electric in a pole barn

[muddog899]

ok so how is everybody running there electric in there pole barns. are you going on the outside of the 4x6 or drillining thru them or running conduit or what tring to get some ideas for my new shop.

thanks

nash

 

[bmcdowell40]

I ran my wires on top of the girts, stapling them as needed. I wouldn't recommend drilling through the posts. This is the cheapest way to do it, especially if you're going to insulate and finish. I've seen this done in unfinished garages as well, probably not the best since the wires aren't protected.

You may want to go with conduit if you're not going to insulate and finish.

I've also seen a few pole barns that were insulated and finished with OSB or drywall first and then ran conduit on the surface. This is the most expensive way to do it but it allows you to change/add things later very easily.

I have mine insulated and sheeted with OSB. While I was wiring it, I put some empty conduits in the walls, one from the breaker box to the attic space and a couple above the ceiling. With all this, I should be able to add anything I'd need without too much trouble.

 

[olytdi]

I ran my power underground from the house and have a dedicated 200A panel. From the panel, I've laid-out my circuits with this rule in mind: Below 8 ft (for recepticles and such) I run armored cable and steel boxes. Any lines running down from the trusses (220 welding outlest for instance) or up to the trusses (like anything coming out of the panel) gets run thourgh plastic until it's over 8 ft up. This way, there is nothing from the ground up to over 8 ft off the floor that isn't armored and protected. Once up to the trusses or upper girts, my 12/3 romex is simply flat stapled like usual or run on the protected side of trusses. I ran all cable (bx or romex) under girts and around the posts between the siding and the posts.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[samert111]

I also ran mine on the top or bottom of the horizontal purlins depending on where the run was going.

 

[DoyleDee]

Conduit in the corner of my trusses, with a 4x box after each truss, then mc cable down my posts to each outlet. I already had the wire, and I want to be able to make changes easily.
(I hope I explained that as clear as mud.... I have 6 trusses...)

 

[muddog899]

thanks guys gives me some ideas on what to do

 

[Sureshot]

I ran mine on the horizontal strapping and then drilled a 1" hole in the tin where the box was to be. Then used surface mount boxes attached to the horizontal members. Take pics of what you do before finishing for future reference.

 

[2LTim]

I don't want to get all crazy here, but have any of you thought of checking with the local building inspector / code enforcement authority to see what is required. I would hate to go to all the work to make it look all pretty, or be just like all the other guys on "The Journal," just to have an inspector tell me it all has to go.

 

[muddog899]

well i guess it will be up to the electrion to know what I can and cant do

 

[jomobco]

Just a thought but I snapped a ton of pictures of every detail once the wiring was done - before I put up the inside walls so if I ever needed to drill I know what I would and wouldn't hit.