[CMC#5]

Now that things are starting to settle down here in our new home, we broke ground on the GarageMahal.

Any suggestions/tips from those that know much more than I ever will about electricity and other shop essentials? Keep it simple, essential and wonderland arent the same (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Specifically I'm looking for advice on # of circuits and size, as well as floor and wall paint/coating/covering options.

(IMG:http://www.camaromustangchallenge.com/images/Other/GarageDay1.jpg)

[CMC#5]

Good point...a few details. Its 40x45 with a good chunk devoted to getting the trailer out of sight. So about a 24x40 work area. Its not commercial, just my car stuff. Stuff I own includes a 220v compressor and 220V Mig, 110v drill press and band saw. I plan on putting our old washer/dryer out there too so I can clean shop rags with impunity. Future equipment wish list includes a lift, a lathe, and a mill in that order...but likely none of those will happen for many many many years. There'll be a small 1/2 bath so I can clean up before getting back into the house.

[marka]

Howdy,

Good point...a few details. Its 40x45 with a good chunk devoted to getting the trailer out of sight. So about a 24x40 work area. Its not commercial, just my car stuff. Stuff I own includes a 220v compressor and 220V Mig, 110v drill press and band saw. I plan on putting our old washer/dryer out there too so I can clean shop rags with impunity. Future equipment wish list includes a lift, a lathe, and a mill in that order...but likely none of those will happen for many many many years. There'll be a small 1/2 bath so I can clean up before getting back into the house.

Ok...

I'd say you want a dedicated 220vac circuit for the compressor and any other "big" machinery like a mill or lathe. The mill/lathe could potentially share a circuit, but I've not seen anything that lets you easily put two 220vac receptacles on the same circuit. If you could... The mill/lathe would be a good choice for this. Oh, and if the dryer is electric, you'll want a dedicated circuit for that.

You'll also want a couple floater 220vac circuits for stuff like the welder. This could just be one circuit and a big 220vac extention cord that's 20' long or so so that you can move the welder to where you want to work.

For all the 220vac circuits, I'd go with 50A breakers for them all. You don't have too... For instance the compressor circuit probably doesn't need that many amps. Still, if you're doing this stuff yourself the cost difference between the two (and particularly compared to paying someone else to do it) isn't that bad. Having more amperage available gives you more future options.

Speaking of amperage... A 100A box would probably be enough, but if the cost difference for a 200A service wasn't much I'd go that way instead. It may well be a good bit more expensive though.

In terms of 110vac outlets, I'd want one at 3' or so off the floor every 4'. For a couple people working in the shop probably you don't need more than two separate circuits, but think a decent bit if you'll have something on the utility circuits running when you want to use a chopsaw or something else that takes a good bit of amps on that same circuit... Remember also that you can split your outlets so that one receptacle uses one circuit and the other receptacle uses another. The other option is to split the circuits per wall or something like that.

For lighting, you want that on its own circuit so that when you pop a breaker you're not standing in the dark. Use plenty of lighting. No, more than that. :-) In my shop I'm going to use 8' fixtures that use four 4' t-8 bulbs. The T-8 stuff seems to be the way to go these days in terms of cold start/run & efficency, but I'm certainly not an expert.

Other stuff... I dunno where you live but if it gets cold in the winters consider radiant floor heating. Around us, natural gas and fuel oil prices are as bad or worse than electric now, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't do electric radiant floor heat when we poured the new floor.

For the future lift, make sure you've got the headroom you need and remember also that a garage door in the up position or a garage door opener may be your limiter. The floor requirements for a four post lift are much better than a two post, but if you're like me you'll find a two post more versatile.

I'd put in an exhaust fan on one of the walls too.

There's probably other stuff I'm not thinking about.

Mark

Edit: This is a good reference book for wiring. Reading the NEC is a non-starter. http://www.amazon.com/Wiring-House-Pros-Re...l/dp/1561585270

This post has been edited by marka: May 10 2007, 03:21 PM