Help with garage wiring

[Submarine_Sailor]

I am installing more outlets into my garage and I have two questions about electrical code and such. I want to make sure I keep this correct so that if I ever sell the house I will not have to undo it all. So, question 1: Does every outlet in the garage have to be a GFCI? Or, can I make every outlet a normal one and make the main breaker a GFCI? Or, does every outlet and every breaker for the garage circuit have to be a GFCI. I know a garage is considered "outdoors" and has to be protected, but I don't know in what manner or to what extent. Question 2: How does wiring have to be protected? For example, if I want to run wires external to the drywall, what do I have to do to make that correct to code? Any help is appreciated. If anyone can direct to a place to find these answers, that is much appreciated also. I'm not against looking it up myself, just don't know where to find it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Every grade level (meaning ground floor) electrical outlet in a garage, workshop, storage shed, etc, must be PROTECTED by a GFCI. How you do that is your choice. You can...

1) install a GFCI circuit breaker for each of the 120v receptacle circuits you run, and that will protect all of the receptacles on that circuit (be sure and label them all "GFCI protected"), This is a kinda expensive route as each GFCI breaker is about $40, or....

2) install a regular circuit breaker, and at the first receptacle in the circuit, install a GFCI receptacle, and using the pass thru terminals on the GFCI receptacle (usually taped over with yellow tape with a bunch of wording on it) you tap off the pass thrus and run to the rest of the receptacles. Each down line receptacle will be protected by the GFCI. This is a cheaper route as GFCI receptacles, good ones, are about $12 or so....... or you can...........

3) install a GFCI receptacle at each outlet position, why you would do this is beyond me however.

Any surface wiring will have to be in conduit, metal or PVC, or the flexible BX armored wire.

Charles

 

[Submarine_Sailor]

Thx for the help. Is the armored wire you speak of a wire with just a thicker sheathing, or something that goes over your standard wire?

 

[BillK]

ss,

When you pull your permit, the inspector might help you with these questions. Or you could go to the book store or library and get one of the many great books that cover the NEC. That way you will be prepared for the inspection ahead of time.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

BX is the corrugated looking metal sheathed wire. Wire and sheath pre made/assembled. It really doesn't look good but is useful in some applications. A co-worker used it to wire his entire backyard shop, 10 gauge at that, he gave me the left over 30 ft or so for a project where I needed about 6 ft of BX. I found 60 ft of 12/2 BX at the Habit For Humanity ReStore, new for $5, grabbed it up for the "just in case" box.

Charles

 

[Norcal]

BX is the corrugated looking metal sheathed wire. Wire and sheath pre made/assembled. It really doesn't look good but is useful in some applications. A co-worker used it to wire his entire backyard shop, 10 gauge at that, he gave me the left over 30 ft or so for a project where I needed about 6 ft of BX. I found 60 ft of 12/2 BX at the Habit For Humanity ReStore, new for $5, grabbed it up for the "just in case" box.

Charles

BX or MC? They are not the same & have different code articles for each.