Garage wiring - methods and materials

[Jon_E]

OK, gonna start a new thread here about garage wiring, looking for opinions on what you have done and how it works for you. I have a lot of options available to me and I want to know why I should choose one over the other.

For comparison purposes - garage is stick-framed, rough-sawn lumber (so walls are full 2x6, 16" o.c.). Wall surfaces will be 1x6 or 1x8 T&G pine, horizontally. Ceilings will be exposed 2x10 rough joists, probably painted bright white. No drywall. Will have at least 5 each: 120v power circuits, 120v lighting circuits, 240v power circuits.

First option is running Romex or MC cable inside the stud walls and then having flush receptacles everywhere. Disadvantage is needing box extenders because T&G is 3/4" and drywall is 1/2"; also the locations are more or less permanent. Patching a hole will ****. Advantage, no visible conduit, it will look more like a finished space and less like a garage.

Second option is running surface mounted conduit everywhere. Can I use PVC or does it have to be EMT? EMT seems like it would be more durable. Disadvantage is surface mount metal boxes everywhere, and makes locations of wall-hung cabinets or tools a little more difficult. However I can change runs at will and locations at will. Also, I can run stranded THHN instead of NM through the conduits (no need to use romex in conduit, correct?)

Also, with conduit - do you run all your "mains" up high and then make all your receptacles "drops" from junction boxes? Or do you run horizontally along the wall at receptacle level? And would I need to run conduit all the way from the electrical panel or just in the areas that would be subject to incidental contact?

What's your preference and why?

 

[justsam]

Personally, I would not like the look of exposed conduit on the pine T&G. If that is your choice use metal conduit as PVC will sag over time and really look bad.

I would just space the boxes to be flush to wall surface. Actually they must be flush since the pine T&G is combustible.

Not sure of code requirement in Vermont, but I would run 12/2 Romex horizontally to the wall receptacles. If conduit is used, than use THWN.

 

[Mustang51js]

I would use romex if it was me and adjustable gang boxes if your worried about box extenders. What is this being used for,an actual garage or a barn. Any insulation or exposure to outside elements

 

[pattenp]

PVC is fine if installed properly. Long horizontal runs of PVC conduit need more support points per a given length than EMT. Also you need slip joints on long runs if in an environment of wide temperature changes to allow movement.

 

[Jon_E]

I would use romex if it was me and adjustable gang boxes if your worried about box extenders. What is this being used for,an actual garage or a barn. Any insulation or exposure to outside elements

This is an actual garage. Insulation will be some form of spray foam or combination of rigid and spray foam. No exposure. It is, however, a woodworking shop and one bay will be used occasionally for vehicle and equipment repairs and infrequent welding.

 

[Milton Shaw]

I ran a home run of 3/4 EMT from the center of each wall to the sub panel. This way I could install just about any size circuit for future expansion. Most walls now have 2 20 amp 120 volt circuits and two walls have 1 20 amp 120 and two 30 amp 240 volt. Lots of room for expansion. If I had it to do again I would run 1" EMT instead of 3/4" I also ran rigid conduit to locations in the floor for table saw, jointer, planer etc. I also put 4" pvc schedule 40 with ground wire for dust collection out of sight and out of the way below the slab.

 

[Mustang51js]

You should be fine with romex then, I was going to say if it's a barn with lots of dust and open to elements then I would go with UF wire or pipe.