check my thought process please

[dmcintosh]

Getting ready to run additional power to my garage. I've applied for my permit from the County and am getting ready to buy my materials. House is new (built in 2018) and only has a single 110v outlet in the garage - no idea who made this decision, but I guess it saved $5 in construction costs. Anyway...so, I need more power in the attached garage for my welder, compressor, etc. Based on what I've found here on GJ, here is my plan:
1. install a sub-panel in the garage, fed from the main box in the basement on the opposite side of the house. Run is about 80' end to end.
2. Planning to use SER 2-2-2-4 to make the run, in part because of price, and will given me some additional capacity should I need more down the line.
3. Planning a 60A-240v in the main panel to feed the garage sub-panel (already have this on hand from a previous project), and should feed everything I have planned at the moment.
4. Installing a 100 amp main breaker panel in the garage.
5. Will likely use surface mounted conduit to distribute power in the garage, since the walls are insulated and drywalled. I have worked with PVC in the past - any reason to try my hand at EMT?

So a few questions. The run in the basement will (eventually) be behind the finished walls, so the SER is being routed accordingly. Since the basement ceiling is already finished (per local fire codes) making a simple, straight shot from the main to the sub-panel not an option. My plan is to leave the SER alone (bare, not in conduit), with the exception of a small section of conduit at each box for physical abrasion protection. Any problems with this approach when using SER, and will a 1 1/2" conduit with maybe LB give me enough room?

And, when running wires in conduit for the garage circuits, is it ok to run both the 240v and 110v circuits in the same conduit? Do I need to run separate grounds and neutrals for each circuit, or can the 110 and 240 share common neutrals and grounds?

For the most part, I am feeling fairly confident in my plan - I did my last garage and easily passed my electrical inspection, but had previously used copper/THHN in conduit from the old house to the detached garage - and that was only 8 ga, I think.

Am I missing/overlooking anything?

 

[dmcintosh]

Bueller? Bueller? Sort of surprised no one has jumped in. Either I’m dead on, or dead wrong and no one has the heart to say so.

 

[vekster]

EMT inside the garage will look better IMO than PVC.
stays straighter and looks more professional.
You can run 240 and 110 in the same conduit.
Do not share neutrals with different circuits

 

[Don1357]

How many slots in your garage breaker panel? It is easier to run out of slots than it is to run out of power.

 

[dmcintosh]

How many slots in your garage breaker panel? It is easier to run out of slots than it is to run out of power.

Not entirely sure just yet. Figuring something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-100-...-On-Neutral-Load-Center-Value-Pack/1000551317

 

[dmcintosh]

EMT inside the garage will look better IMO than PVC.
stays straighter and looks more professional.
You can run 240 and 110 in the same conduit.
Do not share neutrals with different circuits

I was thinking that about EMT too, just worried it make complicate my life learning to bend it.

So then sharing grounds is ok, just not neutrals?

 

[sberry]

Use Emt and dont need ground for a lot of these. Its ok to share ground if its for the largest circuit which is normally a number 10 wire in this case. 240 doesnt have neutral,,, 120/240 is a different matter. Technically 120 does not have a neutral, its a grounded conductor.

 

[sberry]

22 will do. I agree spaces are good, no better way to add new equipment than run wire straight from breaker to it. Both voltages can run in the same pipe with some minor exceptions often regarding wire size and most dont apply here. One thing about pipe, its not absolutely necessary to run all you can in a pipe. Nothing beats a pipe with a single circuit, it does make a difference if they are long but if short of convenient I run one to the comp and one to the welder instead of passing thru general boxes and all that. Same for heading to the other side of the building.
Panel placement can help a lot, it like free wire when its close to the larger loads and also gives local disconnect to fixed equipment. Another bonus of pipe is to be able to size wire better, 5 hp comp needs 10, 8 if cable, 10 works for most welding machines and some now work 12 just dandy. Makes for cheaper convenience outlets, different ways of wiring.
Wire in steel pipe is still considered the bench mark, no better way, no bigger selection of fittings and covers, the standard fittings are very cheap.

 

[dmcintosh]

Thanks again everyone for the insights. I’ve gotten my EMT run and the speed from my main panel routed and connected to the new sub panel in the garage. Waiting on the supply house to open back up form the holiday to I can get my wire and exposed work covers so I can finish up my primary garage wiring. So far I’ve added a circuit (30 amps) for the compressor, some 110v outlets on a 20 amps breaker, and a 50a circuit for the welder. Once that’s finished I can organize a little more and then decide what I want to do on the wall where the original single outlet was placed.

 

[nadogail]

Sounds good, now you can add that job to your resume.

 

[75gmck25]

If you don't want to spend the time learning to bend EMT, you can buy premade 90's, offsets to connect to surface boxes, etc. and just put them on the straight pipe. It will cost you more because these little fittings are relatively expensive when you need a lot of them, but it won't challenge your pipe bending skills.

Bruce

 

[dmcintosh]

Ok, heard back from my local parts house yesterday and they cannot source 2 1/8” deep 4x4 1 gang to 2 gang box extenders unless I buy in case quantities, and I only need one. I can get them online, but a single one will cost >$25 when you include shipping. Any other options? Can I simply back feed a regular 4x4 box and be code compliant? Here is what I would like: https://www.garvinindustries.com/53...v-5wItkjMT-Y-_4Rn3TXjGYSGKt-fIgRoC7pwQAvD_BwE but I’m too cheap to spend the $25.