Semi-OT - adding circuits to a finished garage

[patrick conroy]

I think it's been a few months since anybody asked the (inflammatory) Electrical Code question, so here goes:

I'm thinking about added some circuits to the garage. (Yeah, I'll have a competent contractor do it, but I'd like to learn alittle bit about code, anyhow).

I'm thinking I'd like two 20A 240V's and two 20A 120V circuits added.

The garage is finished - drywall and insulated - so I'd run them outside the walls.

1. Outside the walls means the wire has to be protected right? As in BX or conduit, right?
2. Is GFCI a usual requirement for garage outlets? (Cause it's a wet area, right)?
3. If yes to GFCI, the 240V runs too?
4. If yes to GFCI, then why is the existing outlet in my garage GFCI, but the two in there feeding the door openers not GFCI? Because they're 10' up?
5. Speaking of up - is there a minimum height off the floor for outlets? The builder put a nasty dryer vent run through the garage and I'd prefer the outlets below that. Guessing they'll be 6-8" off the floor.

I don't want the expense of a subpanel *in* the garage. There's already a

100A one in the basement adjacent to the garage, so my thought was to use that.

Any other NEC things to think about when putting in new runs in a finished garage? Thank you!

[skeezics]

why not fish the wires to pop in boxes?

outside walls i would use conduit or bx but it may not be required. not sure but protected is safer.

only common outlets need be GFCI. dedicated outlets do not need to be. i made all my 110 outlets GFCI and the inspector said i did not have to do that. he said outlets down low and near the door must be but the outlets above work benches and 220 outlets do not require GFCI protection.

no.

maybe but more likely because they are concidered dedicated outlets. basicaly i was told "you aint gonna climb up there and plug in a cord to do the weeed eating are you?" by the inspector.

i dont beleive there is a mimimum. some new houses have outlets in the baseboard round here.

is the garage and basement attached? if not you will probly need wiring to be in conduit between the buildings. a sub panel is the best way IMHO because if you trip a circuit you dont want to be going to the basement to reset the breaker. do you?

youe electritian can answer that. you have to total up the numbers to be sure you arent overloading the 100 amp panel. i recently had to upgrade to 200 amp service to the house because the numbers were to high after adding a hot tub and pool to the property. when i built the shop i went with a new service on a seperate meter. that way i got 200 amp dedicted to the shop. and i can track the cost better. the business pays that electric bill and i get a write off to boot. do i need 200 amp service to the shop? probly not but it sure is nice knowing i can add stuff as i please.

your wellcome...

skeez

[Scott Lurndal]

Frowned upon. When you fish to old-work boxes, you are unable to fasten the wires within 6" of the box as required by code. The wire just hanging in the cavity could (I say -could-) be damaged by drilling into the wall causing fire or electric shock hazard.

However, for the purposes of the code, any NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 receptacle is considered to be 'common' so long as it can be reached by the average home resident. The only way you can get away with a non-GFCI 110v receptacle in a garage is to use a L5-15 or L5-20 receptacle (i.e. twist-lock).

per your inspector. Not necessarily per code. If it can be reached by Joe Homeowner to plug in, frex an electric lawnmower, it must be GFCI. Outlets on the ceiling dedicated to the garage door opener need not be GFCI.

scott

[skeezics]

well that may be but the inspector is there to see that code is met and he passed it and gave up the C/O. a lot of code is interperatation. also different areas allow different methods. actualy PER the book i have GFCI is not required in a garage.{ IT IS HOWEVER AN OLD BOOK } it is the local codes that requires it. i did mine that way 1: because i thought it was required and 2: because it is a safer way to go. IMHO.

skeez

[Bob Peterson]

A lot of places inspectros do not like BX. I am not fond of it either. Stcik to EMT IMO.

Not necessarily because its a wet area, but there are rules about outlets being GFCI protected when they are close to an exterior door.

GFCI is for protection of people - its unlikely you will plug a hand tool into an outlet dedicated to the door opener.

I prefer them higher rather than lower.

Might end up being simpler put a subpanel out there anyway. otherwise you end up running a whole bunch of cables instead of one. Plus you can add on easier later on.

[Rob Jones]

Patrick,

First thing I question is this:

The circuits you wish to add will require a total of SIX slots in a breaker panel (each 220VAC circuit requires two slots). Are you sure you have six available slots in your 100A subpanel? Most common 100A subpanels I've seen have six or eight slots.

Even if you do have six empty slots, do you want the hassle of having to run around to the basement panel when a breaker feeding one of your shop circuits blows? With the existing subpanel in the same wall as your garage, it shouldn't be too expensive to add another subpanel. If this were my garage shop, I'd add a subpanel.

To answer you other questions: NEC requires that all exposed wire be protected. In your case, you can't run any unprotected wire on the outside of the drywall (this includes Romex).

All circuits that have outlets that are readily accessible in a garage must be GFCI protected. This protection can be a single GFCI outlet wired in a manner that protects all other (downstream) outlets on the same circuit.

The above does not apply to dedicated 220VAC outlets.

There is no minimum height requirements for garage outlets, nor is there any wall spacing requirements in a garage as opposed to the living quarters which do have a minimum outlet requirement on walls above a minimum size. I put a wall in my 3-car garage that turned the single bay into a dedicated shop. My 120VAC outlets are all approximately 50 inches off the floor so I don't have to bend over at all.

Rob

[patrick conroy]

Thanks Rob and *everyone* for the advice! I *am* taking it to heart!