Garage was built in 1999 24 X 26 Now electic

[peciam]

Well after many years of serving my country I was hurt while on patrol and was forced to retire after 27 years so it's time to put electric in my garage that was built before I shipped out in 2008. Seemed it was on the list but never got around to it when I could make it home and now that I have retired from service I want to get my garage done the right way.

I'm sort of a jack of all trades and master of none, so I have no specific items I have to have(like welder or big compressor). I want a man cave to work on brakes or boat or this or that. More interested in learning what others have experienced or learned in what to do and what to not do as far as lights, outlet locations, outside lights and so on.

Garage is not insulated so work should be easy. I will add insulation and cdx after electric is done. Plan to paint white and make as bright as I can. There is an full upstairs that I will be using for fishing and hunting gear storage and repair with a TV area.

I want to add heat, maybe a hotdawg celing mounted unit.

My question is I an running from my 200amp panel (federal pacific) to a 100 amp panel (Square D) that is new and was given to me from a friend as a welcome home for good present. I plan to go under ground from house to garage.



Any thoughts much appreciated.

God Bless America and Merry Christmas!

 

[mrb]

my first thoughts are that a 100 amp breaker for the federal pacific is going to be pretty expensive along with the issue of gutter space in the fpe panel. you may want to cost out replacing the 200a FPE. what part of the country are you in?

 

[peciam]

Hi,

I'm in upstate NY. Raplacing the FP panel was mentioned to me by an electrician friend. I think he found me a FP 100 amp breaker for $150.

Any other thought?

 

[mrb]

I would do whatever I could to replace that FPE panel.

 

[oleguy]

first welcome and thanks for your service.next fed pacific panels are fire traps.if you can get it changed out.will find web site to the issue and post.go to inspectapedia.com/fpepanel.htm. also for 400 ft',you should use conduit..

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Buy a 40 space/40 circuit 200 amp Square D panelboard. Get one of the "contractor packs" which has a selection of breakers with it. Replace that fire trap of a FP panel. It will cost you only slightly more than the FP 100 amp breaker and you will have peace of mind. You will also have commonality with the shop panel for breakers.

Make sure the shop panel has a main disconnect on it or one is installed on the outside of the building. Plan on driving two ground rods at the shop. Plan on running four wires to the shop, two hots, a ground and a neutral. Don't forget a small conduit with phone and cable, etc iin it.

Many suggest to mount outlets above 48 inches so when you lean a 4x8 sheet of whatever on the wall it won't cover the outlet. I really don't see that as an issue but be sure and put all outlets high enough that no matter where they are, if you put a workbench in front of them, they will be above the bench.

Be sure and set your boxes out from the studs enough that they will be flush with the wallcovering (sheetrock, osb, whatever) when you are done.

Spend the money and buy receptacles that have the backwire that allows the wire to slide in and you tighten a screw and it clamps the wire in place with a serrated plate, like in the pic. Levition, Hubbell, Cooper-Eagle all make them. It makes the wiring go much faster, no wrapping wires around a screw, and I think you get a better connection. Expect to pay $3 to $5 each depending on which design you select, but get good receptacles and you will never have to replace them.

Invest a few bucks in some wiring tools. Klien stripper pliers for solid copper wire, a romex jacket ripper, and a Klien 10n1 screwdriver. If you use plastic boxes, DO NOT use a drill (cordless or otherwise) to run the mounting screws in, you will strip out the box on at least one or two of them, and you will have outlets coming out of the boxes first time you go to unplug something from them.

Be aware that on the grade level floor (but not the second floor), you have to have all receptacles protected by GFCI by code. You can do this with breakers, or just make the first receptacle in each circuit a GFCI receptacle, and run the remainder off the feed thru terminals.

You might consider using steel boxes. In the long run, you will have less problems with them. You can get steel boxes with a mounting bracket on them for studs, I suggest you use 4 inch boxes and mud rings and put two receptacles in each box. Deep boxes are not much more money and are much easier to work inside of. Nothing worse than working in a tight space, even if the wire fill is no where near the limit, it becomes difficult, allow yourself lots of space and you will enjoy doing the work much more.

Plan on lots of light, more than you think, the older you get, the more light your eyes need.

I know there is more, but that is all I can think of right off hand.

Thank you for your service to the USA, I appreciate it and I'm sure everyone else does too.

Charles

 

[kbs2244]

Charles said it well.
I would only add that you use the “deep” boxes.
The extra room for the wires makes everything easier.
And the extra leverage of the deeper wall makes the box fastening stiffer.