v8dave
Platinum Member
Re: The Man\'s Garage...Ideas??? Pictures???
Just finishing my 30' x 50' shop. I've gone completely overboard in wiring this shop. I am tired of tripping over extension cords and not being able to see what I'm working on.
The shop is laid out with a 16' garage door in the front and a 8' garage door in the back. Inside against the back wall is a 16' x 12' office. Just outside the office (not opening into the office--save wall space in there) is a small bathroom.
The small "bathroom" has just a toilet and sink. Three ft wide, 7 ft long and a 10 ft ceiling (to match wall height). Used a pocket door on bathroom so I don't have a door swing taking up any floor space.
I have four strings of lighting in the ceiling (960 watts of flourscent lights). Based on my previous shop, I have one string set up as an aisle light. The aisle light is set up to operate at three places in the shop, front door, back door and inside door to the office. Turn on the light as you enter, safely negotiate the good stuff laying around, turn on the office/machine shop light, turn off the aisle light.
The remainder of the lights are switched at two locations, the front door and the office. After getting the tools from the office, I can turn on the main shop lights without having to go back to the front door.
The office, which has machine tools, also has an over kill of lighting and so it is on two switches for bright and brighter. In the office area all the convenience outlets are 4' above the floor. I can put a workbench (with backsplash) anywhere and not cover the plugs. Each machine tool has its own 30amp 220 circuit with a wall mounted motor control. I put in 30 amp motor circuits even though the motors only need 20 amps (at most) now. You never know when you might upgrade. The motor controls have fuses in them, I'll have them sized appropriate to the motor in use.
The main shop has its plugs set at 3 ft above the floor--minimizes bending over to plug in tools, and we're not trying to hide cords like in a house. In addition to other outlets, I have an outlet underneath every window. So when you stack things against the walls the plugs are still accessable.
We normally have Propane for heating. But for the shop, I'm putting in a diesel/fuel oil heater. This will be in the office area to be able to warm it up quickly, but when unattended, I plan on leaving the office doors open to heat the remainder of the shop (to keep it above freezing). I am buying a heater that will burn Diesel so I can fuel the tractor and my Ford truck form the storage tank. Truck fueling only to be sure I completely empty the storage tank at least once a year.
I put two 220 outlets in the ceiling for future car lifts. I also put two ceiling plugs in the area of the future lifts for drop cords and drop lights. I wired the outside back wall for 220 to run the air compressor--don't want that noise inside.
Near the front and back garage door I have two "welder" plugs at each door. One dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt and one 30 amp, 220 volt at each door.
Every 120v convenience outlet is a 20 amp recpticle, no wimpy household 15 amp circuits in this shop.
And for the final over the top excess, I've put a row of switched convenience outlets along the top of one wall to plug in a collection of neon signs.
All this takes two circuit breaker panels. One in the office/machine shop and one in the front. All 12/24 breaker spaces in both panels are used.
Just finishing my 30' x 50' shop. I've gone completely overboard in wiring this shop. I am tired of tripping over extension cords and not being able to see what I'm working on.
The shop is laid out with a 16' garage door in the front and a 8' garage door in the back. Inside against the back wall is a 16' x 12' office. Just outside the office (not opening into the office--save wall space in there) is a small bathroom.
The small "bathroom" has just a toilet and sink. Three ft wide, 7 ft long and a 10 ft ceiling (to match wall height). Used a pocket door on bathroom so I don't have a door swing taking up any floor space.
I have four strings of lighting in the ceiling (960 watts of flourscent lights). Based on my previous shop, I have one string set up as an aisle light. The aisle light is set up to operate at three places in the shop, front door, back door and inside door to the office. Turn on the light as you enter, safely negotiate the good stuff laying around, turn on the office/machine shop light, turn off the aisle light.
The remainder of the lights are switched at two locations, the front door and the office. After getting the tools from the office, I can turn on the main shop lights without having to go back to the front door.
The office, which has machine tools, also has an over kill of lighting and so it is on two switches for bright and brighter. In the office area all the convenience outlets are 4' above the floor. I can put a workbench (with backsplash) anywhere and not cover the plugs. Each machine tool has its own 30amp 220 circuit with a wall mounted motor control. I put in 30 amp motor circuits even though the motors only need 20 amps (at most) now. You never know when you might upgrade. The motor controls have fuses in them, I'll have them sized appropriate to the motor in use.
The main shop has its plugs set at 3 ft above the floor--minimizes bending over to plug in tools, and we're not trying to hide cords like in a house. In addition to other outlets, I have an outlet underneath every window. So when you stack things against the walls the plugs are still accessable.
We normally have Propane for heating. But for the shop, I'm putting in a diesel/fuel oil heater. This will be in the office area to be able to warm it up quickly, but when unattended, I plan on leaving the office doors open to heat the remainder of the shop (to keep it above freezing). I am buying a heater that will burn Diesel so I can fuel the tractor and my Ford truck form the storage tank. Truck fueling only to be sure I completely empty the storage tank at least once a year.
I put two 220 outlets in the ceiling for future car lifts. I also put two ceiling plugs in the area of the future lifts for drop cords and drop lights. I wired the outside back wall for 220 to run the air compressor--don't want that noise inside.
Near the front and back garage door I have two "welder" plugs at each door. One dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt and one 30 amp, 220 volt at each door.
Every 120v convenience outlet is a 20 amp recpticle, no wimpy household 15 amp circuits in this shop.
And for the final over the top excess, I've put a row of switched convenience outlets along the top of one wall to plug in a collection of neon signs.
All this takes two circuit breaker panels. One in the office/machine shop and one in the front. All 12/24 breaker spaces in both panels are used.
