Surface mount power - 10' Ceilings

[Odi]

In my previous garage shop, I ran 3/4" EMT near the ceiling with 1/2" drops along the walls every 6' or so. Since that worked so well for me, I'm planning to do much the same in my new space, but trying to decide how 10' ceilings change things.

Any opinions on running the 3/4" at 8' vs 10'? I'm contemplating running it around the garage at ~8' and only going up to the ceiling in a couple place for lights. Probably won't be much savings in materials, but it seems like it would simplify things if I later build an overhead storage shelf.

The plan is for half the garage to become wood shop with drops to 4'-5' at all the stationary tools & benches. Will probably also run air line next to the EMT, with fewer drops.

 

[The Cobbler]

makes sense to me .

 

[LopezBart]

I'm looking at the same thing, more or less.... 30x48, in 4 12' bays. I'm going to run compressed air and EMT along both 48' sides, fastened to some scrap unistrut. I was thinking of running it at 9.5' feet high; any perimeter shelving for lightweight bulky stuff would be at 8'. The air line will drop in order to route condensate to one end or the other (still debating).

I'm running the 100W UFO lights two in each bay, so that EMT will be on the ceiling. Of course, the ceiling will be free of shelving, etc, so it might make sense to run all the piping/conduit there... hmmm.

 

[dave*99]

In my previous garage shop, I ran 3/4" EMT near the ceiling with 1/2" drops along the walls every 6' or so. Since that worked so well for me, I'm planning to do much the same in my new space, but trying to decide how 10' ceilings change things.

Any opinions on running the 3/4" at 8' vs 10'? I'm contemplating running it around the garage at ~8' and only going up to the ceiling in a couple place for lights. Probably won't be much savings in materials, but it seems like it would simplify things if I later build an overhead storage shelf.

The plan is for half the garage to become wood shop with drops to 4'-5' at all the stationary tools & benches. Will probably also run air line next to the EMT, with fewer drops.

We all need storage space, but the older I get the more I detest high storage shelves. I ran a set of shelves up high in my old garage. Seems I had very little lightweight stuff to store....

Consider how high shelves might be.. Does 7' high work in some spots? It makes them more accessible....

 

[Odi]

Consider how high shelves might be.. Does 7' high work in some spots? It makes them more accessible....

It's a good consideration. I wouldn't expect to be dealing with them regularly; I'm expecting to build cabinets & other storage down low for anything getting used. But I'm already mildly annoyed having to lug a stool/ladder around so much in this house.

I'm just trying to find a way to utilize some of that extra 2' of space I've never had before. I've seen the result of overloading garage ceiling joists, so I'm not doing any of the big hanging ceiling racks. Probably a 24" shelf along one wall, and I can expand it around the garage if storage demands.

 

[sparky 1971]

I wire a lot of shops, most of them being pole barns and I run everything as high as I can, but I have a scissor lift. It makes it much easier to add another conduit in the future if the need arises. It takes a little planning and sometimes a sketch to make sure the conduits leave the panel in the right order so that nothing has to cross over another. I also almost always install at least a 6"X6"X24" gutter above the panel to make things even easier and look cleaner.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Pay particular attention to the # of wires in the 3/4".
If you have more than 3 wires in a conduit you have to derate the wire's current carrying capacity.
4-7 wires = derated to 80%, 7-9 wires to 70%, 10-20 wires to 50%.
You may want to run more than 1