More garage wiring help please
#21
(03-04-2018, 01:13 AM)lift mechanic 2 Wrote: And to add to the confusion, all outlets in new construction, as of 2016, must be tamper resistant if under 5.5 feet from the floor.
The inspector also required ach fault and ground fault breakers in my garage. Those were expensive.

While I can understand that requirement...that doesn't mean I don't think it sucks. Those outlets are a PITA (IMHO).
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#22
(03-04-2018, 07:19 AM)fredhargis Wrote: While I can understand that requirement...that doesn't mean I don't think it sucks. Those outlets are a PITA (IMHO).

I am not putting tamper proof outlets in the garage!  There were 3 outside outlets without GFCI.  I put in tamper proof GFCI outlets in each of those.  I really like the idea in many cases.  When I had little children, I took various steps to keep them safe from the outlets.  When I was a curious child, they did not have all those safety features.  Fortunately, I only suffered a burn on my hand and a sore butt from my outlet exploration.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
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#23
You need 2 circuits for that many outlets running saws, shop vac, etc.

I recommend alternate every other outlet on a different circuit.

Lots of homes are wired in 14ga/15A circuits. If you're using 20A receptacles, your wiring should be 12gauge.
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#24
Many folks use quad boxes, which I would recommend, as you can never have enough receptacles, and the loads tend to bunch together, like my BS and its separate work light.  Or worse, my grinding station, with multiple grinders, buffer, wire wheel, and task lighting.  Whatever you think is the right amount, double it.

It's also often recommended that you use two circuits in the same box, which I would also strongly agree with.  Duplex on the left on circuit A, and the one on the right on circuit B (arbitrary designations).  You can use two different colors, but personally I would just use left/right, and keep it consistent in case you need to run one heavy load in a different location (different quad box) from the other heavy load.  As already stated, it's legal to use 15A receptacles on a 20A circuit, as long as there is more than one (and a duplex receptacle counts as two in this case), as they're rated for 20A pass-through.  But it's not legal to put 20A receptacles on a 15A circuit, though it's pretty rare to find a tool or appliance with a 20A plug.

And keep lights separate, of course.  Lighting is considered a continuous load in the NEC, and as such, must be loaded to no more than 80% of the circuit ampacity.
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
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#25
(03-07-2018, 11:58 AM)TDKPE Wrote: ....  You can use two different colors, but personally I would just use left/right, and keep it consistent in case you need to run one heavy load in a different location (different quad box) from the other heavy load.  ......

Reading through all the posts, I was going to suggest different colored receptacles for each circuit.  Right/left makes sense too, but if he is doing some quad boxes and some not (especially if there are some on each circuit), it would make it easier to track.  I personally don't care too much if everything in the garage matches!  Use white and gray receptacles with a metal cover plate and it would be relatively subtle.  When I had a 120V table saw using a shopvac for dust collection, I had to run them on separate circuits or they'd trip it.
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#26
(03-07-2018, 07:40 PM)JosephP Wrote: Right/left makes sense too, but if he is doing some quad boxes and some not (especially if there are some on each circuit), it would make it easier to track.

I hadn't thought of that, but it's an excellent point.  Colors would certainly make it easy.  Good catch.
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
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#27
(03-03-2018, 10:15 PM)Cecil Wrote: Yep.  12 gauge wire, 20 amp breaker.  The lights are on 15 amp.  They had 12 and 14 gauge wire on that branch.  I replaced all the 12 gauge, especially to the breaker box.  I could see someone attaching the 12 gauge wire to a 20 amp breaker at some later date.  Now all the wire on that branch is 14 gauge.  I finished the lighting today.

Why did you replace 12 ga with 14 ga. wire?
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#28
(04-16-2018, 01:46 PM)sawsaw Wrote: Why did you replace 12 ga with 14 ga. wire?

There was 12 ga from the breaker box to the first junction box.  I could foresee someone, at a later date, putting a 20 amp breaker on it.  If it was 12 ga from a junction box to a junction box, I would have left it, except, in this case, I moved stuff. There were four 8' florescent fixtures, which I replaced with twelve 4' LED's. I can use the 12 ga in the non-lighting circuits.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
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#29
I thought that 14 gauge was not allowed at all in garages or external buildings?
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#30
(04-16-2018, 08:12 PM)Dusty Workshop Wrote: I thought that 14 gauge was not allowed at all in garages or external buildings?

This is a lighting circuit, and now that it is LED, only about 420 watts.  15 amp is all that is needed for the circuit.  It is 12 ga, 20 amp for the two 120V circuits.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
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