Looking for input on my garage rewiring project.
House built in early 1950's. A slightly roomy one-car garage. I want to modernize it and make it nice to work in; sometimes power tools and car tools, etc. Garage is attached to the house. No problem running cables from the breaker panel through basement joists to the garage.
Currently a single 15 amp circuit supplies this:
- garage outlets (3, 1 of which is for door opener)
- garage lights (3 porcelain ceiling fixtures)
- exterior garage flood light (1)
- exterior outlet (in backyard)
I'm thinking of doing this:
20 amp circuit:
- 8 outlets (2 side wall, 3 back, 3 other side)
another 20 amp circuit:
- garage lights
- ceiling outlet for door opener
- exterior garage flood light
- 2 exterior outlets (one in backyard, one outside garage door)
Does this seem reasonable? Or should the 2nd circuit be split up?
Best Answer
I'm not one to change stuff if it isn't already broken.
There's nothing wrong with the existing 15A circuit. I would leave it just as it is, and have a general sense that you'll try to avoid putting shop tools on it (since if the tool trips the breaker, it'll knock out the lights).
Then, I'd add the two 20A circuits as you propose, except have both of them feed outlets. The day you get a dust collector for your table saw, you'll thank me when you can just move the dust collector to the other circuit.
I would do one more thing, though. I would either run the second circuit with /3 cable, or have a notion to convert it to 240V/NEMA 6 if you ever get yourself a 240V tool. This is so you don't have to say "no" if you find a sweet table saw that's 240V, or don't wind up like that other person trying to run a nice big tool like a SawStop on 120V, and having all manner of problems as a result.