Leaving extra wire for future outlets?

[bullnerd]

I'm running EMT around the walls of my shop.

120 and 240 circuits for random tools.

I am only going to put 240 outlets in a few spots that I know of for now but want to leave "extra" wire at each box.

Is there a preferred/easier method of doing this?

Can I just loop and tuck it in the box?

My first time playing with EMT.

Actually I might skip some of the 120 outlets too now that I think about it.

 

[Marctrees]

There is absolutely no point to do what you are thinking.

In the future, if you really need another recept in a new place, you simply extend from the closest box... assuming enough capacity for your purpose.


Sure you can loop extra in a box, but all you will have room for is not much... so what is the point /

Bottom line is, if you need to add ... "extend" from an existing box, you will have to pipe anyway,, so then just wire nut on to that.

Overall,at least in the situation you are describing.. your concern / solution has no overall merit.

Marc

 

[Bert_]

I think the idea is to leave a loop in the box so that you can wirenut on to it. As opposed to pulling straight though the box with no slack.

 

[Marctrees]

On top of all that, in reality, . USUALLY you will still be plugging in most tools to a 25' cord to allow mobility.

Really only exception is if you are using a power tool on a bench against the wall.

Just think it through.

Like some guys put outlets like every 4'.

The only situation that really makes sense is if you have like an electronics service bench w plugged in multiple benchtop instruments always sitting on the countertop like bench.

General shop use, no point.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I think the idea is to leave a loop in the box so that you can wirenut on to it. As opposed to pulling straight though the box with no slack.

Well, we hope that he understands that without asking.

He must be taling about like a 10' coil.

Side note - Being a Elect rmodel contractor, I have seen diy jobs where they connected a device then pulled ALLLLL loose wire to the adjacent box, then continued the process.

Almost cannot even pull the device out of box !!!

I'm sure Bert and others have also seen that.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I always left all conductors and nutted pigtails longer than Code requires in all boxes that "had room", which is almost all.

Marc

 

[Bert_]

Again I'm guessing we aren't talking about a box with a 240V device in it. Rather in a pull box or a box that only has a 120V device but the wires for the 240V outlet happen to pass though.

 

[Marctrees]

I am NOT knocking OP.....JUST saying general about DIY wiring possible practices I have seen,,,, Just saying it's VERY interesting how DIY's can come up w odd interpreted methods that Pro's would not even think imagine of cause they are so weird,,, like my example of pulling tight above.

Marc

 

[bullnerd]

lol...90% of the content of this site has no overall merit!

Bert is on the right track..Marc, If I knew everything about everything, I wouldn't have to ask.

I thought it was a pretty reasonable question actually.

The boxes are all in series and inline, as we have seen many times on here. I don't want to run another set of wires when I can just leave a little extra in the boxes with no outlet. Makes no sense not too right?

I am one of the ones that went over board with outlets like Marc suggests not to. But my reasoning is this, The conduit I bought was in 10' lengths, the metal siding is spaced perfectly to have a box at every 5', so that's what I did.Why cut the conduit into odd lengths? I have no scrap left over. The building is only 30x40 with 3 o-doors, so its not that many boxes actually. Will be a machine/cnc/wood/weld/auto/fab shop, and probably more, so lots of plugs.

 

[Marctrees]

"Bert is on the right track..Marc, If I knew everything about everything, I wouldn't have to ask.

I thought it was a pretty reasonable question actually.

The boxes are all in series and inline, as we have seen many times on here. I don't want to run another set of wires when I can just leave a little extra in the boxes with no outlet. Makes no sense not too right?"



*** So, I still don't understand if you are talking like 8" in box, or like 10'

If you mean 8". ABSOLUTELY YES.

If you are talking like 10', ABSOLUTELY NO Point.

None in ALL CASES, UNLESS you already have a plan to pull them "through" to somewhere else.

EVEN then, no point.

Wirenuts handle any future expansion.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Not to be a PIA, but receptacles are NOT technically electrically in "Series", BUT in "Parallel"

Marc

 

[bullnerd]

8"

Physically in line, 4' from floor, all the way around the shop.

Why does it feel like I'm trying to explain this to a contractor! lol!

 

[Marctrees]

OK, 8" or a touch less is "normal"

Very good.

I had the impression you wanted footage for possible future pulling all the way to another box.

If 8", then we are on the same page

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I thought you were asking about a length substantially more then typical, or you would not be asking.

Marc

 

[bullnerd]

OK, 8" or a touch less is "normal"

Very good.

I had the impression you wanted footage for possible future pulling all the way to another box.

If 8", then we are on the same page

Marc

No, no, no, I would never try to leave enough to run to another box thats not in line. Hard to explain with my typing capabilities! lol!

So, lets say I pull straight through about 5 or 6 boxes, then go back and pull out and loop in each box?

 

[Marctrees]

"So, lets say I pull straight through about 5 or 6 boxes, then go back and pull out and loop in each box?"

YES absolutely yes... that is typical.

Marc

 

[Gmonkee]

I wired a shop with outlets every six feet along two walls. It was the best shop installation we had ever.

Before the old shop had four outlets total and we were always shutting something down to add whatever each had to do.

 

[Marctrees]

I think the idea is to leave a loop in the box so that you can wirenut on to it. As opposed to pulling straight though the box with no slack.

Bert was correct - He understood what OP meant.

I misunderstood OP's intent.

All good now.



Marc

 

[Gerald O]

You go to all the trouble of putting in the extra boxes and leaving loops -- just install the 'extra' receptacles now and be done with it. You're not saving any meaningful amount of time or money.

 

[Marctrees]

Gerald - I think he is pulling multiple ckts.. AND for 110 and 220....

And currently he does not yet know exactly where he wants any specific ckt...

So, he is talking leaving loops.

Other than that, I agree w you.

Marc

 

[bullnerd]

Gerald - I think he is pulling multiple ckts.. AND for 110 and 220....

And currently he does not yet know exactly where he wants any specific ckt...

So, he is talking leaving loops.

Other than that, I agree w you.

Marc

Boom! Marc nailed it this time!

Only few 240 tools right now but more planned soon, but don't know where they will be placed yet.

 

[machsnell]

When you run your 120 use 12/3 and you can alternate your red and black to be your 2nd circiut using the same ground and neutral but on separate breakers at the panel. Saves a pull and cuts wire down quite a lot but lets you alternate circuits.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[bullnerd]

When you run your 120 use 12/3 and you can alternate your red and black to be your 2nd circiut using the same ground and neutral but on separate breakers at the panel. Saves a pull and cuts wire down quite a lot but lets you alternate circuits.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I didn't think of that, but I like the way that sounds, thanks.

 

[Marctrees]

The above suggestion is good, but not really usable in a string of GFI protected outlets.

Marc

 

[pjmariner]

When you run your 120 use 12/3 and you can alternate your red and black to be your 2nd circiut using the same ground and neutral but on separate breakers at the panel. Saves a pull and cuts wire down quite a lot but lets you alternate circuits.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

That's exactly what I did when I wired shop, and I used a double pole GFCI breaker at the panel, then just contractor packs of regular outlet throughout the garage. Used 4 square boxes everywhere so I could have an outlet from both circuits at each location, I go into my setup on page 2 of my garage build link in my signature.