are you running to garage? How many wires, and what size breaker? Is the pipe in the ground yet? What size is it? After this you will recieve accurate helpful info. Good luck and talk to ya soon.....


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## jon_no_h (Jun 1, 2008)

I'm pulling 240V into the garage, 2 30A breakers (THHN #10 1 red, 1 black, 1 neutral, 1 G), plus two 120V 20A circuits, one dedicated to the refrigerator, one for another appliance (old house, mostly non-grounded circuits originally). So that's 4 #10 and 4 #12 (since I'll share the ground to the junction box in the attic where the circuits split, and run romex the rest of the way). I need 3/4" conduit to hold these wires, and a way to get the wires into the breaker box, which is recessed into the wall of the house with wood siding. So my plan is to put an all weather box on the outside, below the breaker box, and run the cable from the knockout in the bottom of the breaker box to the all weather box mounted on the outside. I'll run EMT from the all weather box into the attic.


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## triple D (Jun 3, 2008)

If it is an outdoor panel then you could get a double bell box thats deep with a 1" hole in back and sides. Than you could push short pieces of romex out bottom of panel and fish out to hole for bell box, then junction to thhn. This is easier than trying to put flex in. If the box faces in to house just blow a hole straight out back of box and go into bell box. Just remember to use only 1" screws. Anyway hope I have been of help here, good luck....


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## jon_no_h (Jun 4, 2008)

Thanks, Triple D. Do I need to secure the romex at the knockout with a clamp? (This would be 3 pieces of romex through one hole.) This does sound a lot easier than getting the flex just the right length with enough slack to work with ...


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## triple D (Jun 5, 2008)

Just provide a bushing for it. A romex style push in connector can be put in on the inside of panel and snapped in to knockout hole. I wouldnt worry so much about people pulling on the wires, no one should have to touch them once your finished. Good luck, let us know if you run into any glitches we can help with


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