Outlet Install Help

[NTxAg]

How high should I mount the outlet boxes. The shop is 15x20 and general purpose, i.e. small metal/wood working projects, some work on the golf cart, electrical project and probably a lot of gunsmithing. I am torn between normal residential height and something a little over waist high. It may not even matter but just thought I would ask the opinion of folks who have done it before.

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[vartz04]

Don't do them all low to the ground. Maybe 1 under a bench or something but everything else do about 50" high so you can lean a sheet of plywood against the wall and not cover the outlets. Also make sure to put a couple up high or on the ceiling for cord reels/drop lights.

 

[JamieK]

I think a good rule of thumb is to mount them with the bottom edge at least 4 feet from the floor. That way, a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood can lean against the wall and not cover the outlets. Also, mount them above any machines that are against the wall (i.e. lathe, saws). Makes it easy to get to them that way.

 

[sands35]

If you plan on mounting benches, then above bench high (which may be different than 48"). Some benches have built in power strips, so an outlet below the surface might work better in that case.

While you are at it, what about under cabinet lights? Easy to do when no drywall is up. A switch and a feed wired from an outlet.

 

[bczygan]

I would center them 52"A.F.F.

Bill

 

[Gerald O]

What's with all this plywood leaning against the walls? Seems like a rather random reason. Who's habitually leaning full sheets of plywood horizontally on the walls while working from those outlets? Most of my walls have something else in front already, tool carts, shelves, machinery... Wall space is too precious to leave open for leaning plywood on. If I'm temporarily leaning sheet materials it's usually vertical, and I'm not about to place the outlets above 8 feet.

I say let your equipment placement, shelving, and cabinetry space dictate the outlet locations.

 

[SweetD]

For such a small space, I would favor putting your outlets over your bench at just above your bench top height. Also, what about at least one (probably two) outlets on the ceiling?

For reference, my outlets on the long sides of the garage are at about 52" at the bottom of the outlet.

Also, welcome to GJ! We'd love to see pics of your setup. Maybe a post in the Gallery forum?



Dave

 

[NTxAg]

Thanks for the info gentlemen! No pics as of right now, I do plan to put some up as I go from bare bones wood frame to finish out.

I am not planning on doing a whole lot of cabinets, 20+ feet of benches should hold everything nicely but I will have 5 plugs above the bench and a few below. Along the long sides I plan on putting 3 outlets per side at about 50". I didn't think about the plywood, more just that I don't want bend over to get to the plugs.

I tend to go through phases of interest so I don't want the shop locked into one setup. A lot of my stuff is going to be setup on carts and moveable work stations so the shop can be reconfigured as needed based on the current project. IF i had more room it would be a little more fixed but space is going to be at a premium.

 

[CJ7VFR]

...I tend to go through phases of interest so I don't want the shop locked into one setup. A lot of my stuff is going to be setup on carts and moveable work stations so the shop can be reconfigured as needed based on the current project. IF i had more room it would be a little more fixed but space is going to be at a premium.

If this is the case, then what I suggest is to install the receptacles at a height that would be a few inches above whatever the tallest movable work station is.

This way, no matter how you move your stuff around, none of the receptacles would ever be covered by a movable cart or work station.

You could then add a few down low and a few up higher just in case.

You are taking a VERY GOOD attitude towards this by knowing you will be moving things around to suit your work project needs. Since this is the case, then I agree with mounting a few receptacles in the ceiling and getting yourself a retractable cord reel and mount that on the ceiling. This will allow you to have access to power no matter where you are in your shop.

A lot of times people put the electric in before they set up their shop/work area, and this in effect land locks your work stations/benches to certain areas in order to get the best use out of the receptacles. Then receptacles have to be added in after the fact to place them where they are needed because the ones installed at the beginning are now inaccessible because they are too far away from where the work benches finally ended up.

And I agree that you need to post some pics of your work area/shop and some of those rolling work stations!!

Jim

 

[NTxAg]

Jim, sorry it took me so long to get back to the thread. I put most in at 52", and only a few along each wall at lower heights. Definitely going to put a 2 gang in the ceiling for a cord reel and drop light.

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