thrifty bill
Well-known member
I have a detached two car garage (24 x 26) right now with no power run to it. The garage is really basic, it doesn't even have a garage door (it never had one, and it is at least 40 years old). I plan to run a subpanel in the garage, off the service at the house. A garage without power is pretty stupid IMHO. The garage is about 30 feet away from the panel on the side of the house.
The house is actually a duplex, each unit of the duplex has a fairly modern 150A breaker panel, mounted on the back porch (porch is covered, but not enclosed). So I will be feeding the garage from one of these two panels.
I am looking to build a separate workshop later, so this garage shouldn't have a lot of load. I am figuring two outlet circuits (20A each), one lighting circuit (15A) and a 20A 240 circuit for an air compressor.
Right now, I plan to put my three motorcycles in the garage, plus my two pull behind motorcycle trailers, and my Handy pneumatic motorcycle lift table.
Long term, this garage will hopefully keep most of the family stuff out of the workshop: hold the two family cars, lawn equipment and bike trailers. The rest of the motorcycle stuff would likely go to the workshop. I just put a new roof on this garage, so I better keep it! (Garage door goes on next week).
The price of wire is getting insane. So I am debating the gauge of wire to use. I guess I could run 8 gauge, limits me to 40A, or 6 gauge (50A?). Plan to run the feed underground, in PVC conduit.
Debating whether to run THWN wire, or UF, or whatever. Cost will be a consideration! If run THWN, I am thinking I will run red, black, white and a bare wire. And then a separate ground spike off the sub. Stranded versus solid? Conduit size recommendation?
Would appreciate the wisdom of the list on this one. I know I will likely regret putting too little supply to this garage.
The house is actually a duplex, each unit of the duplex has a fairly modern 150A breaker panel, mounted on the back porch (porch is covered, but not enclosed). So I will be feeding the garage from one of these two panels.
I am looking to build a separate workshop later, so this garage shouldn't have a lot of load. I am figuring two outlet circuits (20A each), one lighting circuit (15A) and a 20A 240 circuit for an air compressor.
Right now, I plan to put my three motorcycles in the garage, plus my two pull behind motorcycle trailers, and my Handy pneumatic motorcycle lift table.
Long term, this garage will hopefully keep most of the family stuff out of the workshop: hold the two family cars, lawn equipment and bike trailers. The rest of the motorcycle stuff would likely go to the workshop. I just put a new roof on this garage, so I better keep it! (Garage door goes on next week).
The price of wire is getting insane. So I am debating the gauge of wire to use. I guess I could run 8 gauge, limits me to 40A, or 6 gauge (50A?). Plan to run the feed underground, in PVC conduit.
Debating whether to run THWN wire, or UF, or whatever. Cost will be a consideration! If run THWN, I am thinking I will run red, black, white and a bare wire. And then a separate ground spike off the sub. Stranded versus solid? Conduit size recommendation?
Would appreciate the wisdom of the list on this one. I know I will likely regret putting too little supply to this garage.
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