Conduit Entering Elevated Steel SIP Home

[Justin L]

Hello!
My wife and I are building our own small home in Florida using steel SIP construction. We have the shell done and are working out the details for the rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems now. I'm stuck on figuring out the best way to bring power into the home and am open to suggestions.

Service is coming from underground and the meter will be mounted at the required 5'6"-6' height on one of the CMU columns. My plan was to use this combo meter/load center www.homedepot.com/p/GE-200-Amp-20-Space-40-Circuit-Outdoor-Combination-Main-Breaker-Ringless-Meter-Socket-Load-Center-TSMR2020CSCUFMG/204326757
From there I would like to run Sch40 conduit up another 4-5' from the load center to a conduit body that will go through the wall just above the SIP floor panel. The floor will have 2x4 sleepers, then plywood, then finish floor, so the idea is to bring all of the indoor circuit wiring up through the conduit from the load center, through the wall, into the space below the subfloor created by the sleepers, where the circuits can be routed through the floor cavity or along the walls, which will have 3/4" furring strips with pine T&G boards.

The problem is after diving into the NEC, I'm finding issues with conduit fill capacity, derating for having over 9 conductors, using romex in an exterior conduit, and probably more.

Originally, I planned on just having a 200 amp disconnect next to the meter outside on the column, and running the required THHN type cables in conduit to a "sub panel" mounted in the utility closet. But the clear space code requirements aren't possible because of everything else we have to squeeze in the utility closet. Did I mention the home is only 600 square feet under air? There is only one interior wall with our studio layout and the only place the panel could be mounted in that wall is taken up by the pocket door.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! Here is a photo of our current state of progress:

 

[WorthFlorida]

A nice project you're working on. For one I do not have answers. You may want to call the local permit office and get an electrician on this. My thoughts is would running conduit under a sleeper floor be allowed? To make bents with conduit is the minimum radius bends may be too wide to go from the floor to the wall. Behind the bead board is only 3/4 inch of space and only NM or MC will work. Instead of using a subpanel in the closet, install a pull box. Bring all wiring needs with several conduits and from the pull box run nm. I think a pull box does not need clear space requirements as a sub panel would. I do not have my NEC book with me to look it up.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/10-in-x-10-in-x-4-in-NEMA-1-Enclosure-SC101004RC/100118037

Have you looked into using Wiremold product for the interior wiring? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiremold-10-ft-Metallic-Wire-Channel-700WH/100144606

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

My comment about clear space is access to the pull box, not the interior volume of clear space inside the box for conductors.

 

[Bluebinky]

Not ideal, but what about mounting the panel on the exterior accessible from the "side porch".

 

[Justin L]

A nice project you're working on. For one I do not have answers. You may want to call the local permit office and get an electrician on this. My thoughts is would running conduit under a sleeper floor be allowed? To make bents with conduit is the minimum radius bends may be too wide to go from the floor to the wall. Behind the bead board is only 3/4 inch of space and only NM or MC will work. Instead of using a subpanel in the closet, install a pull box. Bring all wiring needs with several conduits and from the pull box run nm. I think a pull box does not need clear space requirements as a sub panel would. I do not have my NEC book with me to look it up.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/10-in-x-10-in-x-4-in-NEMA-1-Enclosure-SC101004RC/100118037

Have you looked into using Wiremold product for the interior wiring? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiremold-10-ft-Metallic-Wire-Channel-700WH/100144606

Thanks! I'm thinking of calling local electricians to see if anyone will work with me just on a consulting basis to get everything figured out.

An inspector I had out for an earlier inspection actually was the one to suggest using conduit under the sleeper floor. I never thought about the minimum radius and floor to wall transition so I'll look into that. The pull box is a good idea, however, the closet is on the opposite side of the house from where the PoCo wants the meter, so it wouldn't be ideal.

We had Wiremold in our last house and there is no way my wife will go for that again.

 

[Justin L]

Not ideal, but what about mounting the panel on the exterior accessible from the "side porch".

Thought about that. Wife said no

 

[WorthFlorida]

I'm surprised there was not any conduit built into the SIP panels as I've seen on those TV shows. It also appears there is no attic space. Looks like you'll have to use the ceiling of the lower level to get conduit up into a few walls around the building. May not look real pretty. As far as the sleeper route can you run them to a wall with kitchen or bath cabinets? Then the radius would be no problem to a wall.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Hello Justin, Have you made any progress on your conduit runs? Were you impacted by the hurricane? Since the house is on stilts you must be near water. Where will the air handler be or are you getting a wall mount split system?

 

[Justin L]

Hello Justin, Have you made any progress on your conduit runs? Were you impacted by the hurricane? Since the house is on stilts you must be near water. Where will the air handler be or are you getting a wall mount split system?

Hi, no, we have been sidetracked. I did call a local electrician who was recommended and sent them our plans by email Tuesday but never heard back.

We did get lots of wind and rain with the hurricane but no damage. The water level dropped about 3' from the brutal summer so I didn't notice much change from the hurricane rain.

We have a Fujitsu concealed duct mini split ready to install. The air handler will be in the utility closet with one supply duct going through the bathroom wall and another running along the ridge beam of the main room.