Wiring new shop heater help

[Rogers954]

Hey guys so i got my new Mr heater big max up, ran about 40 feet of pipe stubbed into the garage from the basement, hvac is done, now I’m stuck at how to get power to this unit so i can get the inspector out here to check all my work. Now comes the problem, so my box in the basement is completely full, so at this time running a dedicated circuit isn’t possible, i called the city inspector and talked it over with him and he said with such a low amp pull there’s no reason i can’t tie it into something pre existing, we are about to start our basement finish here soon so we will be hiring an electrician and since we have no room to grow in the existing box a sub panel will have to be added for everything going into the basement and at that time i will probably run a new wire to the garage so the heater can be on a dedicated circuit. For the time being i really need to get this thing running because i have a project I’ve been waiting to start pending the heater working (paint project so i need the shop heated) so for the guys out there that wired there units off an existing plug how did you go about doing it? Thanks

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I don't know the requirements for your heater, but if it were mine I'd prefer to have it hardwired on it's own circuit.

Before you finish your basement, I would definitely add a subpanel for the basement, which will allow you to move some breakers over to that, and use some of the freed up room in the main panel to run new wire to a subpanel in the garage. Should be able to do both of these without having to upgrade the main panel.

 

[Rogers954]

I have the 50k mr heater so the amp pull on the unit is 3.5, like i said this won’t be permanent, just need to get it running because the sub panel probably won’t be installed for another 1-2 months and if i wait that long to get this heater running i will be to far behind in this boat build i need to get going on.

 

[Rogers954]

My thought process was just to run it off of the plug for the garage door opener since this will be the shortest and easiest run i can tap into and there’s hardly anything on that circuit besides the opener

 

[finn]

Sub panel or install a tandem breaker if you have to.

I’d bite the bulletand install a sub panel in the garage.

 

[Rogers954]

I read a few post on here before where some guys tied their electrical Into another circuit, I know the preferred ways to dedicate it, But for the guys who ran there’s off an existing circuit how did you go about it? Sub panel will be going into the basement right next to the main as almost everything going to the sub panel will be on that level. I really can’t afford to wait 2 months for this to get going or there won’t even be a point by then as the temps will be up.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I But for the guys who ran there’s off an existing circuit how did you go about it?

Typically you would just tie into an existing circuit at the nearest device that's on that circuit - for example, if there's a light fixture close to the heater location, extend the wires from there to the heater. Same thing if a 120vac receptacle happens to be the closest thing to the heater, just extend wires from there.

Be sure to include a disconnect switch at the heater so it can be safely serviced. A regular light switch in a handy box should be adequate for this application

 

[Rogers954]

Typically you would just tie into an existing circuit at the nearest device that's on that circuit - for example, if there's a light fixture close to the heater location, extend the wires from there to the heater. Same thing if a 120vac receptacle happens to be the closest thing to the heater, just extend wires from there.

Be sure to include a disconnect switch at the heater so it can be safely serviced. A regular light switch in a handy box should be adequate for this application

Thank you for the response this is exactly how I wanted to do it for now just to get it up and running and then latter on I will rewire it so its on a dedicated circuit, just wanted some conformation on what I already figured was the way it should work. I was kind of hoping for a little more in-depth information like how guys routed there wiring to the switch but I'm pretty sure I already have it in my mind how it needs to go. Just overthinking it like I always do.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

How big is your existing panel? I'd rather install a bigger panel instead of adding a sub next to a main in most situations any way.

 

[Rogers954]

How big is your existing panel? I'd rather install a bigger panel instead of adding a sub next to a main in most situations any way.

not to sure on the size off hand just know that its completely full right now, haven't talked with a electrician yet since we haven't started framing (should start next week) but which route is cheaper? I figured it would be cheaper/easier to add a sub instead of upsizing the existing panel but I have no clue?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Thank you for the response this is exactly how I wanted to do it for now just to get it up and running and then later on I will rewire it so its on a dedicated circuit,

While it's not a bad idea to do it that way, there's no reason that it has to be on its own circuit...you can leave it on a circuit shared with other devices if you like.

 

[raco232]

With 3.5 amps, just tap into an outlet circuit & add outlet next to it. It’s not a big deal, does not need dedicated outlet. It’s no different than an electric drill being ran, I’ll get criticized on that, but oh well. My milwaukee drill pulls more amps than that! Tap off an outlet, set a box & outlet, problem solved. No sub panel needed, not unless you need something to talk about!

 

[ripperd]

With 3.5 amps, just tap into an outlet circuit & add outlet next to it. It’s not a big deal, does not need dedicated outlet. It’s no different than an electric drill being ran, I’ll get criticized on that, but oh well. My milwaukee drill pulls more amps than that! Tap off an outlet, set a box & outlet, problem solved. No sub panel needed, not unless you need something to talk about!

Agreed. If the inspector doesn't care, there is no big need for it to have a dedicated circuit. A disconnect means is good. But to me, even a cord to an outlet near the heater would be just fine. They are not high power devices. Heck I have more power in lights in the garage than my garage heater. And the lights don't have a dedicated circuit.

 

[Rogers954]

Thanks for the reply's fellas I appreciate all the information. For now the heater is on hold I have pretty much abandoned my boat build project for this year recently so the rush to get it going has pretty much faded out. I start framing my basement tomorrow, as soon as that is done we will be hiring an electrician so with all of the basement addons we will either be adding a sub panel or upgrading the current panel (which ever will work best/price for our situation) so once that happens I'm pretty sure I will go ahead and run the wire to the new panel so it will be on its own circuit. Only thing I am going to do to this boat this year is paint it and there's plenty of time till the ice is gone here so at this point I'm in no rush but as soon as its done and up and running Ill post pics of my install.

 

[rburke65]

Go to the nearest outlet, turn off owner, use a box extension, stub up a piece of EMT to the heater, pull wire, white to white, black to black, ground wire to ground wire, turn circuit back on.

 

[rburke65]

Or....wire on a seperate circuit if you have not read the first post.