So what would you have done different with your new shop?

[woodlandfarms]

Eddie, this poses a question about internal wiring on a shop. When I read the code, it looks like if the wire is in Romex, you do not need a conduit. So what I am sensing is conduit is for aesthitic and then some protection, but is not required?

For my shop the plan is OSB or some cheap wood 8 foot up in the automotive side, the wood side will be sheetrock.

 

[EddieWalker]

The way I understand it, Romex needs to have a form of protection. In a house, we all have it inside the walls, so it's protected by the sheetrock. You cannot touch it or damage it because it's protected by the sheetrock. In a lot of commercial applications, they run a lot of the wiring out in the open, so it has to be protected by putting it inside of a pipe, or conduit. If your shop has interior walls, and most do to hang stuff on, then there really isn't any reason to spend the money, or effort to run conduit. The only place I have conduit in my current shop is through my trusses because they are exposed. When I build my new barn/shop, I will have a ceiling and I will just run the Romex across the rafters.

 

[grsthegreat]

Eddie, this poses a question about internal wiring on a shop. When I read the code, it looks like if the wire is in Romex, you do not need a conduit. So what I am sensing is conduit is for aesthitic and then some protection, but is not required?

For my shop the plan is OSB or some cheap wood 8 foot up in the automotive side, the wood side will be sheetrock.

codes vary for different regions of the country. here in Idaho shops are generally run romex with wires exposed above 8' from ground level. when we turn to drop runs into the outlet or switch boxes, we run it in sch 80 PVC anytime it falls between ground level and 8 foot. EXCEPT if you plywood or sheetrock the walls, then you can wire it the same way you wire a house.

 

[bigtiller]

1.My thinking is that it痴 out of the way and frees up wall space and may look better than conduit run along wall. Maybe less wire used?

2.Nothing done yet. That痴 next step.

3.Yes probably metal or maybe Wainscoting with barn wood up about 4 then metal to ceiling.

Go up and over, not down and under with the electric. My electrician put a line under ground. 4 years later that underground wire is in the way!
I would like to bolt a jib crane to the floor, between my door and bench but I need to pour a thicker concrete pad for it.

 

[crazyal]

Boy a 3phase would be very nice. I don't think we can get it in our rural area. But there is so much heavy duty shop equipment for dirt cheap because of 3phase..

It use to be but with VFDs being pretty cheap the price has gone up. You use to be able to build a phase converter from a couple old motors and take advantage of the low prices. There are still some deals to be found. I'm fond of an industrial tool auction website that the prices are still good. My advise is to build a second floor if you can. It'll mean a smaller slab and for your woodworking equipment you can put it on the second floor with the duct work for dust collection in the floor joists where you can access it easily from the first. It also means your electrical runs will be shorter.

In my garage the second floor is only about 3/4 of the main floor. The last quarter is open so I can easily pass stuff up to the second no matter the size and so my tall two post car lift can easily fit. With it open I have my air compressor mounted in the corner about 8' up from the ground out of the way. I plumbed both the water drain and the oil drain both can be easy to get at. I used PEX pipe for the air lines with on-touch fittings to connected the pipe. I have disconnects all over the garage. As for my outlets, I have them about 4' apart and each wall is on two breakers where every other outlet is on the same breaker so if you're doing a project and have two tools plugged in they will not share the same breaker as long as you use the outlets next to each other. The problem with breaker boxes is that they fill up quickly.

 

[4570Man]

It use to be but with VFDs being pretty cheap the price has gone up. You use to be able to build a phase converter from a couple old motors and take advantage of the low prices. There are still some deals to be found. I'm fond of an industrial tool auction website that the prices are still good. My advise is to build a second floor if you can. It'll mean a smaller slab and for your woodworking equipment you can put it on the second floor with the duct work for dust collection in the floor joists where you can access it easily from the first. It also means your electrical runs will be shorter.

In my garage the second floor is only about 3/4 of the main floor. The last quarter is open so I can easily pass stuff up to the second no matter the size and so my tall two post car lift can easily fit. With it open I have my air compressor mounted in the corner about 8' up from the ground out of the way. I plumbed both the water drain and the oil drain both can be easy to get at. I used PEX pipe for the air lines with on-touch fittings to connected the pipe. I have disconnects all over the garage. As for my outlets, I have them about 4' apart and each wall is on two breakers where every other outlet is on the same breaker so if you're doing a project and have two tools plugged in they will not share the same breaker as long as you use the outlets next to each other. The problem with breaker boxes is that they fill up quickly.

If you went that approach I'd want the upstairs to be smaller on one wall so I could set machinery upstairs with a forklift or tractor. If that's not a practical option I'd put in a double door on the outside wall for the same purpose.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Eddie, this poses a question about internal wiring on a shop. When I read the code, it looks like if the wire is in Romex, you do not need a conduit. So what I am sensing is conduit is for aesthitic and then some protection, but is not required?

For my shop the plan is OSB or some cheap wood 8 foot up in the automotive side, the wood side will be sheetrock.

The way I understand it, Romex needs to have a form of protection. In a house, we all have it inside the walls, so it's protected by the sheetrock. You cannot touch it or damage it because it's protected by the sheetrock. In a lot of commercial applications, they run a lot of the wiring out in the open, so it has to be protected by putting it inside of a pipe, or conduit. If your shop has interior walls, and most do to hang stuff on, then there really isn't any reason to spend the money, or effort to run conduit. The only place I have conduit in my current shop is through my trusses because they are exposed. When I build my new barn/shop, I will have a ceiling and I will just run the Romex across the rafters.

also keeps the rats from chewing it.

 

[woodlandfarms]

So what are the thoughts of running lights just out of a breaker box and not using a light switch. Seems unnecessary in my mind but you never know.

 

[bdog]

So what are the thoughts of running lights just out of a breaker box and not using a light switch. Seems unnecessary in my mind but you never know.

Seems like a bad idea. Light switches are less than $5 and take about 15 minutes to install. Breakers are not designed to be repeatedly cycled.

 

[flingwing1969]

Seems like a bad idea. Light switches are less than $5 and take about 15 minutes to install. Breakers are not designed to be repeatedly cycled.

Agreed. It does take a bit more wire (often) and a little more planning, but that breaker is not the way to do it. If you want a single switch for all lights just put one of these in the circuit right next to the breaker box, if that's convenient and use it to do all the lights in the place.

 

[MossRoad]

So what are the thoughts of running lights just out of a breaker box and not using a light switch. Seems unnecessary in my mind but you never know.

I did that in my large garage on two circuits and smack myself every time I have to open that circuit panel and flip a breaker. :duh:

After 10 years of flipping a breaker to turn off and on some stupid light, I can tell you... don't do it man! :laughing:

I'm putting in switches this summer.

 

[MossRoad]

Think of it this way... you know where the light switch (breaker) is, but does anyone else? Ask your spouse to turn on or off the lights in the building for you... or a friend... "Yeah, it's in the panel. The second one down on the left. Flip it to the right. No. The other right!" :banghead:

:laughing:

 

[grsthegreat]

Seems like a bad idea. Light switches are less than $5 and take about 15 minutes to install. Breakers are not designed to be repeatedly cycled.

not so. you can get switch rated breakers. we use them in commercial applications all the time. most stores have a lighting panel and the employees have to switch on breakers every day. unless theres a lighting control system like the modern stores are using.

but me personally....use a switch

 

[JimRB]

also keeps the rats from chewing it.

I bought some brand new Continental 5/8" water hose for the barn. The rats ate through the hose in a few weeks time. They did not have a hankering for the vinyl hose we had been using the past 15 year. They also ate through the plastic wheelbarrow. I suppose I will need to replace our 30 year old wheelbarrows sometime in the next few years.

All the wiring in the barn is in EMT conduit except the feed from the house which is in grey plastic conduit. While my mind does not do bends well with add 5 inches, subtract 5 inches, I still like running conduit. I have added circuits to existing 1/2 EMT. 3/4 inch EMT would have been handy in some places.

If you run water pipes under the slab, run insulation around it. Nothing more annoying than water pipe that is earth bonded so it take time to warm up the earth before you get hot water. Also that insulation maybe a little fudge factor that allows the pipe to expand and contract without tearing up.

 

[bdog]

I was not aware of the commercial breakers meant to be cycled. I worked at a shop years ago where the lights were controlled with the breaker but it was a regular home type. It did fail from the constant on off and I had to replace it. The building was rented and I couldn't add a switch but oh I wanted too. the dang panel was at least a 100' from the door and I had to take a flashlight in there to turn it on.

Also you don't really have to run much extra wire if you don't want to. You can mount a switch box with a 1" nipple directly to the breaker box. You would use less than a foot of extra wire and would have the switch right by the breaker box. Me personally I would put it by the door.

I wired my entire shop by myself but that was 8 years ago. Int he past two weeks though I have installed 22 new light fixtures out there and 3 outside dusk to dawn lights. Wiring up stuff isn't that difficult. Take the time and do it right and don't have the hassle of jacking with some half done setup for the rest of your life.

 

[dragoneggs]

... down on the left. Flip it to the right. No. The other right!" :banghead:

:laughing:

... sit down, stand up, fight, fight, fight!

Got an old school cheer stuck in my head reading your reply.

 

[MossRoad]

... sit down, stand up, fight, fight, fight!

Got an old school cheer stuck in my head reading your reply.

HAHHAhahaa!!! :laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

HAHHAhahaa!!! :laughing:

My wife thinks it was... ‘stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight’. This is our argument tonight... I say how can you sit down and fight. I’m losing this battle too.

 

[Xfaxman]

My wife thinks it was... 壮tand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight? This is our argument tonight... I say how can you sit down and fight. I知 losing this battle too.

Yep, Google says your wife is right: sit down, stand up, fight, fight, fight - Google Search

"Lean to the Left, Lean to the Right, Stand Up, Sit Down, Fight, Fight, Fight!"

 

[MossRoad]

Well, if that's the case, then.... it's a stupid cheer, and deserves the Bronx Cheer!