Recommendations on my Electrical Setup?

[bad_idea]

I built a 30x40 detached garage last summer. It is 2x6 studded with a cinder block stem wall, vinyl siding, and asphalt shingles. The garage is 10' off my back door. The power meter is on the back corner of my house 18' away from where I plan to enter the garage with power. Attached to the power meter is a breaker panel with a 200 amp breaker that feeds the main panel inside the house and 8 or 10 slots below that. Currently the only other breaker in this panel is a 50 or 60 amp breaker feeding the condenser for the AC.

My planned use for the garage is metal fabrication, auto repair, and minimal woodworking.

I now have the money to run the electrical and am finalizing my material list. Any recommendations on source of parts or brands / models for the items below are appreciated. I will be pulling a permit and will be doing the work myself.

• (30') 2-2-2-4 MHF from the panel on the back of the house in conduit underground, up the side of the garage, and punched through the wall into the back of the sub panel located in the garage.
• 90 amp breaker in the main panel on the side of the house - same brand/type as other breakers in panel.
• 100 amp sub panel in the garage with main disconnect and an abundance of slots.

I am working with ProLighting.com for the lights. For now I am only going to run 4 or 5 110v outlets in the building, will add more down the road as I finalize how I will work in the space. Thanks all.

 

[u2slow]

90amp is an odd size. Be sure you can it for your panel, and it doesn't cost a small fortune

 

[Norcal]

90amp is an odd size. Be sure you can it for your panel, and it doesn't cost a small fortune

Odd size at a big box store but they really do not carry very much anyway.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

90amp is an odd size. Be sure you can it for your panel, and it doesn't cost a small fortune

Its not that odd and 90a is the max for #2 al.

 

[Norcal]

Its not that odd and 90a is the max for #2 al.

I should have added to my post that it is a standard size/rating for circuit breakers.

 

[dcg9381]

Sounds like you're doing a great job and have a good plan.

I don't have recommendations for "brand" on electrical. Personally, if "reasonable", I'd stick with the brands and breaker types that are in your home for simple interchangeability reasons. My shop has both Eaton BR and Siemens breakers - it's more economical to stick to a single manufacturer.

Make sure your sub panel is big enough for "expansion" - meaning number of slots.

On lighting, I install outlets everywhere, easier to swap if I want to change in the future. I'm all LED now - so much better than dealing with tubes and ballasts.

Congrats!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I should have added to my post that it is a standard size/rating for circuit breakers.

correct. I shouldve done the same.

 

[Norcal]

Sounds like you're doing a great job and have a good plan.

I don't have recommendations for "brand" on electrical. Personally, if "reasonable", I'd stick with the brands and breaker types that are in your home for simple interchangeability reasons. My shop has both Eaton BR and Siemens breakers - it's more economical to stick to a single manufacturer.

Make sure your sub panel is big enough for "expansion" - meaning number of slots.

On lighting, I install outlets everywhere, easier to swap if I want to change in the future. I'm all LED now - so much better than dealing with tubes and ballasts.

Congrats!

Eaton BR is the Yugo of electrical which is why I call them “Zinsco II” anyone other then the BR panels is a improvement but would use the same make as the home just to keep everything the same, as to receptacles for lighting they will have to have a accessible GFCI protecting them, if hardwired it’s not required.

 

[u2slow]

Its not that odd and 90a is the max for #2 al.

I guess its more common now, and easier to find online. Gave up finding one between 70A and 100A back when we were installing FPE panels in new construction.

We run #2AL at 95-100A OCP in Canada... but I digress.

 

[bad_idea]

Thank you for the confirmation all. Good idea to match the panel type to what is already on/in the house, hadn't considered interchange.

I am only running a minimum number of outlets for now as it will be quite some time before I close the walls in. I will route the wire for each outlet installed now above 8' and down the side of the stud the outlet is on to be compliant with NEC. To avoid a lot of wasted wire running back up the wall, across, and back down the wall between outlets I will install the rest of the outlets when I sheetrock. Basically I will install the first outlet of each circuit now spaced around the shop.

I am building the garage as time and money permit, right now the money is limited. The initial build went over my projected budget by quite a bit and has slowed down the nicer things in the shop.