2nd floor subpanel

When installing a 30 amp subpanel to a second story does the line ( 10/3 ) need to be ran within conduit? And can this subpanel be installed within a closet? Thanks

Not a licensed pro, but do have EE and have done much of my own work and passed all inspections.

When installing a 30 amp sub panel to a second story does the line ( 10/3 ) need to be ran within conduit?

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Not necessairly... 10/3 with Gnd NM could be used if not precluded for use in your situation (wet, subject to damage, etc.) You DO NEED 4 conductor cable; 2 hot, 1 neutral and ground. Bonding screw or link must me removed from sub panel so the neutral and ground are separate.

can this sub panel be installed within a closet?

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NO!

There are also clearance requirements around panels to permit access. Check applicable code for your location, but, absolutely NOT IN CLOSET.

Sounds like a small sub panel so you probably will not exceed the 6 breaker limit beyond which you must include a main disconnect in the sub panel.

I discovered Lowes & Home Depot didn't carry any 30 amp service panels. I guess I'm down to a electrical supplier......... ?

Jed54 said:

I discovered Lowes & Home Depot didn't carry any 30 amp service panels. I guess I'm down to a electrical supplier......... ?

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Buy a bigger panel. You will probably find a 60 or 100 Amp 12 circuit panel for about $30 at HD. The size of the wire is controlled by the breaker in the panel that supplies the feeder to the subpanel; not the amp rating of the subpanel.

The 6 breaker limit without a main applies only to service panels 230.71 and subpanels in separate buildings 225.33. You can run as many breakers as you want without a main in a subpanel that is protected with a breaker back at the main, as long as it is within the same building as the panel supplying the subpanel.

So basically buying (for instance) a 100 amp service panel I can just use a 30 amp breaker (main) and use a maximum of 6 15 amp breakers.

Jed54 said:

So basically buying (for instance) a 100 amp service panel I can just use a 30 amp breaker (main) and use a maximum of 6 15 amp breakers.

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1. You can install any size (Amp capacity) panel as a subpanel without regard to the wires serving the panel.
2. The wires to the subpanel are called feeders.
3. The feeder circuit must be protected by a circuit breaker in the panel from which it originates, where the breaker supplying the feeder is sized to be not greater than the ampacity of the feeder conductors.
4. For a subpanel in the same building as the panel from which the feeder originates you may have as many as 42 circuits without a main breaker in the subpanel. Forty-two circuits is the maximum number allowed in one panel.

10/4 cable

I checked Home Depot & Lowes for 10/4 cable..... all I've seen was 10/3. Grainger only handles contractor rolls $600.00 plus......... Any other resources to check for this.....? Thanks

Please disregard question.............