Overhead wire to shed

[srv52761]

Thanks. My plan is to run a single 10-3 wire from the outside switch box to a switch box inside the shed. From there two circuits, one for the overhead lights, one for the outlets. Currently they're just planning on 7 120v outlets, but I want to be prepared incase they ask for a 220v in the future. So, no grounding necessary.

Trying to picture this.
From your posts
A pole with a sub panel on it.
Near  the sub panel there is a switch box (junction box) that currently houses two  20amp 120 volt outlets.  
You intend to use those wires to feed two circuits in the shed.

Some questions:
Are there two hot conductors going into that pole jb?
If yes, are they on separate circuit breakers?
If yes, are they on different load busses?
If yes, can the circuit breakers be tied together?

Your plan is two circuits in the shed from a 10-3 uf-b
Upon the 10-3 entering the first junction box in the shed you intend to split it into two gfi outlets?

You mention trying to accommodate a possible upgrade to 240 volts later on.  10-3 with two circuits uses all the conductors, there are no conductors available!e
Then you would either need to give up your 120 volt circuits or convert to a sub panel.  As TDKPE said, once you move away from the multi-wire branch circuit concept, for two circuits you must have a sub panel and an independent ground system besides the ground from the pole sub panel.  

It sounds like you may as well go that route to start with.

[Scouter]

Trying to picture this.
From your posts
A pole with a sub panel on it.
Near  the sub panel there is a switch box (junction box) that currently houses two  20amp 120 volt outlets.  
You intend to use those wires to feed two circuits in the shed.

Some questions:
Are there two hot conductors going into that pole jb?
If yes, are they on separate circuit breakers?
If yes, are they on different load busses?
If yes, can the circuit breakers be tied together?

Your plan is two circuits in the shed from a 10-3 uf-b
Upon the 10-3 entering the first junction box in the shed you intend to split it into two gfi outlets?

You mention trying to accommodate a possible upgrade to 240 volts later on.  10-3 with two circuits uses all the conductors, there are no conductors available!e
Then you would either need to give up your 120 volt circuits or convert to a sub panel.  As TDKPE said, once you move away from the multi-wire branch circuit concept, for two circuits you must have a sub panel and  an independent ground system besides the ground from the pole sub panel.  

It sounds like you may as well go that route to start with.

Not quite, here is the current setup:

Power is coming from the main panel in the church, overhead to a utility pole in the yard.

Wires run down the pole into a fused switch box, from that they go into another fused switch box. Why? I have no idea. This was all done by a USS journeyman electrician who did a number of things that make me scratch my head. From there it goes into an outlet box with two outlets. The second fused box has two 30A fuses.

My intent is to eliminate the second fused switch box and outlet box (they don't want outlets outside anymore).

From the first switch box I will run the 10-3 to a mast on the shed, down the mast and into the shed, then into the old second switch box. From the one fuse I will run the lights and two outside GFCI outlets. From the other fuse I will run the other five outlets, one being GFCI. Spoke to the guys who use the shed, they don't want 240v, so that part is history.

Sound like a good plan, or do you see issues?

[srv52761]

Scouter

Not quite, here is the current setup:

Power is coming from the main panel in the church, overhead to a utility pole in the yard.

Wires run down the pole into a fused switch box, from that they go into another fused switch box. Why? I have no idea. This was all done by a USS journeyman electrician who did a number of things that make me scratch my head. From there it goes into an outlet box with two outlets. The second fused box has two 30A fuses.

My intent is to eliminate the second fused switch box and outlet box (they don't want outlets outside anymore).

From the first switch box I will run the 10-3 to a mast on the shed, down the mast and into the shed, then into the old second switch box. From the one fuse I will run the lights and two outside GFCI outlets. From the other fuse I will run the other five outlets, one being GFCI. Spoke to the guys who use the shed, they don't want 240v, so that part is history.

Sound like a good plan, or do you see issues?

Fuses sounds like a pretty old set-up. 
It sounds like that first box is a fused sidearm disconnect, maybe? And the second is the distribution panel? A common configuration back in the day.
A picture of all the fuse boxes would be good.
 I don't know if it was compliant when first installed or not  (actually, probably not, see #4), but yes, I see some issues today.

 A couple I am pretty sure about, a couple just give me a feeling it may be an issue.  I am trying to gather resources.
More information would be helpful... 
The number of conductors in each box, the layout of fuses in the boxes,  the way it is grounded, bonded neutral or not... pictures would help.
Here are some initial thoughts.  There are a lot of variables I am unsure of so you should take this with a grain of salt.

You are proposing to use the old fuse box as a  30 amp, 120 volt distribution panel inside the shed, a sub panel. 

1.  Re-read TDKPE's post re: mwbc.  As he mentioned a sub panel requires an independent ground system in addition to the ground from the pole panel, which should have a ground from the main panel. 
But, code allows you to connect to any ground electrode. 
Assuming you don't want to trench next to the shed for some reason, you can run a green or bare copper wire back out of the shed panel, back up the mast conduit, out the weatherhead, back across the 10-3, into the weatherhead on the pole, down the conduit, through the pole panel, out the pole panel, down the pole and onto the ground rods used by the pole sub panel.  This assumes the pole panel has the required ground rods, if not you will need to add them.
Actually, if it is only 120 volt and you are running 10-3, you can use that spare red wire.  NEC 250.119(B) allows re-labeling of multiconductor cable.

250.119(B) Multiconductor Cable. Where the conditions of main-
tenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons ser-
vice the installation, one or more insulated conductors in a
multiconductor cable, at the time of installation, shall be per-
mitted to be permanently identified as equipment grounding
conductors at each end and at every point where the conduc-
tors are accessible by one of the following means:
(1) Stripping the insulation from the entire exposed length
(2) Coloring the exposed insulation green
(3) Marking the exposed insulation with green tape or
green adhesive labels

It is the equipment grounding conductor that can be re-labeled, not the grounded electrode conductor.  So as the gec must be continuous, it is the bare copper in that 10-3 that would need to start its run, not in the pole panel, but at the ground electrodes for that pole panel.  The red conductor can be re-labeled and terminate on the ground buss bar.
Speaking of which, it would be unusual for those old fuse boxes to have a separate ground and neutral buss.  Not only must you add a separate ground bar, you must make sure it is bonded to the box, but the neutral buss is isolated

2.  I would also gfi that lighting circuit.  It looks to be accessible from the ground.  Switch the order of devices so upon leaving the panel each circuit is immediately gfi protected.
(Am double checking, assuming lighting is within reach).
Edit: Yes you will probably need to gfi that light switch. Lights generally do not have to be gfi, but they do have to be grounded.    After looking at your pictures you do not have an equipment ground.  The only way around that is gfi protection.

3.  Depending on code cycle you may need to install an exterior disconnect, new in 2020 code.  It is possible that first box on the pole is a disconnect.
(Also checking, newer requirement, trying to see the application)
4.  You can not run 20 amp receptacles on a 30 amp overcurrent fuse.

How many hot conductors are in the first pole panel?  If two, the easiest and cheapest way of getting two separate circuits in the shed  is TDKPE's suggestion of a mwbc.
But, the way that first box is grounded is also important and makes my thoughts fuzzy.

[Scouter]

Fuses sounds like a pretty old set-up. 
It sounds like that first box is a fused sidearm disconnect, maybe? And the second is the distribution panel? A common configuration back in the day.
A picture of all the fuse boxes would be good.
 I don't know if it was compliant when first installed or not  (actually, probably not, see #4), but yes, I see some issues today.

 A couple I am pretty sure about, a couple just give me a feeling it may be an issue.  I am trying to gather resources.
More information would be helpful... 
The number of conductors in each box, the layout of fuses in the boxes,  the way it is grounded, bonded neutral or not... pictures would help.
Here are some initial thoughts.  There are a lot of variables I am unsure of so you should take this with a grain of salt.

You are proposing to use the old fuse box as a  30 amp, 120 volt distribution panel inside the shed, a sub panel. 

1.  Re-read TDKPE's post re: mwbc.  As he mentioned a sub panel requires an independent ground system in addition to the ground from the pole panel, which should have a ground from the main panel. 
But, code allows you to connect to any ground electrode. 
Assuming you don't want to trench next to the shed for some reason, you can run a green or bare copper wire back out of the shed panel, back up the mast conduit, out the weatherhead, back across the 10-3, into the weatherhead on the pole, down the conduit, through the pole panel, out the pole panel, down the pole and onto the ground rods used by the pole sub panel.  This assumes the pole panel has the required ground rods, if not you will need to add them.
Actually, if it is only 120 volt and you are running 10-3, you can use that spare red wire.  NEC 250.119(B) allows re-labeling of multiconductor cable.

It is the equipment grounding conductor that can be re-labeled, not the grounded electrode conductor.  So as the gec must be continuous, it is the bare copper in that 10-3 that would need to start its run, not in the pole panel, but at the ground electrodes for that pole panel.  The red conductor can be re-labeled and terminate on the ground buss bar.
Speaking of which, it would be unusual for those old fuse boxes to have a separate ground and neutral buss.  Not only must you add a separate ground bar, you must make sure it is bonded to the box, but the neutral buss is isolated

2.  I would also gfi that lighting circuit.  It looks to be accessible from the ground.  Switch the order of devices so upon leaving the panel each circuit is immediately gfi protected.
(Am double checking, assuming lighting is within reach).

3.  Depending on code cycle you may need to install an exterior disconnect, new in 2020 code.  It is possible that first box on the pole is a disconnect.
(Also checking, newer requirement, trying to see the application)
4.  You can not run 20 amp receptacles on a 30 amp overcurrent fuse.

How many hot conductors are in the first pole panel?  If two, the easiest and cheapest way of getting two separate circuits in the shed  is TDKPE's suggestion of a mwbc.
But, the way that first box is grounded is also important and makes my thoughts fuzzy.

Thanks for the feedback, here is a photo of the lower switch box, the upper one is identical, which is why I am dumbfounded as to why he did it twice.









To keep this simple, I can just run everything off of one of the fuses to eliminate all of the ground wire work.

[srv52761]

My thoughts...
Your first pic shows a green wire to a bonded lug and traveling to another place.  It shows a white wire going to the lug on a 30 amp fuse..
The last pic shows a black wire going to a different fuse lug.

This looks like an older 30 amp, 3-wire set-up.  These were code compliant till maybe the 2008 NEC. As is, it is grandfathered in.  Now you need a 4-wire system with a floating neutral for any sub panel. And as TDKPE said, an additional supplemental ground. 
 The general feeling is you can not add a code compliant sub panel downstream to this.  

This leaves a single 20 amp circuit or a mwbc.  But the mwbc needs a common trip mechanism, so you need circuit breakers.
So, that leaves you with a single circuit.  You will need to switch out that 30 amp fuse for a 20 amp fuse if you want to use 15 or 20 amp receptacles.

Talk to your AHJ.  If he allows, you can ditch both fuse boxes, replace it with a 30 amp exterior breaker box, then run the mwbc.  That will leave you without an equipment ground, but you can work around that. Immediately upon entering the shed split the mwbc into two gfi outlets in a 4" square box with a raised cover for space, or one of those hugely big 4 11/16" boxes (edit: and switch to #12 for your whole run, working with that many #10 is no fun at all).   Then run the rest of your devices.  Each device must carry the label, "ground fault protected, not grounded", there will be a bunch of them in the gfi outlet package.  My AHJ is a congenial, common sense person.  He would see the exterior breaker box as better than the current set up and probably allow a change out under the 3-wire parameters.

Hopefully others will correct anything I said that is gobbledygook.

[Scouter]

My thoughts...
Your first pic shows a green wire to a bonded lug and traveling to another place.  It shows a white wire going to the lug on a 30 amp fuse..
The last pic shows a black wire going to a different fuse lug.

This looks like an older 30 amp, 3-wire set-up.  These were code compliant till maybe the 2008 NEC. As is, it is grandfathered in.  Now you need a 4-wire system with a floating neutral for any sub panel. And as TDKPE said, an additional supplemental ground. 
 The general feeling is you can not add a code compliant sub panel downstream to this.  

This leaves a single 20 amp circuit or a mwbc.  But the mwbc needs a common trip mechanism, so you need circuit breakers.
So, that leaves you with a single circuit.  You will need to switch out that 30 amp fuse for a 20 amp fuse if you want to use 15 or 20 amp receptacles.

Talk to your AHJ.  If he allows, you can ditch both fuse boxes, replace it with a 30 amp exterior breaker box, then run the mwbc.  That will leave you without an equipment ground, but you can work around that. Immediately upon entering the shed split the mwbc into two gfi outlets in a 4" square box with a raised cover for space, or one of those hugely big 4 11/16" boxes (edit: and switch to #12 for your whole run, working with that many #10 is no fun at all).   Then run the rest of your devices.  Each device must carry the label, "ground fault protected, not grounded", there will be a bunch of them in the gfi outlet package.  My AHJ is a congenial, common sense person.  He would see the exterior breaker box as better than the current set up and probably allow a change out under the 3-wire parameters.

Hopefully others will correct anything I said that is gobbledygook.

Okay, let's ditch the mwbc, what setup would you suggest that I can bring to my AHJ?

[srv52761]

Okay, let's ditch the mwbc, what setup would you suggest that I can bring to my AHJ?

No mwbc, leaves you with a single circuit..  You want to be able to plug normal stuff, so you are looking g at a single 20 amp circuit.  You don't need to pitch anything, as you could always do a single 20 amp circuit.  Just gfi it when it enters the building.

 All the other discussion was trying to get two circuits inside the shed.
Edit:  I had posted this situation on Mike Holt's forum overnight.  The early responses were you could not add a code compliant sub panel downstream, but the later responses were about 60-40 in favor of being able to add a compliant 4-wire sub downstream if grounding electrodes were added to the equation.  As it appears to be murky, I would not give up on seeing  if the AHJ will let you either switch out the fuses for a circuit breaker panel or let you run a sub from your current setup.

[Scouter]

No mwbc, leaves you with a single circuit..  You want to be able to plug normal stuff, so you are looking g at a single 20 amp circuit.  You don't need to pitch anything, as you could always do a single 20 amp circuit.  Just gfi it when it enters the building.

 All the other discussion was trying to get two circuits inside the shed.
Edit:  I had posted this situation on Mike Holt's forum overnight.  The early responses were you could not add a code compliant sub panel downstream, but the later responses were about 60-40 in favor of being able to add a compliant 4-wire sub downstream if grounding electrodes were added to the equation.  As it appears to be murky, I would not give up on seeing  if the AHJ will let you either switch out the fuses for a circuit breaker panel or let you run a sub from your current setup.

So, ditch the 2nd box and outside outlet box. Run a single 10/3 from the first switch box (along with a messenger cable) inside to a GFI outlet, and I'm good to go.

[srv52761]

So, ditch the 2nd box and outside outlet box. Run a single 10/3 from the first switch box (along with a messenger cable) inside to a GFI outlet, and I'm good to go.

For a 20 amp, 12-2 is sufficient.
Change one fuse to a 20 amp fuse,  
12-2.  Black to fuse, white to neutral buss or to that green conductor. Don't need the bare ground (but don't clip it.. Hate that, it removes future options)
Run it to the shed
Immediately to a 20 amp gfci outlet in a big box
Black to line in, white to neutral line side
Run the wire from the adjacent box(es) to that gfci box
Pigtail the blacks to the gfci black load side (if more than 1)
Pigtail the whites to the line side (if more than 1)
Take those sticker labels from the package and place on each device.

Does it hurt anything to keep one of the outlets on the pole?
Hate to see that power available and not used.  Switch both fuses to 20 amps.  

Just curious, do the currently installed receptacles have a ground wire?  If so, where does it terminate in the fuse box?  I'll assume it is wirenutted to that green wire.

Just thinking out loud here....
Is it possible the electrician fused both the load and the neutral?
Have you checked the main panel that feeds this pole?  Was this a normally fused 240 volt 30 amp circuit, or did the electrician fool us and ran 120 volts to that pole and switched/fused both the load and neutral?

[Scouter]

For a 20 amp, 12-2 is sufficient.

I had been told that with the UF run overhead that a 10 was needed, along with the messenger cable. But, yeah, 10-2.

Change one fuse to a 20 amp fuse, 12-2.  Black to fuse, white to neutral buss or to that green conductor. Don't need the bare ground (but don't clip it.. Hate that, it removes future options)

Why don't I need the ground wire? What do I connect the ground wires to in the shed?

Immediately to a 20 amp gfci outlet in a big box
Black to line in, white to neutral line side

Again, don't I need something to the ground terminal on the GFCI and other outlets?

Take those sticker labels from the package and place on each device.

Uh, what labels?

Does it hurt anything to keep one of the outlets on the pole? Hate to see that power available and not used.  Switch both fuses to 20 amps. 

 Yeah, could do that.

Just curious, do the currently installed receptacles have a ground wire?  If so, where does it terminate in the fuse box?  I'll assume it is wirenutted to that green wire.

I have to look at that after they take care of the boxes current residents. Yellow jackets chased me all over the place after I opened the box to snap the photos.

Just thinking out loud here....Is it possible the electrician fused both the load and the neutral?

Anything is possible. Again, won't know until I can get near the boxes again.

Have you checked the main panel that feeds this pole?  Was this a normally fused 240 volt 30 amp circuit, or did the electrician fool us and ran 120 volts to that pole and switched/fused both the load and neutral?

It's a 240v 30 amp breaker at the main panel.