wiring a 18x26 garage

[94yj]

i am going to be running a 60 gallon 220 volt air compressor and will be adding lights and running a welder and also some small amp items bench grinder and cutting tools what ga wire would i need to use i am thinking 14/2 w gnd for the inside lighting and small amp items what size cable i should need to run from the electrical pole breaker box to the garage and the run would be about 20 ft also what size of main breaker box would i need as i dont know if a 200 amp box would be overkill all help and suggestions would be appreciated thanks

 

[Dan0myte]

Sounds like you need to do a little more research on your needs and the amperage demands of your tools.

If you can let us know exactly how many amps you're going to be pulling, then we can better help you decide on wiring gauges and breaker sizes.

 

[bluesman2a]

12/2 is not appreciably more expensive than 14/2. Use it. You won't be sorry. Get a bigger roll and it's cheaper per foot.
10/2 for most shop grade compressors.
6/2 for most welding outlets.

Plan on 20Amp commercial grade receptacles in the shop, they will hold up longer.

 

[Sokoloff]

Agree with bluesman on the outlets, but I'd still use 14/2 for the lighting. It's a fair bit easier to work with, is somewhat cheaper, and your lighting doesn't draw that much current. But for the 110VAC outlets, I'd go all 12/2 and 20A.

 

[79BlackPearl]

Dan0myte is correct, you need to know the amps being pulled on each circuit. However, as a general rule of thumb...this should help...

Circuit Rating = 15amps, then use 14 AWG wire with 15 amp breaker
Circuit Rating = 20amps, then use 12 AWG wire with 20 amp breaker
Circuit Rating = 30amps, then use 10 AWG wire with 30 amp breaker

Hope this helps.....

 

[94yj]

thanks bluesman and others for the help i have figured out the total amp draw with all on at the same time would be about 120 amps including the welder but i think i will go with the 200 amp svc box for furure expansion and the 12-2 wire for the sockets and 14-2 for the light circuit an 6-2 for the welder does this sound like a good plan

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Plan on 20Amp commercial grade receptacles in the shop, they will hold up longer.

Waste of money. You can get a 15 amp commercial grade receptacle cheaper, and its the exact same receptacle inside, just different face plate on it.

For example, using Lowes pricing. A Cooper back and side wired commercial grade receptacle in 20 amp is a p/n BR20GY-SP-L (the GY is the color, gray in this instance) and is $3.29. The same receptacle in 15 amp, a BR15GY-SP-L is $2.19 ..... a savings of $1.10 each. Take the two, break them open, and you will find the EXACT same components inside. The 15 amp receptacle will have contacts for the crossways prong of the 20 amp, its just inacessable due to the 15 amp faceplate. There is absolutely no need to spend money on the 20 amp version of the commercial receptacle, I'll bet it would be difficult to find someone with a 20 amp plug on a appliance or device in their shop, and given that the components of one, vs the other are the same, either will last just as long.

The above is true of Leviton also, just a different face plate.

I do agree that you should use commercial receptacles, they are much better quality than the cheap 59 cent versions. I prefer the ones with nylon faces on them, but those are expensive. The nylon won't break out a the ground pin hole however, like the plastic ones will. I used the nylon faced ones in my house, but they were over $4 each. In the shop I used the exact same receptacle but with the plastic face.

Charles

 

[hd03king]

Waste of money. You can get a 15 amp commercial grade receptacle cheaper, and its the exact same receptacle inside, just different face plate on it.

For example, using Lowes pricing. A Cooper back and side wired commercial grade receptacle in 20 amp is a p/n BR20GY-SP-L (the GY is the color, gray in this instance) and is $3.29. The same receptacle in 15 amp, a BR15GY-SP-L is $2.19 ..... a savings of $1.10 each. Take the two, break them open, and you will find the EXACT same components inside. The 15 amp receptacle will have contacts for the crossways prong of the 20 amp, its just inacessable due to the 15 amp faceplate. There is absolutely no need to spend money on the 20 amp version of the commercial receptacle, I'll bet it would be difficult to find someone with a 20 amp plug on a appliance or device in their shop, and given that the components of one, vs the other are the same, either will last just as long.

The above is true of Leviton also, just a different face plate.

I do agree that you should use commercial receptacles, they are much better quality than the cheap 59 cent versions. I prefer the ones with nylon faces on them, but those are expensive. The nylon won't break out a the ground pin hole however, like the plastic ones will. I used the nylon faced ones in my house, but they were over $4 each. In the shop I used the exact same receptacle but with the plastic face.

Charles

Given all of this would Charles would you use 14/2 or still use 12/2 as wire of the 15 amp commercial receptacles?