New circuit in finished garage

[CCopper]

Hi all:

Brand new here and it looks like there's quite a bit of knowledge/experience being shared. I have a home built in 2003. The garage is roughly 20' X 20' and the builders installed one lone outlet. I soon discovered that 1- it is a GFCI and 2 - it continues on to upstairs bathrooms, protecting them as well. I have used this plug for my radial saw, table saw and small Porter Cable compressor, sanders, wet/dry vacs over the years (always one at a time) with no real issues. I now plan to run a new circuit with 6 new outlets in the garage. I bought a 20 amp GFCI breaker, 20 amp plugs and 12g wire. Since garage is dry-walled and panel box is recessed/flush with drywall, I will use surface mount grey conduit with metal boxes.

Believe it or not, I am unclear of how to run through the drywall to the first box. I was planning to use single metal boxes screwed directly to the studs. I'm unsure of the best way to come through the sheet rock with the wire to enter the box. I was planning to remove one of the half-inch knockouts on the box, put a clamp on it to secure the wire. But should I offset the box on the stud to allow for the wire to come through to the back of the box? And are there any code requirements for some sort of bushing or protective sleeve fir the pass-through hole in the drywall?

Sorry...just having a hard time visualizing. I am completely fine with all work in the panel box and from there. Just confused about what to to connect with the first box!

 

[Falcon67]

A) This should be in electrical to get better responses.

FWIW, I would take the GFCI breaker back. Too many $$ IMHO. Make your first box a 4" box with a dual outlet cover. One side can mount to a stud leaving space on the other side for wire entry. Wire in from the back to a GFCI outlet, then out from that to a plain socket, then on from there to the rest.

An alternative would be a variation on how I did all my runs - same as above but sink a 4" Old Work box in the wall then use a 4" extension box (no back) over that to mount your GFCI/socket combo and start your conduit run.

 

[matt_i]

I think, if I am reading correctly...that you have to buy a metal box with essentially little to no back on it, and mount that over an existing flush-mounted box. So it will then serve as a junction box, a jump-off point for the grey PVC, and also an outlet, with the box mounted to the inside face of a metal cover plate. Pay attention to grounding metal boxes and the continuity of grounds thru the new system. I always try to use long torx drive deck screws thru the back of new boxes to hit studs.

 

[CCopper]

A) This should be in electrical to get better responses.

FWIW, I would take the GFCI breaker back. Too many $$ IMHO. Make your first box a 4" box with a dual outlet cover. One side can mount to a stud leaving space on the other side for wire entry. Wire in from the back to a GFCI outlet, then out from that to a plain socket, then on from there to the rest.

An alternative would be a variation on how I did all my runs - same as above but sink a 4" Old Work box in the wall then use a 4" extension box (no back) over that to mount your GFCI/socket combo and start your conduit run.

So just the one upstream GFCI is acceptable in a garage to protect the other outlets? For some reason, I thought the GFCI breaker would be best but it is $$.

I also like both of your suggestions on the boxes. I really like the suggestion to sink an old work box into the wall. For both, I had that "Now why didn't I think of that" moment! Thank you sir.

 

[CCopper]

I think, if I am reading correctly...that you have to buy a metal box with essentially little to no back on it, and mount that over an existing flush-mounted box. So it will then serve as a junction box, a jump-off point for the grey PVC, and also an outlet, with the box mounted to the inside face of a metal cover plate. Pay attention to grounding metal boxes and the continuity of grounds thru the new system. I always try to use long torx drive deck screws thru the back of new boxes to hit studs.

No, Matt - I actually haven't started the run yet. All I was confused about was this: after I leave the panel box with the new 12-wire and am heading to the first connection, be it an out let or a junction box, or whatever, I wanted to know what would be the best way to go through the sheet rock with the wire and into that first surface mounted box, which will then feed via conduit all the other surface mounted outlets. I have a few single metal boxes. It sounds dumb but If I screwed a single metal box onto a stud, how would the wire best be run into this box through the wall? That's all. I like the idea of just getting a double box with one side receiving the wire and the second holding the first of the outlets.

Thanks for replying!

 

[bobemmerich]

Here's what I would do...(This also depends on code for your area)
Cut a hole in the drywall-Roughly 2'x2'- and mount a 4" box to the stud closest to the panel flat to the drywall face and run your cable into that. Use an extension ring over that to mount your GFCI. Use the knockouts on the extension for your conduit and mount the rest of the boxes to the face of the drywall, preferably over a stud. DO NOT FORGET TO USE A GROUND WIRE! and also most codes will not allow NM cable to be run through conduit, so again check what the code in your area specifies.

 

[CCopper]

So I need individual strands off spools to run through the grey conduit?

 

[Falcon67]

A classic argument more or less, most of use just thread "romex" through the conduit and call it good. 3/4" makes it easier. Yes, your down stream outlets are on the "LOAD" side of the GFCI. Cost = less, downside the string goes dark should the GFCI go out. I wired all my runs this way. I run all kinds of motors, battery chargers, welder, etc off the protected outlets, no problems. My walls are OSB and I used MC cable instead of conduit, but same difference.

Lower left side under cabinet - sample from my shop

 

[KDXSR5]

My buddy and I did something somewhat similar in his garage for the same reason. His was taped and mudded drywall with no paint. What we did is take a circular saw set at 5/8 depth and cut out a 4 inch wide strip of drywall all the way around the garage and into the electric panel. This was really easy, but also very dusty. I recommend a face mask. We then put normal plastic boxes in and ran normal house wiring through holes drilled through the studs. We did two circuits with a GFCI as the first outlet on each. We then put the cut Sheetrock back in the exact spot it came out, minus the cut outs for the outlet boxes. This made for easy tape and mud. My buddy actually likes to finish drywall. He moved before we ever got around to painting. We thought this would be easier, cheaper, and look better than exposed conduit. Just another option. Good luck with your project! Post pictures and keep is updated.

 

[CCopper]

Thanks Chris - looks great. You're super-organized...wish I was!

KDXSR5, that sounds really interesting. Isn't it funny how some of us like certain jobs but loathe others? I am the same way as your buddy - I like doing drywall. The one job I cannot (and will no longer) do is......WALL PAPERING! I HATE IT!