48x39x14 shop build

[ovrszd]

How did you go about running all the wire?

Ran it as your hung the conduit?

Pushed it through after conduit was hung?

Pulled a string?

I am doing all exposed conduit in my shop also, simply for the easy access and ability to change things, plus I love the look.. I’m going with white tin walls also.

I pushed almost everything. Only time I pulled was when running my #6 welder wires. I used plenty of junction boxes. This minimized the length of my runs. I used #12 strand wire for 110V runs. It's designed for conduit use and is easy to push. I'll get a pic of the spools and wire today.

 

[ovrszd]

Conduit isn't necessarily cheaper, but it gives you flexibility to change or add to the electrical system very easily. My experience (mistake) as in putting all the wiring behind the OSB on my walls and above the metal ceiling. Now I have all these openings in the walls and ceiling for outlets and fixtures which compromise the insulation and were very time consuming to install. It all would have gone much faster with conduit.

I agree. I have no compromise of insulation. No place for drafts. I carefully drilled and caulked everytime I breached my exterior walls.

 

[ovrszd]

Here's a pic of the #12 I used. To date I've used approximately 2,500 ft of wire just for the 110V stuff. Another 400ft of #6 for 220V stuff.

280ft of 1/2" conduit. 150ft of 3/4" conduit. 35 junction boxes. 50 duplex plugins. 3 220V plugins. 6 single pole switchs. 8 T5 six bulb lights. 2 outside man door lights. 1 outdoor security light. Dozens of conduit connectors and couplers.

I'll get a precise dollar amount when I'm done. I'm guessing now at $4,000 for electrical.

 

[Wakey]

Looks awesome Richard!

And check out the "spools".. I've only seen that for low voltage wire.

 

[Xfaxman]

8 T5 six bulb lights.

So your not using LED lights?

 

[ovrszd]

Looks awesome Richard!

And check out the "spools".. I've only seen that for low voltage wire.

Thanks.

Yep, those spools are cool. Easy feed, no tangled mess.

 

[ovrszd]

So your not using LED lights?

Dennis,

These lights were $115 each for a total of $920. Same fixture with LEDs were $318 each for a total of $2544.

I don't run my lights enough hours per week to justify the cost.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Nice work, Richard. Once again, I wish I was close enough to help out... I've bent a few stick of conduit over the years, it's one aspect of my field of work I truly enjoy.

I think you went the right direction, going with conduit on the surface, for many of the reasons youve already pointed out. (Faster insulation/wall covering installation, better sealing of walls, easy accessibility of future modifications to electrical system) Sometimes the initial cost is out-weighed by the future ease of maintenance and repair.

Whole project is shaping up very nice... as I've said before, I'm jealous! Gives me a goal to work towards. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks Greg. There's a few guys on here I'd like to have as neighbors. You'd be on the short list.

 

[bigtiller]

These lights were $115 each for a total of $920. Same fixture with LEDs were $318 each for a total of $2544.

I don't run my lights enough hours per week to justify the cost.

Have you checked with your power company? They may offer you a nice rebate for using the economical florescent lights. Mine did, after I showed them proof of purchase for 20 fixtures. I got back several hundred dollars.