Wiring the Shop

[dusty]

I found this on another forum and thought that it might be of interest here.

[JPG]

Interesting, and well done!

I have to admit to possibly in the recent past mis-leading folks after reading this.

My previous statements regarding having a like sized breaker at both the main and sub panel needs clarification. That is only a requirement when they are located in different buildings. It that case the sub-panel needs to be separately earth grounded.

IIRC that was the case, but just want to make the difference clear.

[robinson46176]

Good article...
I will insert my own prejudice here and say that I simply do not buy 14 gauge wire... By always wiring with the capacity for a 20 amp circuit you always have the ability to tap a line (properly at a box) for another outlet or a simple add on item. Breakers are easy to change, a wire isn't.
Example: I have a ceiling fan/light in the solar room. I have not looked but my mother hired an electrician to wire it when that room was built and I am sure that he wired it with a 2-14 w/g wire (might have saved a whole dollar). I now would like to replace that fan/light with one that also has a fairly high capacity built-in heater which I am pretty sure will need a 20 amp circuit. Due to some sort of unusual construction in that specialty room and limitations in the adjoining attic I'm not even sure I want to bother changing the wire. Not a big problem, just an annoyance.
When is the last time somebody went into a house and took out a big batch of electrical equipment? We are always adding stuff and it just seems silly to me to install a lot of hidden inaccessible wiring with #14 wire.
In another room in that wing I removed a N-gas wall furnace and want to install a baseboard heater in that location for a bit of spot heat. The #14 wire that was ran to supply that furnace (saved maybe another whole dollar) will limit the size of the heater I can use. Again not really a serious problem but an annoyance.
So, you will only use it for ceiling lights you say (see my fan/heater rant above). Also they are now selling some nice radiant heat panels that you can hang from a shop ceiling and plug in if your ceiling wiring is heavy enough.

Simply, I just would not use any #14 wire in a shop... Who knows what you might find to add to your shop next year.
Wire heavy, fuse light...


.

[JPG]

Good article...
I will insert my own prejudice here and say that I simply do not buy 14 gauge wire... By always wiring with the capacity for a 20 amp circuit you always have the ability to tap a line (properly at a box) for another outlet or a simple add on item. Breakers are easy to change, a wire isn't.
Example: I have a ceiling fan/light in the solar room. I have not looked but my mother hired an electrician to wire it when that room was built and I am sure that he wired it with a 2-14 w/g wire (might have saved a whole dollar). I now would like to replace that fan/light with one that also has a fairly high capacity built-in heater which I am pretty sure will need a 20 amp circuit. Due to some sort of unusual construction in that specialty room and limitations in the adjoining attic I'm not even sure I want to bother changing the wire. Not a big problem, just an annoyance.
When is the last time somebody went into a house and took out a big batch of electrical equipment? We are always adding stuff and it just seems silly to me to install a lot of hidden inaccessible wiring with #14 wire.
In another room in that wing I removed a N-gas wall furnace and want to install a baseboard heater in that location for a bit of spot heat. The #14 wire that was ran to supply that furnace (saved maybe another whole dollar) will limit the size of the heater I can use. Again not really a serious problem but an annoyance.
So, you will only use it for ceiling lights you say (see my fan/heater rant above). Also they are now selling some nice radiant heat panels that you can hang from a shop ceiling and plug in if your ceiling wiring is heavy enough.

Simply, I just would not use any #14 wire in a shop... Who knows what you might find to add to your shop next year.
Wire heavy, fuse light...


.

I quite agree, but why stop at #12?:D

The length of those #14 runs is a detail to be considered(today's pondered use:rolleyes:) Can 'most' of it be replaced?;)

[garys]

I'm lucky enough to never need a sub panel in my workshop. My workshop is in my basement, just across the stairway from my utility room where my main panel and a sub panel already are. If I need an additional circuit, I only need to pull about 10 ft of wire from the existing subpanel to reach my workshop and bingo, I'm ready to go.

As a side note. I buy #14 wire for lighting circuits, and #12 for receptacles. I use florescent lighting so I'll never overload a 15amp circuit, but my tools want the 20amp circuits to plug into the receptacles.

[JPG]

I'm lucky enough to never need a sub panel in my workshop. My workshop is in my basement, just across the stairway from my utility room where my main panel and a sub panel already are. If I need an additional circuit, I only need to pull about 10 ft of wire from the existing subpanel to reach my workshop and bingo, I'm ready to go.

As a side note. I buy #14 wire for lighting circuits, and #12 for receptacles. I use florescent lighting so I'll never overload a 15amp circuit, but my tools want the 20amp circuits to plug into the receptacles.

Ya using 20A receptacles?;)

[garys]

[quote="JPG40504"]Ya using 20A receptacles?]


Nope. I use 15A receptacles. Code allows it as long as there are more than one receptacle per circuit.

[JPG]

Nope. I use 15A receptacles. Code allows it as long as there are more than one receptacle per circuit.

Reason I asked was they are more reliable(also more $$$ and harder to find). I agree with your practical option. They are primarily intended for a dedicated branch(single Portable appliance - They have 20A plugs).

[garys]

Menards has the 20A receptacles. They were about $3 each the last time I checked. The 15A ones are $3 for a box of 10, so 30 cents each. I get 20-30 years of steady use from the cheap 15A ones, so I can't see spending the extra $2.90.

[retcaptb]

Be careful of cheep spec builder outlets. Most of them will only have one spring in each plug outlet. This will weaken over time and the plug will fall out. Or arc to the plug blade. Better outlets will have two springs on each outlet plug. This keeps the plug in tight and keeps arcing from happening. I have had to replace a whole house worth of these cheep plugs. Not a fun deal. Use the better outlets if you can. Also if you use 12-2 wiring you can have 20 amp circuits. A must for a Shopsmith & wood machinery.