cmcolfax
09-02-2008, 10:29 PM
The background:
My garage has power to it, but it all seems to be home-brewed and sketchy.
So this afternoon, during a bout of home improvement project ADD, I started pulling covers trying to figure out how everything was wired. (I was supposed to be putting up pegboard.)
What I found scared me.
Like a very old, small two-fuse box with a disconnect switch running to a standard single pole switch, to another box, to a switch, with multiple colors of single lead (not romex-type) wire wire nutted and taped together, etc etc etc. Even a 14GA orange extension cord with the male plug cut off attached to the load points inside the box.
So I decided that the best course of action would be to simply run new wire and then pull all the sketchy stuff out.
The main feed for the garage is tapped off the house.
The "fuse box" inside the garage had two screw in type fuses; a 30A and a 20A so I took that to mean there was 50A or 60A service to the building.
On further investigation, I found the breaker panel inside the house has a double-pole 20A labelled "Garage". Now, I am wondering if there is only 40A feeding to the garage.
Either way, according to my basic understanding of construction wiring, there should be enough power being fed to the building to accomodate my needs.
The proposed solution:
I bought a 70A max, 2-space/4-circuit indoor breaker box. Two 30A and two 20A breakers (I'll return whichever two I don't use.) and 250' of 14/2 + ground romex-type wire.
I plan to run one switched circuit for 3 or 4 flourescent light fixtures hung from the ceiling joists.
One circuit for 2 or 4 duplex outlets along one wall.
Another switched circuit for 2 floodlights on the outside of the building.
I did not plan to run anything on the fourth circuit since I am concerned about the actual amount of power available.
I am not planning on big power draws. The most I can think of at any one time would be a cordless tool battery charger, a scanner, some iPod speakers, maybe a drill or a grinder or a sawzall and a drop light.
If I am going to run my table saw, mitre saw or compressor I can run them via an extension cord from the house.
The questions:
Does all of that seem "do-able"? Because I now have NO power out there thanks to my curiosity. I used to have one working flourescent light and two working outlets. Heh.
And I don't have the time/money/inclination to deal with running a new feed, etc...
Thanks guys!
-cmc-
My garage has power to it, but it all seems to be home-brewed and sketchy.
So this afternoon, during a bout of home improvement project ADD, I started pulling covers trying to figure out how everything was wired. (I was supposed to be putting up pegboard.)
What I found scared me.
Like a very old, small two-fuse box with a disconnect switch running to a standard single pole switch, to another box, to a switch, with multiple colors of single lead (not romex-type) wire wire nutted and taped together, etc etc etc. Even a 14GA orange extension cord with the male plug cut off attached to the load points inside the box.
So I decided that the best course of action would be to simply run new wire and then pull all the sketchy stuff out.
The main feed for the garage is tapped off the house.
The "fuse box" inside the garage had two screw in type fuses; a 30A and a 20A so I took that to mean there was 50A or 60A service to the building.
On further investigation, I found the breaker panel inside the house has a double-pole 20A labelled "Garage". Now, I am wondering if there is only 40A feeding to the garage.
Either way, according to my basic understanding of construction wiring, there should be enough power being fed to the building to accomodate my needs.
The proposed solution:
I bought a 70A max, 2-space/4-circuit indoor breaker box. Two 30A and two 20A breakers (I'll return whichever two I don't use.) and 250' of 14/2 + ground romex-type wire.
I plan to run one switched circuit for 3 or 4 flourescent light fixtures hung from the ceiling joists.
One circuit for 2 or 4 duplex outlets along one wall.
Another switched circuit for 2 floodlights on the outside of the building.
I did not plan to run anything on the fourth circuit since I am concerned about the actual amount of power available.
I am not planning on big power draws. The most I can think of at any one time would be a cordless tool battery charger, a scanner, some iPod speakers, maybe a drill or a grinder or a sawzall and a drop light.
If I am going to run my table saw, mitre saw or compressor I can run them via an extension cord from the house.
The questions:
Does all of that seem "do-able"? Because I now have NO power out there thanks to my curiosity. I used to have one working flourescent light and two working outlets. Heh.
And I don't have the time/money/inclination to deal with running a new feed, etc...
Thanks guys!
-cmc-