Garage Wiring Dillema

[Kyle Kaldor]

Hey guys, I don't ask many questions or start many new threads because I find that most have been asked already when it comes to opinions and reviews. But, I have a personal question that I need opinions on.

I'm getting ready to make a table saw purchase and would like to get a cabinet saw that requires 220V. The saw would be in my garage, which I currently only have 110. I recently sold my hot tub which was on the deck in the back yard. So, I have an unused 220V circuit to the deck. This is only about 30 feet or less from the back door of my garage. Should I just put in a plug at the deck and run an extension cord to the garage, or should I call an electrician and see if I can somehow get it wired into the garage?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Kyle

[Bruce King]

Hey guys, I don't ask many questions or start many new threads because I find that most have been asked already when it comes to opinions and reviews. But, I have a personal question that I need opinions on.

I'm getting ready to make a table saw purchase and would like to get a cabinet saw that requires 220V. The saw would be in my garage, which I currently only have 110. I recently sold my hot tub which was on the deck in the back yard. So, I have an unused 220V circuit to the deck. This is only about 30 feet or less from the back door of my garage. Should I just put in a plug at the deck and run an extension cord to the garage, or should I call an electrician and see if I can somehow get it wired into the garage?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Kyle

Where is your panel located? To do this right, the hot tub circuit would remain as is and should be contained within an enclosed disconnect or weather proof outlet. Another 220V circuit can be run to the garage for your saw. Hopefully your panel is in the garage or an exterior wall by the garage. You should consider adding a panel in the garage so you can power other tools later.

[Lee Schierer]

I agree, a 30 foot extension cord will be a problem. Get it rewired from the panel. Also be aware that voltage is not reflective of saw power. You can get an equally powered saw that runs on 120V. 220V just lets you use smaller wires and experience less voltage drop in long runs.

[Rob Russell]

Another reason to "do it right" is that the circuit for the hot tub was probably either a 30A or 40A circuit (possibly even 50A). Our spa is on a 50A circuit.

You wouldn't want to have a circuit that large for a small machine like a table saw.

[Kyle Kaldor]

Bruce, the house panel is unfortunately located on the other side of the house. I have a split level house and may be able to go through the floor to the garage with power. The hot tub circuit did have an external power shut off. I like the idea of having a separate panel in the garage.

Lee, I agree that the extension cord could be a problem and is definitely not desired and will be a hassle. I realize that voltage is not reflective of saw power, but the type of saw that I want (3HP cabinet) is not really available in 120V.

Rob, you have some good points as well. The hot tub circuit is I believe a 50A circuit. I was thinking about splitting it to 3 circuits in the garage panel. Is it as simple as just splitting the 50A between say 3 circuits. So I could have one 20A, and two 15A 220V circuits?

Thanks for the advice guys.

[Roger Frazee]

Kyle

You may be able to re-purpose the hot tub circuit for a feeder to a garage sub-panel. This actually is quite common when it is not feasible to run a feeder circuit to the garage from the service panel. However the existing hot tub circuit if it is 50 amp must be a 4 wire circuit. You must have 4 wires (H-H-N-grd) otherwise you cannot get both 240 and 120 volts to the garage panel.

It sounds like your going to have a electrician do this so let him take a look at what you have and discuss options with him. He may see an easy way to run a feeder from the panel.

As an example if by chance the hot tub circuit is in conduit it is easy to bring in new wiring or to avoid a splice in the feeder. It is often necessary to find the easiest exit from the inside of a home then go underground to a garage attached or detached from the dwelling. This is very common. If the circuit is not in conduit but has 4 wires in a cable like romex (nm-b)the electrician, if all else fails, will simply install a non-fused 3R disconnect or a junction box in place of the spa disconnect (unless the spa disconnect can be reused) probably not if it is the 50 amp gfci type. Then continue the feeder to a sub- panel in the garage. He most likely will choose to go underground from the disconnect or junction box location to the entry point of the feeder into the garage.. So essentially you will keep the breaker in the service panel run (50 amp double pole?)and re-purpose the hot tub circuit. Very common. You can discuss how many circuits you have a need for with the electrician and he can get the appropriate panel for the garage. It is possible that you may be able to have a breaker larger than 50 amps in the service panel if the existing wiring is 6 AWG and has 4 wires in the circuit.

If this is the way you go I do not like splicing 8 or 6 awg wire in wirenuts or split bolts. The two methods I prefer ... is to use the lugs on a disconnect that has a neutral provision .. meaning a lug to make the splice for the neutral and a grounding lug will be provided also. Or have the electricain consider getting a 3R metal JB and installing what is called distribution blocks which allows you to install a wire in each end of the block and compression screws to secure the wires in lugs. These splicing blocks are in an insulated molded case that has screw mounts or rail mounts. He should know what they are. A lot of electricians use wirenuts or split bolts I just think there are better ways for a quality splice. If your going to do this yourself there are several things you will need to know to be code compliant and I would suggest you have an inspection to cover your bases. Post back if going to DIY this. Here is a distribution block so you will know .... the ground will be attached to the metal of the jb so a simple double lug will work or grounding bar.

[David G Baker]

Hire an electrician to run a 50 amp circuit to a new box/sub panel from the hard wire for the hot tub set up to your garage and inside of the new box add a 220 amp breaker that is of the required amperage for your saw. This way you have the breaker protection for your saw as well as a source for a few more circuits if you need them.

[Kyle Kaldor]

Roger, thanks for the response, but most of that went right over my head. Obviously you are a lot more knowledgeable on this subject than I am. Unfortunately I don't have a way to get the wires from the existing spa panel to the garage because there is a lot of concrete in the way. I'm thinking I'm going to have to go from the panel in the house to the garage somehow. I'm quickly realizing that this is probably going to be one home project that I'm not going to be able to handle myself.

David, I think I'm going to go with your recommendation so that I have some extra circuits to be used for other things in the future. Possibly more tools and a heater...it gets cold in MN.

[Jerome Stanek]

How much concrete is there to go under? If not to much you can use a porta power to push a pipe under it.

[David G Baker]

Kyle,
I went under my small barn concrete floor. The floor was 18 feet wide. I dug a trench about 24 inches deep by 10 feet long. I used 2 inch PVC pipe with notched cuts on one end and turned by hand causing the PVC tip to act as a saw. It took quite a while but it works if your soil is not hard clay or rock. A garden hose with a high pressure tip on it inserted in the pipe helps cut and flush the loosened dirt.