Adding a run for lights and outlets for attached garage

[Brianc500]

I've got a 1950's house with a 2 car attached garage. It currently has only one outlet in the whole garage, and that outlet is tied to a bunch of outlets and lights in the kitchen. Everytime I turn the compressor on in the garage, the breaker usually blows, unless I shut off all the lights in the kitchen first. Having one outlet in the garage, and no lights in the garage is not what I would call ideal working conditions.

I would like to make a new run from my breaker box in the basement to the garage for lights and outlets. My Question:

I have 2 empty slots left in my breaker box, what would my best option be for running power to the garage.

I don't plan on running anything extremely power hungry out there, just my craftsman air compressor and maybe my table saw and chop saw. I want to be able to put up some good lighting and an ample amount of outlets to plug my **** into.

I've attached a picture of my breaker box and labeled the amps on the breakers to see them easier. Your help will be greatly appreciated by me and especially my wife, since it will get me and my projects out of the basement.

 

[offroadsteve]

I'll be the first one to jump in and say Sub Panel!

install a 50 amp 240V breaker in those empty spots, run a piece of 6/4 to a smallish panel in the garage then go to town. You can have seperate circuits for the lights (15 amp) and outlets (20 amp), and a dedicated circuit for your air compressor (20 amp).

 

[pattenp]

If you are suggesting NM wire that would be 6/3, not 6/4. The ground it not counted in the identifying number.

Edit: If you do the sub panel use aluminum SER cable. It's a lot cheaper than copper.

I'll be the first one to jump in and say Sub Panel!

install a 50 amp 240V breaker in those empty spots, run a piece of 6/4 to a smallish panel in the garage then go to town. You can have seperate circuits for the lights (15 amp) and outlets (20 amp), and a dedicated circuit for your air compressor (20 amp).

 

[Highbeam]

With 6 gauge copper, you can go to a 60 amp breaker. That's what I fed to my shop's subpanel.

Subpanels are very cheap.

Yes, you could do everything you describe with a single 20 amp circuit on regular 12/2 wire assuming your devices do not require 240 volts.

 

[Brianc500]

With the sub-panel, do I need to run a ground rod for the panel, or can I ground to the bar inside the panel. The garage is attached to the house if that makes a difference.

 

[pattenp]

You don't need a ground rod for the sub panel if it's in an attached garage. That is considered as being in the same building as the main service panel. In the sub panel the neutral and grounds do need to be on separate bars with the neutral bar being insulated/isolated from the ground. Be sure to run 4 conductors to the sub, 2 hots, 1 neutral and 1 ground. The ground and neutral will be bonded in the main service panel.

With the sub-panel, do I need to run a ground rod for the panel, or can I ground to the bar inside the panel. The garage is attached to the house if that makes a difference.

Here's a helpful diagram. It's for a sub-panel in a detached structure but it applies to an attached garage as well. You just don't need the ground rods.

View media item 16967

 

[Brianc500]

That's great, thanks so much for the help. It will be nice actually being able to see what I'm working on for once.