Unfinished garage wiring best practice

[kest874]

Just have a few questions as I've seen different things reading around on the internet.

I've attached a couple pictures, we're in the process of having a 24x24 garage built. I feel comfortable with doing the electrical work but have a couple basic questions I can't seem to wrap my head around.

You can see the propose panel location in both attachments. My question really is about getting wire ran horizontally on the 2 walls where the trusses are.

The walls are 9' should wire be run up through the top plate then across the truss and back down to outlets in the wall? Or can you run wire horizontally through the studs and then down to the outlet.

I'm planning to use quad boxes evenly spaced out with 2 circuits in each one. The walls will be finished with insulation and covered with osb.

 

[Bert_]

I might not speak for everyone but it's hard to give an answer if there's no question

 

[kest874]

I might not speak for everyone but it's hard to give an answer if there's no question

lol yeah clicked submit too soon by accident.

 

[mike93lx]

You are "comfortable" with wiring but don't know basic practices?

I get everyone has to learn, but you may want to be a little more realistic about your comfort level.

 

[kest874]

You are "comfortable" with wiring but don't know basic practices?

I get everyone has to learn, but you may want to be a little more realistic about your comfort level.

I have done plenty of electrical and remodel work, but this is a first in an unfinished detached garage. My real question is can wire be ran horizonaly through the studs at 8' or must be ran across the truss and down into the wall.

I plan to finish the attic area for storage. I don't have a preference one way or the other just would like to know what is correct for the circumstance.

 

[Bert_]

Romex can be ran horizontally through the studs. The only issue would be is if you don't plan to finish the wall then it will need to be protected from damage.

 

[mike93lx]

I have done plenty of electrical and remodel work, but this is a first in an unfinished detached garage. My real question is can wire be ran horizonaly through the studs at 8' or must be ran across the truss and down into the wall.

I plan to finish the attic area for storage. I don't have a preference one way or the other just would like to know what is correct for the circumstance.

it's more than blowing a bunch of holes in studs. you can only drill out a certain percentage of the stud and you have to be able to protect the wire if it is within a certain depth of the surface.

i would go horizontally, but look up details on how to do it.

 

[sberry]

I am a fan of one circuit per box in residential.

 

[kest874]

it's more than blowing a bunch of holes in studs. you can only drill out a certain percentage of the stud and you have to be able to protect the wire if it is within a certain depth of the surface.

i would go horizontally, but look up details on how to do it.

Yes I understand the nail plates and the size an placement and distance between adjacent holes.

 

[kest874]

I am a fan of one circuit per box in residential.

Would be easier, however I found in my last garage I had one circuit per box and often found myself plugging in 2 tools that I was using simultaneously. Again just future proofing because I'm not entirely sure how I want to organize the garage yet.

 

[dcg9381]

One way to "future proof" if you're going to close up the walls is go to surface-mount "outdoor" sub panels. This may be overkill for a 24x24 garage, but they give lots of options. If you need to change circuits in the future, you can do so in conduit without having to open the walls back up.

50A to a garage like this is more than enough for most needs..

 

[sberry]

Contrary to popular assumption you can plug more than one thing in to a circuit. In decades of general garage work I have had to run an extension cord to run a second circuit in an area once or twice and I really had to resist the temptation to rewire it in case it happened again.
It doesn't mean I don't wire for convenience but the real demand is way less than mo0st envision for "future" proofing and what all that does is leave a lot of assets "parked" in the walls.
Since this is about best practice and takes in to consideration the size and use of a typical garage and the fact this is unfinished,,, a panel with some extra spaces, an extra hole drilled or hole big enough to run another cable if and when its needed, 1 wire in and out of a box to help with fill and avoid any confusion, have to turn off only 1 circuit to work on it, some extra wire a box, outlet and a breaker stashed should the need arise and might even toss in an extra circuit/outlet near the panel dedicated to itself so you know its direct andf nothing else on it for hi draw items.
Nothing is as good for performance and safety as an uninterrupted wire from a breaker to an outlet. The best future proof is a way to add something as needed.

 

[sberry]

This avoids all the speculation, all the guessing, all the worry and actually allows the load to be served when and if its needed especially when its not finished and plans are subject to change. I started out with future proof for every situation back in the day, I really cant think of an occasion where it actually worked out as plans changed, equipment became obsolete, demands were different, the location changed etc.
Despite knowing this still subject to the compulsion to do it, my last building could be served with a couple extension cords about as well as the 20 spaces it has filled. 3/4 of it has never even been used. Most of the outlets have been on occasion, a couple had to be moves as I add shelves, a couple could be moved but the load could be served by 2 circuits instead of the dozen I "calculated" and could actually pull the wire back out for something useful.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I avoided horizontal runs in my (finished) garage as anything run horizontal is much more likely to be accidentally hit. I ran all of mine through EMT from a few inches above the top plate to the box buried in the wall. This allows me to fish the wiring should I ever need to make changes.

 

[mike93lx]

Would be easier, however I found in my last garage I had one circuit per box and often found myself plugging in 2 tools that I was using simultaneously. Again just future proofing because I'm not entirely sure how I want to organize the garage yet.

Just mount a box nearby on a separate circuit in a couple places.

IMO, you should be able to flip one breaker to make an entire box cold. Feeding with two circuits just increases the risk of shock and is unnecessary.

 

[ard]

OP
Nothing wrong w two circuits per quad box. These guys are being silly.

Carry on....

 

[kest874]

I see both sides of it, balance between safety and convince. I'm leaning more towards running above in the truss area and then back down than horizontally around the wall.

Garage should be finished towards the end of the week weather permitting and I'll take a closer look at where I'm going to put things. Which will better dictate number of outlets, circuits etc.

 

[u2slow]

This avoids all the speculation, all the guessing, all the worry and actually allows the load to be served when and if its needed especially when its not finished and plans are subject to change. I started out with future proof for every situation back in the day, I really cant think of an occasion where it actually worked out as plans changed, equipment became obsolete, demands were different, the location changed etc.
Despite knowing this still subject to the compulsion to do it, my last building could be served with a couple extension cords about as well as the 20 spaces it has filled. 3/4 of it has never even been used. Most of the outlets have been on occasion, a couple had to be moves as I add shelves, a couple could be moved but the load could be served by 2 circuits instead of the dozen I "calculated" and could actually pull the wire back out for something useful.

^ Exactly. I have a lot of supplies and misc wire from my old work van to use up. My circuits start as temporary wiring that I change into surface EMT once I'm happy and settled with the arrangement.

Nothing wrong w two circuits per quad box. These guys are being silly.

Agreed. I like multi-wire branch circuits in the shop. Darn handy.

 

[dledinger]

Through the walls would be a normal practice. Don’t oversize the holes, and make sure they’re centered.

Not typically done commercially when a bunch of subcontractors are involved, but when you’re doing it all yourself you can make the wires a specific height. That way you’ll know forever where they are (if you keep track of it), and can avoid ever placing a nail in that area.

 

[sberry]

Take pic of walls, but some kind of typical system or plan is good. The neighbors just had one done, nice job, it wasn't the guys first time. He used a couple more Hom breakers which made it simple. Used 4 out of 6 spaces. And made 2 main but it was super neat and simple and all the customer ever need.
I agree there is nothing fundamentally wrong with multi wire or extra circuits. I do it on occasion. I avoided the temptation the

 

[teamextreme]

In a shop I highly recommend using nail plates on ALL studs where the romex passes through. I did this knowing I'd be hanging all kinds of **** on the walls and have already hit 2 nail plates with screws that definitely would have hit the wire. It uses a ton of nail plates, but that's cheap insurance in my mind. Running horizontal is fine. You can run circuits either way, as you plan using MWBC or as others have suggested, 1 ckt per box. I'm in the 1 ckt per box camp myself and agree with sberry, you'll likely never need over 20A of power out of one outlet and it just adds complexity and expense. But whatever floats your boat...

 

[sberry]

Posts interuptous. I did a kitcheN while back needed 2 circuits and the panel was right under. It took another connector but 1 less box to run to the panel and use single poles. Another was 70 ft of problem run of my own, I use multi wire. I tend to use them a bit more when concerned with pipe fill or long distance with simutenous loading. But small garages, homeowner types the savings are so minor that it's nice to have them simple and single pole.