I'm contemplating installing a mini split system in my garage after receiving a $9300 quote. I have a few questions about the electric run. I haven't done any electrical, so I'm googling to see what's involved and I'm having trouble finding clear answers.
1. I would rather not open up the walls, so my options are EMT or PVC conduit? I'll be running 10/2 (30A).
2. If the above is true, how do I connect the conduit to the panel? Punch through the sheetrock, remove a knockout in the panel and I assume there is a fitting I buy that physically connects the conduit to the panel? Is there another option that is legal? (I'll expand more on this in a minute)
3. How do I get the line outside? Obviously drill a hole in the wall. 90 bend in the conduit and straight out through the hole? I'm assuming my disconnect box would have a knockout in the back? Use some form of connector to anchor the conduit to the box? Or do I need to add a junction box inside the garage, terminate the conduit there and run a short section of conduit through the wall to the disconnect box?
4. Best way to anchor the box to the vinyl siding? It's not flat it's scalloped. I'm assuming I need to buy a light box mount of the appropriate size and screw that down, then screw the disconnect to the light box mount?
5. Disconnect box will be to the side of the outside unit no further than a 6 ft whip will allow (with a U bend). I read somewhere that an electrical outlet needs to be with 25 ft of the disconnect? Is that correct?
Unrelated question:
6. Expanding on #2 above...Looks like I have a 8/3 wire running along the bottom of the sheetrock. This was done by the previous owner in a kitchen remodel. In the pic below it's the larger black wire just above the concrete block (smaller black wire is coax). The only thing in the house that needs this are the double ovens. In the corner below the panel, they just pushed the wire through a hole in the sheetrock and fished it up to the bottom of the panel. At the least it looks very sloppy. On the house side (far off to the right) they punched a hole through the sheetrock and into my basement. In between it's just run along a small interior corner formed where the sheetrock and concrete block meet. How legal is that? If it's not and I wanted to fix it, I would have to disconnect at the box, pull the wire, install conduit, fish the wire through the conduit and reconnect at the box, but because of the way they routed the wire I would need 1-2 ft of extra length to reconnect the wire with conduit. So then what? New wire the entire length?
Pics for reference. Panel is on the left, AC unit would go above the garbage can high up on the wall.
Back wall behind where the inside AC unit would go. Disconnect will go here and outside AC unit will be on a wall bracket here. Distance from the hose reel to the electrical outlet on that back patio is about 35 feet. The outlet is just past that dryer vent near the railing.
1. I would rather not open up the walls, so my options are EMT or PVC conduit? I'll be running 10/2 (30A).
2. If the above is true, how do I connect the conduit to the panel? Punch through the sheetrock, remove a knockout in the panel and I assume there is a fitting I buy that physically connects the conduit to the panel? Is there another option that is legal? (I'll expand more on this in a minute)
3. How do I get the line outside? Obviously drill a hole in the wall. 90 bend in the conduit and straight out through the hole? I'm assuming my disconnect box would have a knockout in the back? Use some form of connector to anchor the conduit to the box? Or do I need to add a junction box inside the garage, terminate the conduit there and run a short section of conduit through the wall to the disconnect box?
4. Best way to anchor the box to the vinyl siding? It's not flat it's scalloped. I'm assuming I need to buy a light box mount of the appropriate size and screw that down, then screw the disconnect to the light box mount?
5. Disconnect box will be to the side of the outside unit no further than a 6 ft whip will allow (with a U bend). I read somewhere that an electrical outlet needs to be with 25 ft of the disconnect? Is that correct?
Unrelated question:
6. Expanding on #2 above...Looks like I have a 8/3 wire running along the bottom of the sheetrock. This was done by the previous owner in a kitchen remodel. In the pic below it's the larger black wire just above the concrete block (smaller black wire is coax). The only thing in the house that needs this are the double ovens. In the corner below the panel, they just pushed the wire through a hole in the sheetrock and fished it up to the bottom of the panel. At the least it looks very sloppy. On the house side (far off to the right) they punched a hole through the sheetrock and into my basement. In between it's just run along a small interior corner formed where the sheetrock and concrete block meet. How legal is that? If it's not and I wanted to fix it, I would have to disconnect at the box, pull the wire, install conduit, fish the wire through the conduit and reconnect at the box, but because of the way they routed the wire I would need 1-2 ft of extra length to reconnect the wire with conduit. So then what? New wire the entire length?
Pics for reference. Panel is on the left, AC unit would go above the garbage can high up on the wall.
Back wall behind where the inside AC unit would go. Disconnect will go here and outside AC unit will be on a wall bracket here. Distance from the hose reel to the electrical outlet on that back patio is about 35 feet. The outlet is just past that dryer vent near the railing.