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+-- Thread: Electric outlet placement on column (/showthread.php?tid=7336264)
Electric outlet placement on column - OneStaple - 01-09-2018
Hey All,
First, I'm not looking for guidance on the electricity/wiring aspect of this project. I'm comfortable with that.
I'm looking to put three sets of outlets on an enclosed column in the center of my garage: a 120V 20A circuit, a 240V 30A circuit, and a 240V 50A circuit. All circuits will continue to another location, so wires (NM-B) will need to both come down the column and go back up.
The column is approximately 4" diameter with 2x wood on each side that has been ripped to roughly 4" to match the post. This is all encased in drywall (see sketchup drawing and picture) that's not in the best of shape. I can access the top of the post to feed wires down the four little triangle areas between the column and 2x wood if need be
So how should I mount the outlet boxes? I see a few options:
1. Surface mount the outlet boxes to the 2x wood on the wider sides of this column assembly. Feed the wires behind the drywall and enter the boxes from the back.
2. Surface mount the outlet boxes to the 2x wood on any side of the column assembly. Use conduit as a protective cover to get wires from the top of the column to the outlet boxes.
3. Same as #1 but use a piece of plywood behind the outlet boxes for surface mounting.
4. Same as #2 but use a piece of plywood behind the outlet boxes for surface mounting.
5. Rip off the drywall (at least on one side) and build out the column assembly by about 3". Re-cover the larger column assembly in drywall and use flush-mount outlet boxes in the expanded space.
What would you do?
Thanks,
Tyler
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - OneStaple - 01-09-2018
Hmm, sorry for the huge picture. I told the software to delete the big version of the picture, and it posted it instead. Now that it's posted, I don't seem to be able to go back and delete it.
Tyler
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Phil Thien - 01-09-2018
I’d just mount the box through the drywall and into the wood.
I would not round trip the wires, though. I’d add a box or two up in your access and then just have a single run down to my boxes.
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Bob10 - 01-09-2018
I would put a junction box at the top and drop the feed down and off down line from there instead of up and down the column
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - OneStaple - 01-09-2018
Good call, Bob and Phil, about using a junction box at the top. Don't know why I hadn't planned to do that.
Phil Thien Wrote:I’d just mount the box through the drywall and into the wood.
Are you suggesting surface mounted boxes? If so, how would you run the wires down to the boxes? Behind the drywall or through protective conduit?
Thanks,
Tyler
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Phil Thien - 01-09-2018
Conduit.
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Cooler - 01-10-2018
Or wrap the post with a larger sheet rock wrapper. You can match the upper column and still look OK.
One 8 foot long piece of sheet rock, four corner pieces and a few scraps of 2 x 4 will get this done.
In my basement I would run conduit, but this basement looks nicely finished and hiding the electrical sounds better to me.
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - OneStaple - 01-10-2018
Cooler Wrote:Or wrap the post with a larger sheet rock wrapper. You can match the upper column and still look OK.It's a garage, actually, so aesthetics are probably a little less important than a finished basement. I have certainly thought about wrapping the post in larger drywall, but I'm leaning toward conduit at the moment. It seems a bit simpler and cuts less into usable space, even if mostly just visually.
One 8 foot long piece of sheet rock, four corner pieces and a few scraps of 2 x 4 will get this done.
In my basement I would run conduit, but this basement looks nicely finished and hiding the electrical sounds better to me.
Oh! And I remembered why I needed to do a down-and-back with the wires. The 120V circuit will have a GFCI outlet to protect things further down the line, so at least those wires need to be down-and-back (thankfully, the smallest wires). The others would do well with a junction box at the top, especially that 6AWG for the 50A circuit.
Thanks,
Tyler
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Cooler - 01-10-2018
(01-10-2018, 09:46 AM)OneStaple Wrote: It's a garage, actually, so aesthetics are probably a little less important than a finished basement. I have certainly thought about wrapping the post in larger drywall, but I'm leaning toward conduit at the moment. It seems a bit simpler and cuts less into usable space, even if mostly just visually.
Oh! And I remembered why I needed to do a down-and-back with the wires. The 120V circuit will have a GFCI outlet to protect things further down the line, so at least those wires need to be down-and-back (thankfully, the smallest wires). The others would do well with a junction box at the top, especially that 6AWG for the 50A circuit.
Thanks,
Tyler
My electrician ran surface mount conduit and surface mount boxes when I added switches and outlets in my basement shop. It certainly simplifies the job. I had the boxes mounted chest high. I don't see the need to hide them near the floor and it is easier to reach when chest high.
RE: Electric outlet placement on column - Phil Thien - 01-10-2018
You could also just run Romex right down the column and then cover it with your own removable chase made from pocket-screwed plywood. That would provide ease of access for any changes in the future. Extra points if you conceal the chase by turning it into a holder for any shop items like tape measures, first aid kit, paper towel dispenser, etc.