New Shop and Man Cave.

[Makatkplt]

All,
My first forum and shop so be gentle. Lol

Today is electrical.

I'm looking for advice on what to do and where and as of now wanting ideas on what you all have done that has worked and hasn't, to include what you wish you would have done.

I have 220 at each end of the 40ft sides and then 110 throughout. I'm going to rough in a loft apt with a few outlets.

How far apart should I space the 110 outlets and at what height?

Any other advice would be great.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Congrats! Layout wherever permanent equipment will be placed and add required power at those points. I would space 2 additional 220v outlets on your 40' walls, which would space them 13' +/- apart. I would place two 110v outlets between each 220v out let, giving you a total of six 110v on each 40' wall and of course wherever is convenient on the front and rear walls also. Personally, I would place outlets at 4' off the slab.

 

[kd7gab]

I second the 4' height recommendation. Outlets at 4' are super convenient in a shop space.

As far as number of 120v outlets, I lean toward installing as many as you can afford, without getting too ridiculous. It is always easier to add now vs when the walls are closed in...

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[ZipSnafu]

4' high is good. You will find out that you can not have enough outlets so put them in now while it is the easiest. IMHO.

 

[My Old Tools]

4' height is fine. 4 to 6' between outlets is good. 6' is the furthest I would go. Over a bench area maybe 2' between. 220v and 3 phase outlets should be convenient to the tools you have. Dedicated welder circuit, tablesaw circuit, etc. A few spares scattered in accessible areas. Putting them behind the lumber rack for instance is self defeating.

 

[Lassen Forge]

When we had to rebuild one wall of our shop I put in double 117v outlets every 2 feet at 4 feet off the deck, and it was almost enough. I didn't put in a 234v outlet and I wish I had - at least one, maybe 2, one near each corner, for things like a welder or some other 234v machinery. I also now have each wall on its own breaker and the lights on a 5th - - which is huge if you need to kill a circuit, and it gives you protection without killing all the lights or everything else in the shop.

BTW - you an substitute 110/120 for 117 (or 220/240 for 234) and I won't have kittens or cows (or worse, cowcats...)

Just make sure you can run compatible plugs (or make adapters) between your 240 stuff.

Also... I am looking at doing the same set-up for the new shop in Italy... just change 117/234 to 230/380... 1M (maybe 110 cm) off the floor, 75cm spacing.

 

[dffay]

Not electrical but along the same horizontal line roughly the same height a piped airline with tees every 10 feet for a quick-connect would be very handy too. As often as I reach for a corded power tool I consider its pneumatic equivalent.

 

[JerryB]

I totally agree with the suggestions for more closely spaced outlets, but also suggest making some (or most) of them four-plex outlets. Many modern tools are cordless, and require a charging station. Having to unplug the charger just to plug in your 110v tool, then remembering to change back to the charger is a pain, especially days later when you realize the cordless tool is not charged.

 

[Ditch]

I'm amazed no one has harassed you for using the term mancave,

Anyway , Welcome to the fun.

 

[rburke65]

I put 118 volt double duplex outlets every 6' and only one 236 volt feed for my boiler. I have no idea........

 

[larry_g]

It utterly amazes me so many suggestions and yet no one has any idea of what you intend to do in this building. The function of the building will dictate the layout of the facilities.

Tell us a bit more about yourself, why your building this, and what you intend to do in it. Are you a wood butcher, fabricator, artist, machinist, cars, trucks, or tractors? Or is this all party central? Any dividing walls, lofts, Other details that affect the power routing?

Is all this subject to building permits and inspections? Where in the world are you?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[isb cornbinder]

I would never refer to my shop as a mancave. I despise the word, mancave and all that it represents. I do not need a special place to grow a "set."
I had a neighbour who had his mancave. HIs wife would dress him before he went outside.
He would wonder down the street to visit when he saw "the guys" over for a beer. Well, he does not drink beer, so he would bring a pint of skim milk for himself.

 

[lostmymanual]

I would never refer to my shop as a mancave. I despise the word, mancave and all that it represents. I do not need a special place to grow a "set."

A workshop or "shop" is where a man goes to focus on work, construction, fabrication and fixing.

A "man cave" is where someone sensitive goes to hide from his family because he needs to "decompress". It used to be the living room but evidently some guys need a special room where they can sit and look at posters of their favorite sport and kittens. The movement isn't much different from the now-popular "safe place" where sensitive college students can hide from social pressure and all forms of disagreement.

"Mangina" is what hurts when he'd rather be watching Top Chef or any pick of the "reality" TV shows.

It looks like the OP is on his way to building a hell of a nice shop with steel trusses and joists.

 

[TractorJeff]

I'll bet all you guys wives have Dinner ready for you at 5pm after she hands you your favorite Beverage when you get home from work?
Plus she packs your Lunch for you to take to work everyday?

 

[Ditch]

I'll bet all you guys wives have Dinner ready for you at 5pm after she hands you your favorite Beverage when you get home from work?
Plus she packs your Lunch for you to take to work everyday?

My gal does so happily. But usually around 6-6-30.
Is that odd ?

 

[6768rogues]

I have duplex receptacles 4' above the finished floor at 8' intervals around the entire building. There are additional quadplex outlets at the tv spot and the bench. 240 outlets as needed.

 

[manwithtools]

For wall outlets in a shop I prefer 54" to the outlet center. This allows leaning 4 x 8 material against the wall without interference with the outlets. Also makes it a bit easier to mud drywall joints if the sheets are horizontal - not a likely need in your case - just a comment for others.

 

[colt zantop]

I'll bet all you guys wives have Dinner ready for you at 5pm after she hands you your favorite Beverage when you get home from work?
Plus she packs your Lunch for you to take to work everyday?

Yup...mine does happily as well. If yours isn't...Your getting screwed

 

[Ditch]

Yup...mine does happily as well. If yours isn't...Your getting screwed

but I doubt he's even getting any

 

[MScott]

So much for you guys being gentle. He's gone.

 

[340wedge]

A workshop or "shop" is where a man goes to focus on work, construction, fabrication and fixing.

A "man cave" is where someone sensitive goes to hide from his family because he needs to "decompress". It used to be the living room but evidently some guys need a special room where they can sit and look at posters of their favorite sport and kittens. The movement isn't much different from the now-popular "safe place" where sensitive college students can hide from social pressure and all forms of disagreement.

"Mangina" is what hurts when he'd rather be watching Top Chef or any pick of the "reality" TV shows.

It looks like the OP is on his way to building a hell of a nice shop with steel trusses and joists.

Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, "What is this **** about a man cave? MY friends have these rooms they call my man cave. My father had a man cave, it was called the HOUSE!"

 

[lostmymanual]

Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, "What is this **** about a man cave? MY friends have these rooms they call my man cave. My father had a man cave, it was called the HOUSE!"

Egg-zachary. Grow a pair, take care of her, treat her well like a man should and she'll take care of you; in turn.

So much for you guys being gentle. He's gone.

Gentle is a different topic that can be found by visting Starbucks (or any gourmet coffee shop), ordering a mocaccino, logging into facebook, posting a "selfie" and "liking" peoples updates about their kids receiving a trophy for participation.

Personally, I'd rather be water-boarded with kerosene than any of the above. But that's just me I suppose.

 

[glentre]

Back on subject, you might also consider at least one 120V outlet on the outside wall for doing work in the driveway and a 240V outlet inside near a garage door to plug in a welder for work outside if you do any welding.

Glen

 

[TractorJeff]

LOL!
I told the Wife about posting that comment after our Sunday morning Romp.
She laughed!
Anyways for the record, my Mother told my Wife that she fixed my Dad's lunch and had his Supper waiting and She was to do the same for Me which She has for 25 years now.
Back on the Subject!
Definitely agree with a receptacle on the outside, but I would go so far as recommending one or two on the back and a side without easy door access. Running an extension cord all the way around a building for a project out back isn't practical in my opinion.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I have two ceiling mounted retractable fixtures. Both have the trouble light option.
I have been lucky on Craigslist and today I counted 8 of these retractable cord units. I have several of them hung near duplex plugs. I pull the cord out to where I need it, These retractable units are made in CANADA by REEL-O-MATIC.
I have reserved one cord retractable for a pantograph copy milling machine. The retractor will be mounted on the machine. You get the rest.