Adding 220v Outlet

[Vette10R]

I recently purchased a home and it has a second garage! It has a 60amp sub-panel with just a few 110 breakers at the moment and plenty of room to add...

I need to add a 220v outlet just a few feet away for my air compressor and wondering what the best/correct way is to do that.

Walls and ceiling are finished and I would like to keep them that way, they were sprayed with texture that I doubt I would be able to match up so cutting out the sheet rock is the very last option!

What I am thinking is feed the wire up the wall from the panel into the attic then over a few spaces and back down the wall to where I want the outlet to be. Is this a safe and code to run the wire this way and if so what retro-fit box would I use? All I need is a 15a 220 outlet for my compressor...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

First of all what is the HP rating on the compressor motor?

 

[Vette10R]

Specification

Description

Amps: 15 A
Brand: Porter Cable
CFM @ 40 PSI: 13.4
CFM @ 90 PSI: 11.5
Drain System: Manual
Duty Cycle: 50%
Maximum Pressure: 155 PSI
Phase: Single
Portable or Stationary: Stationary
Product Height: 64-1/2 in.
Product Length: 20 in.
Product Type: Air Compressors
Product Weight: 208 lb.
Product Width: 22 in.
Pump Type: Cast Iron
Running HP: 3.7 HP
Tank Size: 60 gal.
Tank Type: Vertical
Warranty: 2-Year Limited
Manufacturer Part Number PXCM601

 

[ard]

What I am thinking is feed the wire up the wall from the panel into the attic then over a few spaces and back down the wall to where I want the outlet to be. Is this a safe and code to run the wire this way and if so what retro-fit box would I use?

Yes. But.... you need to get UP and DOWN those spaces, blind. You need to get INTO and OUT OF those spaces, while laying on your belly in the attic, trying to access the top plate of those walls. Is there fire blocking in the walls? (This is short pieces of 2x4 across the wall space between the studs.)

Have you gone up into the attic to scope it out? Are there wires come up out of the top plate where the panel is? Can you get at this? Is there space for your drill? have a right angle drill?

One idea:

Cut a hole where the receptacle will go- see if you can get all the way up to the top plate, if not, use a flexible drill bit to get through the fire block. Drill down from the top plate, try and fish a steel tape through from the hole into the attic...lots of finesse and feel.

(You could also put the plug above the fire block I guess.)

The molding trim around the panel gives you an inch or so to remove sheetrock... you can then maybe get a peek into the top of the subpanel, and perhaps with a small mirror look up the wall. If no blocking, fish tape up, sneak it into an existing hole. If necessary, use one of the existing wires to pull UP a fish, then pull back down with the original plus new wire.

 

[Vette10R]

I haven't been up in the attic near the area work would be done so I can't answer those questions (all very good questions) The walls and attic are all insulated so I will be fighting that. I was hoping a fish tape tight against the sheet rock would do the trick.

I know there will be work involved I just want to make sure I'm doing it the correct way.

 

[dave*99]

Would you be happy just locating the box beneath the sub panel? Use an old work box. 4x4 inches. Locate it a foot below the panel. Reach in and have at it.

 

[Vette10R]

Would you be happy just locating the box beneath the sub panel? Use an old work box. 4x4 inches. Locate it a foot below the panel. Reach in and have at it.

That's a thought but if I were to go exposed I think I would 90 right below the panel and run conduit to a box back behind the compressor. I have about a 5 ft. cord on the compressor and don't want to extend that or have the cord hanging across the front...

 

[nadogail]

When you wrote that cutting the drywall was your least desirable option, in my opinion you are ruling out the easiest ones.

Large holes in drywall with lots of room to work in have proven to be, in my experience, easier to patch and make look good that the tiny holes I used to make.

A big opening above the panel would allow you to penetrate the panel and drill through the adjacent studs to a location above and right behind the compressor.

Poke 12-2 NMB cable through the holes you drilled in the studs using extensions on your spade bit and then cut a hole for a "Cut In (old work box) pull out the cable, feed it through the box and add a receptacle and cover plate.

Hang a calendar over your drywall patch.

 

[Zeke]

That's a thought but if I were to go exposed I think I would 90 right below the panel and run conduit to a box back behind the compressor. I have about a 5 ft. cord on the compressor and don't want to extend that or have the cord hanging across the front...

This is the best option in part, IMHO. You could remove the horizontal trim molding, cut a path for the wire, cover it with a strip of steel and glue the molding back. Over at the compressor end put an LB on top of the molding and bring the wire out and into you box. Just a little more work and you could turn the wire down in the bay you plan on having the box and use an old work box.

 

[Vette10R]

Zeke are you saying hide the wire under the wainscoting or use exposed conduit?

 

[HotRodBiker]

I'll throw in my 2 cents.

My first house I went nuts and installed all of my outlets in the wall about 4' above the floor, including a 220v outlet... It was a nightmare.

In my current house I decided on a better/easier way. I've added 3 circuits to my garage. 2 110v and 1 220v circuits, all of them are in my ceiling. I replaced the plug on my compressor so that it now reached my ceiling. My original reason was purely ease of installation but I'll tell you I LOVE having all of the outlets overhead.

Now, I do have 8' ceilings and I'm 6'2" so I can plug cords in standing on my tippie toes.

Just a different idea that worked out for me.

 

[sberry]

I can go 2 stud bays thru the new outlet hole but even better would be to make a hole and a cover board, hang a picture over it.

 

[dave*99]

And if you don't have a good picture to hang over the hole, Google this:
9x9 in. Springfit Access Panel Brand: Watts SKU: 179783

They come in different sizes (14x14) and plug holes well.

 

[shillamus]

Are you opposed to surface mounting conduit on the walls?

 

[Vette10R]

I'm trying to keep it as clean as possible which is why I was thinking feed it up through the wall then back down...

If I did exposed coduit I just want to make sure it's legal and looks good. An access panel isnt a bad idea either...

 

[Git]

The wall your electrical panel is mounted in appears to be an outside wall and your not going to have a lot of room to work up in the attic directly above that area

I would consider removing your existing peg board and that paper towel dispenser, cut the drywall and run your electrical. Then patch the drywall the best you can and hide it behind a new piece of pegboard that goes all the way over to the panel. You may even consider covering the panel with pegboard. That is what I did. I took off the panel door and cut a small opening (4" x 6") in the pegboard that allows me to access just the breakers and I cover up the hole with a clock (I use to have a clipboard over it). If I need to actually get into the panel, the pegboard is easy enough to remove.

edited to add - you could probably even put your paper towel dispenser over the panel on a hinge to help hide the panel

 

[sberry]

U could put it right under the towel holder, flush mount old work box and do it thru a single hole and feed the cable in to the panel from the bottom. I actually did one almost exactly the same as this a while back for a welder recept for a bud. A cord hanging behind this a little wont hurt a thing.

 

[Vette10R]

All good ideas guys. I grabbed an access panel I had laying around at work and I grabbed some fish sticks in case I can get access to the inside of the wall easy enough.

 

[Vette10R]

Well I decided to notch out the sheet rock and go exposed with conduit. I started late last night and didn't get very far Haha! I cut the sheet rock where I want the conduit to pop out and of course the sub-panel is framed in so I need to figure out a way to drill a big enough hole through the 2x4 at an angle threw the little notch I made in the rock (Large spade bit maybe?)

I also started playing around with the conduit bender trying to make my 2-45s to get me out of the wall and lets just say first attempt was a fail so this might take a couple tries! Good this the stuff is cheap! Haha Any tips on bending this stuff would be great!

 

[sberry]

Often with threads you get way tooooooooooooooo much help. There is still a chance if a guy could follow some instruction.

 

[ard]

Wow.

 

[Vette10R]

Thanks for the help guys it's coming along nicely. It's solid and looks good to me all I need to do is go pick up a breaker and seal up the little hole around the conduit!

 

[pattenp]

What amp plug and breaker are you using? Based on the 15A specs you need to use at least a 20A circuit.

 

[Vette10R]

Plug and socket are 20a 250v...

So you're saying I should pick up a 20a 2 pull breaker and I'll be good?

 

[pattenp]

If using 20 amp plug and socket the breaker needs to be no bigger than 20 amp

 

[pattenp]

Looks like you used #10 which is 30A wire.

 

[Vette10R]

Wire is 12-2, I believe I had a 20a breaker for this compressor at my last house...

 

[pattenp]

My monitor color must be off. The wire jacket looks more orange than yellow. Yes, use a double pole 20A breaker.

 

[Vette10R]

Just picked up the breaker, should have her in tonight

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My monitor color must be off. The wire jacket looks more orange than yellow. Yes, use a double pole 20A breaker.

Yup.

Looks yellow to me.

Time to calibrate your computer monitor.

 

[Vette10R]

Got this all wrapped up today, I'm happy with the way it looks and the compressor is alive!!