Locking (electrical) outlets/plugs....

[Richard]

We moved some stuff around in the garage. The garage essentially has zero outlets in there. Brother in law (electrician) thought it was going to be a finished room.... had bare block walls, so I suppose he was waiting for the studs to go in. They never did!

I think I've seen workshops that have a hanging pigtail from above. My thought is to have the power go down the long wall. I was thinking I'd put a 'hanging outlet' there.... got to looking them up and didn't think about an electrical box, insert a locking outlet, then make a pigtail for a drop. (two drops on same wall) Wall is block so there's no practical way to wall mount a box as there's a bunch of shelving in the way. Is this locking outlet the typical way of doing this?

This is within my skillset to do (I wired the subpanel in the garage for the basement). I hadn't thought of the locking outlet with pigtails though.... so that has me wondering if there are other ways to create a hanging pigtail.

Any thoughts? Been in this house 20+ years and never even thought about that until today! ('doh).

 

[WinterDeere]

Sounds do-able, but a PITA. Every time you want to plug in a random tool or cord, you need to find an adapter to a locking receptacle, or an extension cord you've already paired a locking plug onto? Why?

I had a shop like yours once, no chance to put wiring in the walls. I just ran a ring of 3/4" or 1" EMT conduit around the top of the wall, with boxes or LB's for drops every few feet. That way, I could pull bare THHN or THWN around the whole room, no need for NM-B, and run a 1/2" EMT down to a 2-gang receptacle box every few feet along each wall. I did the old MWBC (multi-wire branch circuit) thing, so that I could have 120V and 240V outlets in each box, and mounted one 20A 120V (NEMA 5-20R) duplex and one 20A 240V (NEMA 6-20R) duplex receptacle in each box.

In fact, my present shop also has the same double-duplex MWBC setup, but this time with NM-B wiring behind the walls, since my walls are studded out and insulated, now.

It sounds to me like you're contemplating extra work and extra cost, with the idea that it will save you time or money. I think it's the wrong direction, as EMT and THWN are so much easier and cleaner, and give a better final product.

 

[Richard]

You've got me thinking.

That said, I already have the wire, standard 12-2 wg. Using the single stranded wires, never even crossed my mind. (I also already have boxes and breaker).

What I was thinking (please tell me if I'm the moron my wife sometimes insists I am!!!)

What I was thinking was two, maybe three boxes in the ceiling (open joists). Make a locking pigtail that would lock into the box above. Pigtail would be maybe 4 feet and at the end so it's reachable would be a normal outlet that I could then plug extension cord if need be.

right now, I really do have an outlet in garage. I've attached a 100' (12g) extension cord and then use say, tablesaw outdoors. I really, really detest this situation but it's the cards I'm holding. I've never tripped a breaker.

By bringing the outlet hard wired, closer to the door, I can eliminate that 100' cord and perhaps, use a 20-25' cord if need be. In the end, I'm simply trying to bring power out to the door verses on the inside wall.

 

[caver]

120V you want the male & female version of a NEMA L5-20

 

[etpm]

I dunno if this will help in your situation since you are talking about cords hanging from the ceiling but what I did in my shop was to run wireway along the walls. This wireway comes in 4 inch square by 5 feet long sections. It has a cover that runs the length of the wireway. To add circuits you just remove the cover and lay the wires inside. There are knockouts every few inches and if you need to add a receptacle you just hang a box from the wireway. Since it is not conduit there is no pulling wires, you just lay them inside the wireway. Super easy to add receptacles, machines, etc.
Eric

 

[WinterDeere]

You've got me thinking.

That said, I already have the wire, standard 12-2 wg. Using the single stranded wires, never even crossed my mind. (I also already have boxes and breaker).

What I was thinking (please tell me if I'm the moron my wife sometimes insists I am!!!)

What I was thinking was two, maybe three boxes in the ceiling (open joists). Make a locking pigtail that would lock into the box above. Pigtail would be maybe 4 feet and at the end so it's reachable would be a normal outlet that I could then plug extension cord if need be.

right now, I really do have an outlet in garage. I've attached a 100' (12g) extension cord and then use say, tablesaw outdoors. I really, really detest this situation but it's the cards I'm holding. I've never tripped a breaker.

By bringing the outlet hard wired, closer to the door, I can eliminate that 100' cord and perhaps, use a 20-25' cord if need be. In the end, I'm simply trying to bring power out to the door verses on the inside wall.

No, you're not a moron. It will work fine, but I think EMT conduit, wireway, or even MC cabling anchored to the block wall would be more functional and cleaner. You could just anchor the boxes, if the EMT runs aren't long, and skip even having to anchor the EMT.

If you're a DIY guy, which it sounds like you are, that 12-2+G NM-B wire you already have won't go to waste. You'll soon be using it on the next project in the house, if it's not returnable today. So I really wouldn't let that be the deciding factor in your decision. And whatever boxes you have are probably also compatible with EMT or MC cabling, you just need the right tube ends or clamps to stick in those box knock-outs.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I have two of these 20A , 40' retractable cord reels hanging from the rafters of a 24' x 40' barn:

They can be set to hang at any height and between the two, I can reach anywhere in the building.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have two of these 20A , 40' retractable cord reels hanging from the rafters of a 24' x 40' barn:

View attachment 3221661

They can be set to hang at any height and between the two, I can reach anywhere in the building.

Yep. There’s always an outlet with your garage door opener in the ceiling and its a perfect spot to hang a retractable cord from.
It’s installed in 15 minutes and it’s cheap, like me

 

[LouNY]

I like to run SJ or SJO 12/2 with a from from a ceiling box with a strain relief.
Such as these; buss drop support grips

 

[Oaktree]

I think I've seen workshops that have a hanging pigtail from above. My thought is to have the power go down the long wall. I was thinking I'd put a 'hanging outlet' there.... got to looking them up and didn't think about an electrical box, insert a locking outlet, then make a pigtail for a drop.

I suppose that would work in kind of a "git 'r done" way (I assume when you say "locking outlet" you're referring to a twist-lock plug/receptacle?), but if was my shop I'd go the conduit or MC route and mount boxes on the walls. You don't say how large the shop is or how it's laid out.
I've seen what you propose in some manufacturing facilities where power drops aren't in fixed locations. Is your shop likely to have tools/equipment in temporary locations or in the middle of the floor?