Branching off circuit to add new outlets.

[GCncsuHD]

Background: I'm wanting to add a few outlets around my workbench. I have a 15A circuit that has 4 outlets across the front of the garage, and 4 down the sides, including 1 above my workbench and one that is inside of the cabinet beside my bench. I would like to branch off the outlet that is inside the cabinet, using an extension ring with knockouts. I would then run conduit to 1 outlet below the workbench (for connecting a fan during the summer, and a small space heater during the winter), 1 outlet above the cabinets on top for my stereo (currently have a drop cord running up there), and then to a switch above the bench to wire some LED work lights above my work area/beneath the cabinets.

Does anyone see an issue with my plan?

Bonus question: Any issue with a metal extension ring/box/cover to run conduit, over the existing plastic box that is in the wall? Yes I will ground it.

Basically it would be like this:
Untitled by Garrett, on Flickr


This is the bench/cabinets I'm working around.
Untitled by Garrett, on Flickr

 

[Mustang51js]

Don't see any issues,only thing you would have to worry about is when heater is in,you may trip the breakers if you have a couple other things running

 

[CJ7VFR]

Is there a sub-panel for your electric in the garage?

If so, you could always add another circuit for the extra outlets and light you want to put around your work bench.

You could make it a 20 Amp circuit and you would be able to run more tools and your heater without tripping the breakers.

Even small heaters can use as much as 1500 watts (like a hair dryer), which works out to about 12.5 amps.

At that amount of power, if you had the heater on, and then tried to run something else, you would be tripping that existing 15 Amp breaker a lot like Mustang said.

If you can add in a new circuit for your workbench, you could run more things at the same time, and not be totally in the dark if one of the breakers tripped. And it would not really be that much more work to do it if you have access to the sub-panel to add in another breaker.

Jim

 

[GCncsuHD]

Don't see any issues,only thing you would have to worry about is when heater is in,you may trip the breakers if you have a couple other things running

Thanks, I'm not worried about tripping the breaker, the heater is only 750W, just enough to warm my feet below the bench, and that power strip pictured is moved over to my other workbench now, which is on a 20A circuit.

Is there a sub-panel for your electric in the garage?

If so, you could always add another circuit for the extra outlets and light you want to put around your work bench.

You could make it a 20 Amp circuit and you would be able to run more tools and your heater without tripping the breakers.

Even small heaters can use as much as 1500 watts (like a hair dryer), which works out to about 12.5 amps.

At that amount of power, if you had the heater on, and then tried to run something else, you would be tripping that existing 15 Amp breaker a lot like Mustang said.

If you can add in a new circuit for your workbench, you could run more things at the same time, and not be totally in the dark if one of the breakers tripped. And it would not really be that much more work to do it if you have access to the sub-panel to add in another breaker.

Jim

Thanks Jim, no subpanel, but as I mentioned to Mustang, I'm not too worried about tripping the breaker. The heater is a 750w, and not used often, this bench won't be running any power tools either, it's more for assembly/electrical/precision work.

I wouldn't be in the dark either, I made sure I had plenty of circuits in the garage when we built, I just didn't plan ahead to add outlets up high for the stereo or down low for the heater.

The garage has:
20A for garage doors
15A for lights
20A outlets down the sides
15A outlets across the front
20A outlet for 110v air compressor
50A outlet for welder

(The builder wired the lights, garage door and 15A outlet circuits. I went in and added the circuits for the welder, air compressor, and the extra 20A outlet circuit before they closed up the walls)

 

[James-W]

What you want to do is probably OK as long as you don't plug a lot of things into those outlets at the same time. As for myself, I would rather run additional circuits rather than branch off of the circuits I already have. But that's just me and I may be more prone to "overkill" than most people are.

 

[PhantomEB]

Know how big the wire is, mainly to the junction box?

I would try and hope it's big enough to run with a 20 amp breaker then you should be good for the add-ons, just in case.

 

[GCncsuHD]

What you want to do is probably OK as long as you don't plug a lot of things into those outlets at the same time. As for myself, I would rather run additional circuits rather than branch off of the circuits I already have. But that's just me and I may be more prone to "overkill" than most people are.

As mentioned, I'm not going to be plugging much into those outlets, I've got other 20A circuits to run power tools and other large draw items. I too am prone to "overkill" but in this case, I already have additional circuits, just not in this area, and I'd rather not have to open up the walls or run conduit out in the open. (The conduit I'm adding that branches off this circuit will be ran through the cabinets, so it will be hidden). That one outlet that is unused since it's inside a cabinet just happens to be in the perfect spot to branch out to where I really need it.

Know how big the wire is, mainly to the junction box?

I would try and hope it's big enough to run with a 20 amp breaker then you should be good for the add-ons, just in case.

It's a 15A circuit, so it's 14g wire. I have no need to change it out to a 20A breaker, I won't be running that much on this circuit, I have other circuits in the garage if needed.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[CJ7VFR]

GCncsuHD:

I just noticed the Chevy grill that you turned into a speaker holder!!!!

That is really cool, and looks great!

It is one of those things that you see in a shop/garage, but don't really notice exactly what it is until you take a really good look at it!

There is a thread on here about shop/garage sound systems. You should post the picture of yours on there!!!!

Jim

 

[GCncsuHD]

GCncsuHD:

I just noticed the Chevy grill that you turned into a speaker holder!!!!

That is really cool, and looks great!

It is one of those things that you see in a shop/garage, but don't really notice exactly what it is until you take a really good look at it!

There is a thread on here about shop/garage sound systems. You should post the picture of yours on there!!!!

Jim

Thanks Jim, I've posted it in one of those threads before. I've changed it up a little. It's a 65 Chevrolet C10 grille, I've added the proper headlight buckets, painted the speaker grilles silver to look more like headlights, mounted it to a distressed barn wood mount and hung it from the wall. I need to get a new picture.