Number of outlets?

[N6408S]

I'm in the process of wiring my 24x28 shop (actually a new detached garage). Presently, I have a tablesaw, drill press, radial arm saw and joiner (more to come later). I've got each wall on it's own 20amp circuit with 4x4" boxes every 6 feet. I was originally planning on making each box a quad recptacle but with the 12 ga wire, it's a REAL pain trying to get the two outlets and the wires in the box.

So I'm trying to decide whether to replace all the 4" square boxes with 4 11/16" square boxes or just go with one outlet per box.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

[RayV]

Yep, try one of these

is not that much of a pain and you anly have to do it once...

[Lew Hodgett]

Good idea, boxes are cheap.

Trying to wire in a small box ranks right up there with wearing a hair shirt.

Lew

[Oughtsix]

Definitely 4 outlets! You can never have enough. I usually wire the two outlets together on the bench before I put them in the box. This works well except for the ground. Definitely go with bigger boxes. Buy good outlets! Not the home center cheapies.

DO NOT FORGET TO WIRE UP SOME 220V OUTLETS ALSO!!!!

[Duck]

It sounds like even though the boxes are only 6' apart that four receptacles per box is preferred?

It's what I planned for so I guess my first idea was right. Oh well, it's easier to fix now.

BTW, I get the added pleasure of having to run EMT conduit. What I could have done in a day with ROMEX is going to end up taking over a week :-(

I'm going with "Professional" grade outlets at $2.50 each. The cheap ones were about $1.25 but they had some real nice ones at $6.50 that you just shove the stripped wire in the back and tighten it down.

[russellseaton1]

Do you really mean all of the outlets along each wall are on the same circuit? So if you were working near one wall, and had everything plugged into outlets along that wall, since the outlets are closest, they would all be on the same circuit?

I'd suggest putting multiple circuits on each wall. Each set of outlets on a wall would be on a different circuit. I'd also suggest putting outlets every 4 feet instead of 6 feet. Use a single outlet for half of the boxes and double outlets for the other half. I think having more boxes all along the walls is more useful than having big boxes in fewer locations. Put the double outlet boxes near the workbenches of course. On different circuits.

I was originally planning on

[Ross Hebeisen]

by all means add 220 outlets as well. i recently purchased a new grizzly G0568 and was glad i had wired a 10 ga. 30 amp circut in my new shop. also have 20amp 220 all around the shop for unisaw etc. do it right while you have the chance you won't regret it later. have fun ross

[B A R R Y]

For a one person shop, isn't that kind of a waste?

When I did mine, I ran dedicated 220v circuits for the DC, for the compressor, and another tool circuit for the TS, jointer, and planer. Only one tool at a time is on while the DC is running, and the compressor won't bother anything.

Next, I ran separate lighting circuits, so a tripped breaker wouldn't put me in the dark.

For 120v, I ran two 20A circuits, alternated around the shop, and labeled. The biscuit cutter or router plugs in to circuit A, the Shop Vac in "B". Alternatively, the HVLP turbine is in A, while the tripod lights are in A and B.

I also ran dedicated 20A feeds to the stereo area (very important ), the ceiling for air cleaners, and near the door for exhaust fans.

If it's a multi-person shop, please disregard this, but I've NEVER tripped a breaker in this heavily used setup with one guy.

[Duck]

Yeah, that's what I figured.

I've got two separate circuits for lighting.

I don't have anything now that runs off 220 so I figure I'll deal with that when I need it. One of the nice things about conduit is that it is real easy to run a circuit later.

[Mike Marlow]

You have plenty of room in a 4x4 for a quad set up. You must be leaving too much wire out of the box if you're having trouble putting #12 wire into that box. How much are you leaving outside the box? Are you using the raised quad covers? They leave you a lot more room in the box since the duplexes don't sit fully inside the box.

[Duck]

About 4".

But keep in mind that I've got two wires coming in, two wires between the outlets and two wires going out. I'm using a 5/8" mud ring. I was able to get it the first one done, but it's a REAL pain.

[Mike Marlow]

Huh. I'm surprised you're having the trouble you are. I stuff that kind of box like that commonly. Not to sound condescending, but are you getting a good fold on your wire as you're trying to stuff the box? A good fold is better than half the secret to making a box do-able instead of a real bear.

[Phisherman]

Well, really you can't have too many outlets. Go ahead and do it--it's inexpensive. You might consider putting in a 220 and 110 in the same box. Also, consider having a few leap-frogged circuits. I thought 10 ga wire was tough to work.

[Mike M]

You could switch to stranded wire which is easier to work with. Also consider running a 3 wire circuit so you can put each receptacle in a box on a different circuit which may save you from running an extension cord across the shop in the future. If you've got a good pipe bender you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.

Mike M

[GeeDubb]

Just don't try to install GFCI's on that set up.....DAMHIKT

Gary

[Tim Douglass]

In that setup you have to make sure that your hot wires are on opposite legs. If they are on the same leg your neutral is carrying both loads.

-- "We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

[Jim Behning]

[Charley]

Just remember this - Outlets are like clamps, you can never have too many.

My shop outlets are quad boxes set on 4 foot centers (and I've occasionally still run out in high usage spots). They're on 3 wire circuits where every other quad is on the same circuit. Doing it this way not only saves a little wire, but I can convert one box to a temporary 240 outlet if I ever need to. Both duplex outlets in any given box are on the same circuit (I don't want to take the chance of getting a 240 volt shock between two 120 volt tools that are plugged into the same box). My boxes are typically mounted at the 4 ft level so they're above benches and floor stuff, but below any possible future cabinets. I've also put a circuit of them across the ceiling with hanging cord outlets (just in case). Just remember when you do all this that you are only allowed by code to have 8 duplex outlets per circuit. Mine are all protected for 15 amp with #12 wire because I ran special dedicated circuits for the compressor, table saw, RAS, etc. and only the portable stuff plugs into the duplexes. I don't believe that bench outlets need more than 15 amps and I don't like the amount of fire that you can get from a short on a 20 amp circuit so I never protect them with anything bigger than a 15 amp breaker, but I do use #12 wire to reduce the voltage drop.

[Puckdropper]

"Charley" wrote in news:45ea0ae6$0$17009$ [e-mail]:

Does it often help to have even numbers (just like clamps)? ;-)

Puckdropper

[Duck]

duplex outlets per circuit.

I've found different references to the number of outlets per circuit. Some say that there are no code limitations on the number of outlets per branch.

I found another reference to 13 per circuit.

few others mention that there is some ambiguity on the subject. When you add in whether it's a dwelling or not, it gets real confusing.