Wires going stud to stud or up and over?

[exactly]

I am about to run three 240V circuits with 10 gauge wire and three 120V circuits with 12 gauge wire around my two-car, attached garage, and I am torn between running the wire from stud to stud and going up, over three studs, and back down. The walls are open but will be insulated and finished, by the way. Every 48" there will be a single 240V receptacle on one side of the stud and a two-gang box for four 120V receptacles (all four on same circuit) on the other side of the stud so as to not put two circuits in the same box. Two and a half walls (including the front wall with 16' overhead door) are 2x4 construction, and the one and a half walls shared with the house are 2x6 construction.

On one hand, if I run the wires from stud to stud, it will pretty much guarantee that nothing will be able to be attached to the wall at that height (give or take a few inches, as I am assuming I will need two holes to get all six wires through) anywhere along the garage walls (and I plan to do French cleats, as this is a woodworking shop and 'maker space'). And when residing the house...couldn't the nails hit the wires? Or not really? Of course, for the interior of the studs, I will use the metal plates.

On the other hand, If I go up and over, it uses a lot more wire, requires more work, requires sealing the hole in the top plate, requires working in the attic, and would mean that anything drilled into the wall at any one of those "every 48" points must be done very, very carefully.

Which would you choose, and why?

 

[mike93lx]

That's a lot of 30a 240v receptacles. What are you running that you need that much?

Feels like a lot of money in wire and receptacles

 

[Norcal]

Are you putting anything on the walls, drywall/plywood/stinky OSB? Because NM cable is required to be protected from physical damage, if the wall is unfinished going up & over to the next box you can cover just that stud bay with drywall to protect it, if the walls are going to be finished, then you have decide what makes the most sense, which can only be done by seeing what the site conditions are.

 

[exactly]

Are you putting anything on the walls, drywall/plywood/stinky OSB? Because NM cable is required to be protected from physical damage, if the wall is unfinished going up & over to the next box you can cover just that stud bay with drywall to protect it, if the walls are going to be finished, then you have decide what makes the most sense.

Will be immediately insulating and drywalling, yes. I feel like stud to stud makes more sense, but I wanted to ask here in case there's something I didn't think of.

 

[Don1357]

Are all three 240v appliances meant to be running at the same time? For the table saw and the planer I'm still to get I'm running a single 240v circuit. They are not meant to run at the same time and if that happens and the breaker trips well that's not a bug, that's a feature.

 

[exactly]

Are all three 240v appliances meant to be running at the same time? For the table saw and the planer I'm still to get I'm running a single 240v circuit. They are not meant to run at the same time and if that happens and the breaker trips well that's not a bug, that's a feature.

Right now, my only 240V machine is the Jet 2HP cyclone dust collector. The table saw will soon be 240V, and the CNC, which is the third machine that will sometimes run in the background, may or may not be upgrade to a larger machine.

Do I not need one circuit per machine after all?

 

[Toolfool]

My previous shop was 40x40 and I ran two 240v circuits and two 120v circuits on each wall. All run up and over. Numbered the cover plates and breakers with a sharpie.

 

[u2slow]

I am about to run three 240V circuits with 10 gauge wire and three 120V circuits with 12 gauge wire around my two-car, attached garage, and I am torn between running the wire from stud to stud and going up, over three studs, and back down. The walls are open but will be insulated and finished, by the way. Every 48" there will be a single 240V receptacle on one side of the stud and a two-gang box for four 120V receptacles...

Which would you choose, and why?

You summed up the same thinking I went through - and is why I'm doing surface wiring in conduit after I finish up insulating and boarding the walls.

 

[nadogail]

There are so many ways to do this, and every way you might choose will have a critic.

IMHO, pick the way that seems best to you and use nail plates to protect any cables passed through drilled holes.

You can answer any questions about why you chose a particular method with "It seemed like a good idea, at the time".

 

[Jim greengo]

I'd just drill through the studs,much easier.

 

[spudley]

Though the studs and use 12-3 for your 120 outlets and 10-3 and for the 240 by going down to two circuits each of 120 and 240. Also question the need for 4 gang outlets every four feet, I'd go with two.

Other than a dust collector (that I'd run on a dedicated circuit), it's unlikely you ever use multiple machines at the same time.

If you're concerned about puncturing a wire, put each line exactly the same distance off the floor and remember that distance. Mark it inside your panel, maybe leave a picture for the next owner. Or put protector plates on the studs over the holes.