OP
Parts have been arriving for hydro-assist. Also the new BMB chapstick pouch
Tworley build
- Thread starter tworley
- Start date
OP
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Adding to the list of things to do this year!
The price of AL wire dropped a bit so I picked up 100' of 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 AL SER for a garage subpanel. I have an electrician friend that I can bend an ear on. He convinced me to use this gauge as it can easily provide 100 amps. Honestly, this is way overkill for what I am capable of doing in a 2 car garage but allows me to expand if needed. My main panel is in the backyard however, I can route directly below the main panel and go directly into the crawl space, thru the unfinished basement, and into the garage. Roughly 70-75' of run, so the voltage drop should be negligible. Being SER, I dont have to worry about conduit (at least in the crawlspace). My home was built in the 80s and the garage only has two outlets with one of them on the ceiling for the garage door opener, and a single bulb for lighting. The garage is unfinished except for the wall separating the interior of our home, meaning I can easily run my romex thru the wall studs.
The plan is to install 1 outlet on either side of the garage door, 5 outlets on the south wall, 5 outlets on the west wall (with the door into the house), and 5 outlets on the north wall, and maybe a couple additional outdoor outlets. These will all be 20 amp. Will also be using 10, 4' LED lights that have been sitting in the corner of the garage for over a year now. The subpanel is an Eaton brand with 12 spaces. Each wall be on its own circuit, and the lights. So I will have plenty of spaces in the future. Crude idea below
South wall
West wall
North wall. The sub panel will likely be located on this wall somewhere.
The price of AL wire dropped a bit so I picked up 100' of 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 AL SER for a garage subpanel. I have an electrician friend that I can bend an ear on. He convinced me to use this gauge as it can easily provide 100 amps. Honestly, this is way overkill for what I am capable of doing in a 2 car garage but allows me to expand if needed. My main panel is in the backyard however, I can route directly below the main panel and go directly into the crawl space, thru the unfinished basement, and into the garage. Roughly 70-75' of run, so the voltage drop should be negligible. Being SER, I dont have to worry about conduit (at least in the crawlspace). My home was built in the 80s and the garage only has two outlets with one of them on the ceiling for the garage door opener, and a single bulb for lighting. The garage is unfinished except for the wall separating the interior of our home, meaning I can easily run my romex thru the wall studs.
The plan is to install 1 outlet on either side of the garage door, 5 outlets on the south wall, 5 outlets on the west wall (with the door into the house), and 5 outlets on the north wall, and maybe a couple additional outdoor outlets. These will all be 20 amp. Will also be using 10, 4' LED lights that have been sitting in the corner of the garage for over a year now. The subpanel is an Eaton brand with 12 spaces. Each wall be on its own circuit, and the lights. So I will have plenty of spaces in the future. Crude idea below
South wall
West wall
North wall. The sub panel will likely be located on this wall somewhere.
Outlets. I love outlets. I don’t have near enough. I’d definitely put some on the outside. What about a 220 plug on a 50amp? Would that be useful?
OP
I don't understand it. The minimum (IMO) should be an outlet on each wall. My last garage was similar-one outlet at the backdoor, and one on the ceiling for the garage door opener. It was very difficult to get anything done in there. As to outdoor--I think the minimum standard is that only 1 outlet is required in the front and rear of a house. It would be nice to have one on either side of the garage door outside, as well as a couple on either side of the house (need to hang my Christmas lights!).
Yes--I will also install a dedicated circuit for a 220 plug. I dont own anything that requires 220 other than my dryer, but maybe that will change
Do you have a 220 (240? I'm not sure what the electrical lingo is..) in the garage? It might be a good time to run the wires to future-proof it. It could even add value since you could charge an electric car with one.
Upgrading the electric service in my garage was one of the first things I did when we bought the place. I too was dealing with a single outlet that was tied into an existing circuit in the house. I couldn't run anything (miter saw, shop vac, air compressor, etc) without turning everything off first on the other side of the wall inside the house. I put in a dedicated panel with 100amps, rewired a couple circuits, added power to my shed and added a few outlets. I also installed a breaker and a line to add a welder... someday. It's been really nice not having to reset breakers every time I'm trying to work in the garage. 🙂
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OP
Its frustrating to go out and determine what I need to unplug to use an outlet. The two outlets currently are powering two battery tenders, a radio, garage door opener and a power strip to my toolbox. My wifes jeep has a low tire, but to use the compressor I need to unplug everything and then run an extension cord for my compressor to the driveway. Its not fun
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OP
I'd like to a add high wall outlet too for an electric heater, but not sure if that would violate code. I have a lot to research yet before diving into anything
I remember those days and I don't miss them. Neither will you!
A high wall outlet would be good to have "just in case," but I think propane is a better and more efficient economical route for garage heating.
You described pretty well what home builders seem to be doing in the 80's and early 90's. 1 back of the house, 1 front of the house, 1 on garage ceiling, one on each of two walls of the garage with nothing on the third. No 220. I have to step into the dryer room, unplug the dryer cord, plug in the welder and run it out to the garage to weld with 220V (240). Your situation sounds like a nightmare though; unplugging things just to run other things (nightmare indeed!).
Your garage is looking good!
Another idea if you want. I'd love to have water in my garage. I'd love even more to have hot and cold water in the garage and a hot water spout outside. If you could pull that off you would be in paradise.
OP
My gas line runs along the south and north wall and would be easy to tie into. I'll have to think on that one
Gas prices jumped over 50% in our area. The garage isn't insulated either, nor is the garage door. I am sure once I get the insulation and sheetrock in that it will help tremendously. My small propane heater does a good job at taking the chill off.Water would be interesting--though I can't say I've ever needed water. Our unfinished basement would make it easy to run new additional lines.
My gas line runs along the south and north wall and would be easy to tie into. I'll have to think on that one
Water would be interesting--though I can't say I've ever needed water. Our unfinished basement would make it easy to run new additional lines.
I personally like the hot and cold water so I can clean up before going inside and making a mess of the sink in our laundry room. It would also be helpful for rinsing off various soft parts (interior panels, vents, etc...) if you ever do that kind of thing. Sometimes I'm using brake cleaner to get spots out of clothes. It would be good for that too. But mostly just to clean all the grease and crap off my hands and arms. The outside hot water is nice for washing things up any time of the year, and being from CO, even better. I sometimes want to rinse the salt/chemical off my rig, and of course, hot water has more cleaning power than cold.
While this link is focused on woodworkers heating their garages, it has some good info. I have been thinking about getting one of the torpedo style heaters in the 80k btu range.
https://thehomewoodworker.com/best-way-to-heat-a-garage-7-options-to-keep-a-workshop-warm/
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OP
One more garage addition--won a steel work bench from an auction. I get to pick it up Friday
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Good find! Be careful when you pick it up. Remember, lift with your back!
OP
Better than that, lift with your friends! (In a twisting, jerking, motion of course)