Anyone install a wire raceway system?

Modern Jess · Jun 17, 2011

I've just acquired my first-ever garage workshop (some background here) and I'm going to need to rewire the whole shop from scratch. I've heard of people installing steel or aluminum raceway on their shop walls, even furring out the studs a bit to set the raceway back into the wall somewhat.

I'd be interested to hear what other people have done and what products they've used, and whether they'd do it again or not.

Gooch · Jun 17, 2011

any 'non' flexible will be hard to run inside wood stud construction. I'd use Romex or MC if extra protection is wanted. if you want to something you can pull wire in instead of a cable, then you could use FMC or smurf tube.

Modern Jess · Jun 17, 2011

Sorry, I misspoke (and edited my post) -- I mean on their shop walls. As in, screwed to the studs, not running through them.

mrb · Jun 17, 2011

are you talking about wiremold 3000 something like that? Youre looking at a significantly higher cost than traditional methods, and at what benefit?

Charles (in GA) · Jun 17, 2011

Depending on how complete your renovation is, if you are removing the wall shelving and workbenches or moving stuff around, you probably should consider simply pulling down the wall sheathing and running new wires/cables in the walls to a new panel. A 1966 building will not have grounded wiring most likely and I would not be surprised if it isn't 14 gauge.

Mount a bunch of 4x4 boxes with mud rings and receptacles in the right places, switches, boxes for lights, etc, pull a bunch of new 12/2 w/grd Romex and a new panelboard and have a real jam up setup.

Charles

ddawg16 · Jun 17, 2011

The stuff is great if you have a bunch of stuff to run....your using multi-strand wire like THHN and you plan on making changes......but I think you will find that once it's in...it's in and you won't be making changes....beside the fact the **** takes up a lot of valuable wall space...

Modern Jess · Jun 18, 2011

I was thinking something along the lines of mono-systems SnapWay SWA2200. It would allow me the relative luxury of changing stuff, adding new circuits, and maybe even running compressed air in one of the separate channels.

Overkill, yes. Definitely. But I thought that was the whole point?

Modern Jess · Jun 18, 2011

Charles (in GA) said:
A 1966 building will not have grounded wiring most likely and I would not be surprised if it isn't 14 gauge.

Surprisingly enough, it is in fact grounded. There's even a single 230V outlet right below the panel. That said, the whole rest of the shop is fed from a single breaker, and it is woefully inadequate. I'm not keeping any part of the old wiring, and will be trenching for a new 100A feed from the main panel on the house (which is also getting upgraded).

W-Cummins · Jun 20, 2011

Modern Jess said:
I was thinking something along the lines of mono-systems SnapWay SWA2200. It would allow me the relative luxury of changing stuff, adding new circuits, and maybe even running compressed air in one of the separate channels.

Overkill, yes. Definitely. But I thought that was the whole point?

Looks interesting but for my use it's useless because it's derated ( after 3 current carrying conductors) just like normal conduit is. Wireway allows you to run 30 conductors before derating is required. So that's what I'm using to move from my switchboard to my subpanels, and I'm thinking about ruining a couple runs down my wall too as it will be cleaner than a bunch of conduits.... I'm running nema 12 layin stuff but the nema 1 screw cover stuff isn't too $$$

William.....

Modern Jess · Jun 20, 2011

W-Cummins said:
Wireway allows you to run 30 conductors before derating is required. So that's what I'm using to move from my switchboard to my subpanels

What kind of wireway are you using?

W-Cummins · Jun 21, 2011

Modern Jess said:
What kind of wireway are you using?

What kind?? It is as stated, NEMA 12 lay-in style, Do you want to know what name brand's??

I have some Hoffman and also some Wiegmann stuff (as far as I know all the brands interchange??). I'm using the 6" stuff now ( seven 0000's in it now + more smaller conductors to come) but if I run it down the wall I will use 2" for that and I will use the cheaper NEMA 1 stuff ( probably the non-knockout stuff as I have punches and it looks cleaner). The NEMA 12 stuff is $$$$ New contractor prices for what I have is probably close to $2000.00 the NEMA 1 stuff is much less $$. Here is a link to the Wiegmann pdf for their wireway products.

William....

Modern Jess · Jun 28, 2011

W-Cummins said:
What kind?? It is as stated, NEMA 12 lay-in style, Do you want to know what name brand's??

Thanks for the catalog link. I've seen quite a few varieties of raceway, many of which have very different dimensions and front closures (so probably don't interchange).

Judging by the responses, though, it seems like this is not a common thing to do. Guess I'll just continue to muddle through it.

Aceman · Jun 28, 2011

You could wrap the entire perimeter of your garage with this stuff!!!

http://www.hoffmanonline.com/produc...cat_2=2358&cat_3=2354&catID=2354&itemID=39988

Paint it to match, cut it to length if need be. You could go up and over door ways, around cabinets, THIS STUFF IS AWESOME. All the cool kids are doing it. Your neighbors and fellow garage junkies would be so jealous. I mean, who wouldn't want a wiring system you could pop out of anywhere you want to set a box?? Hell paint it a different color, make it a racing stripe. That'll really set your garage apart...

P.S. It'd even work as a makeshift shelf.

P.S.S. It comes in many sizes, the possibilities are endless....

You can't lose!

steelin3rd · Jun 28, 2011

so what does this stuff cost per foot? or however they sell it.

ive hung cable tray back in my day but ive never worked with something like this. so you can just tap in and out of it wherever you like i suppose? can you mount a jbox to it?

im thinking about how this may work out running a run down the center of shop for drop down cords and hoses and such.

Modern Jess · Jun 29, 2011

steelin3rd said:
so what does this stuff cost per foot? or however they sell it.

I think it depends on what kind you go with. Here's some stuff from Grainger that costs about $17 per foot, which is too rich for me. It's just a piece of steel with a cover, though, so I have to believe that it can be had for less.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/WIREMOLD-Raceway-3FPR8?Pid=search

Aceman · Jun 29, 2011

Call a real electrical supply house if you want prices. Grainger doesn't count.

Modern Jess · Jun 29, 2011

Aceman said:
Call a real electrical supply house if you want prices. Grainger doesn't count.

Just really shopping the idea at the moment. Haven't committed to actually doing it. Really, I was more curious if anyone else had done it, so I could learn from their experience.

Modern Jess · Jun 29, 2011

One of the problems I keep hitting is that "raceway" is a difficult term to google. Seems that I keep coming up with pictures of asphalt and race cars.

Did a little more digging, and this is perhaps a decent example of the kind of options I was hoping for in a raceway system:

http://www.hubbellcatalog.com/hubbellpremise/datasheets/MRaceway36-45.pdf

Aceman · Jun 29, 2011

If you don't like the price of wireway/gutter, I highly doubt that Hubbell stuff is any cheaper. A guy at work used a little bit of that raceway on a job though, I'm not sure if it was Hubbell or Wiremold brand, but he did say it worked slick.

jkary · Jun 25, 2012

Modern Jess.

Did you end up going this route? Was it really $17/ft?

Jason

Anyone install a wire raceway system?

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