Best location for outlets?

[Justin DiValentino]

Hi all, first post here, though ive been lurking for a few weeks.

I'm in the process of putting together a shop in my basement, and I'm basically starting from scratch. I gutted all of the ~40 year old wiring/outlets/lighting. Now Im wondering whats the best way to locate the new outlets...

As I see it, my options are; on the walls, on the ceiling, or conduit drops from the ceiling to the individual machines.

How did you guys handle this? thanks

[Steve Meliza]

My workspace is small so all tools have to have wheels which rules out conduit drops to the machine and makes ceiling outlets too inconvenient as I would need a ladder to plug in the tools each time I needed to use them or change a blade or bit. What I did was run 1/2" EMT horizontally so that the bottom of each outlet box is about 50" off the floor for easy access and so a sheet of plywood laying on its side won't hit the outlets. Short extensions cords are used if needed.

I've got studs on 24" centers so every 4' is a 4" box with two duplex receptacles (one box every 2' behind the workbench), the outlets on the left side of each box are all from one 20A 120V circuit and all the outlets on the right side are on another circuit. Time consuming to wire, but easy to keep track of my circuit loading that way. A second horizontal run feeds several dedicated circuits for tools like the air compressor, dust collector, and table saw and are shared with other big tools as needed. These outlets can easily be switched from 120V to 240V and are staggered with the other conduit run so I pretty much have an outlet box every 2' on the two walls of my corner workspace.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Justin,

If you live in a township, I'd recommend finding out what local code will allow. A lot of people will make mechanical and electrical changes without referring to local code. Key words...local codes.... Later they try to sell a house it fails a home inspection and they can't sell the house without making changes first. I have seen this happen in two cases in my area. Because you are in a basement of a home, it's pretty important.

In my standalone woodworking shop, I consulted the local inspector and I was allowed free reign. I put the bottom of all outlets 52" above the floor to allow me to stand sheet goods against any wall without blocking outlets. I also put a row of 110 outlets down the middle of my shop. I have 5 110 outlet circuits. 2 outlet circuits feed the east wall and 1/2 of the south wall of my shop. Every other outlet is fed by the other circuit. I did the same for the west wall and the other 1/2 of the south wall. The 5 outlets down the middle of the ceiling make up the 5th 110 outlet circuit.

[Michael W. Clark]

I also have a small basement workshop. I put 110V 20A receptacles about 50" above the floor as well. I also did two duplex receptacles per box as Steve did. However, I put one circuit on the North wall, and one on the South wall. I split the receptacles between the two circuits on the E and W walls. My shop is small, so its not a big deal to plug into opposite walls to get tools on separate circuits.

I used OSB for the walls, so locating the outlets 50" above the floor means you only have to cut one sheet for the outlet box when running your wall covering. I ran my sheets horizontal and did the bottom first. It made it easier for me since I did it by myself. I did run separate 220v circuits for the TS, DC, and compressor. I have an additional 20A 220 circuit for tools I may add in the future. I also have a separate 20A 110V circuit for a couple of ceiling plugs. This is used for a space heater if necessary or an ambient air cleaner. All the 20A circuits are 12/2. I have a separate 15A (14/2) circuit for the lights.

Also, add a phone jack if you can.

I wish I had put a receptacle dedicated to battery charging and separately switched this at the door, or tied it to the lighting circuit. I get paranoid about the chargers or batteries having a problem and causing a fire with all the saw dust in there. Maybe its not a concern, but just something I wish I had done.

[Jerome Hanby]

My shop space had cinder block walls up to about knee height open 2/4 walls from there up (waaaaay up <g>). I ran conduit along the block walls at a height that allowed it to run right into my electrical outlet boxes. I ran 3 conductor (+ ground) cable and cut the tabs on all my outlets so that I could have seperate circuits top and bottom on each outlet. That way I don't have to worry about the dust collector/shop vacuum being on the same circuit as the power tool and kicking a breaker. I also added ceiling drops over the "island" where my big dust collector, table saw, planer, and jointer will live. tTat way I don't have wires running across the floor.

[Van Huskey]

Around the perimeter 52" up for most receptacles then receptacles in the ceiling where needed for machines.

[Prashun Patel]

52" is a good, convenient height along the wall. This also allows future benches or cabinets to be located conveniently along the whole wall without blocking access.

My basement shop is long and narrow, so I need no ceiling outlets. If yr code allows it, I'd put 'wall' outlets on any lolly columns you can.

[Ron Natalie]

The code requirements change depending on whether this is finished or unfinished space. Unfinished, other than putting in GFCI protection, all you need is a single receptacle, you will want more. In a finished space, you'll need run of wall to have no space more than 6' from a receptacle. Again you will want more. Yes you can install receptacles on the posts.

Mine are on the wall about52" as Prashun says essentially anything above "workbench" height. The code doesn't much care how high they are.
Obviously certain big draws (table saw, larger jointers and planers) probably deserve their own circuit (possibly 220).

Dangling from the ceiling is inconvenient for most things (unless you've already got the DC doing that as well and then you can run them in parallel).

[Jim smith]

I read where people put multiple circuit in for all there machines. Wire and breakers aren't that expensive but other than a dust collector, air compressor, air cleaner, and dedciated hvac system I tend to only run one power tool at a time in my shop. So if you have a 220 v lot circuit for your big tools and 2 120 v 20 amp circuits for your wall outlets and a 15 amp for you general lighting why would you add more circuits than that in a large garage shop or basement shop?

It may make you feel good that each tool has its own breaker but it won't be any safer or save any energy.

I only have one 20 amp circuit in my wall outlets in my basement shop and I've never blown a breaker. I do have a dedicated light circuit and both are on switches so I can shut everything off when I leave.

[Jerome Hanby]

I ran one duplex circuit around the left side of the shop dropping 4 outlets. Another duplex around the right dropping 4 outlets. A third duplex circuit through a double light switch, up the wall, then across the ceiling to two banks of florescent lights. A fourth Duplex circuit up the wall and across the ceiling to give me two drop 120 volt circuits. And, one 240 volt up and across to give me a 240 volt drop. I didn't really need that ceiling duplex circuit, but it lets me drop power in the middle of the shop instead of running wires across the floor. I thought being able to power two devices on separate circuits on either side of the shop at the same time would be plenty good enough. I've got slots in my sub-panel if I need more circuits, but no plans for more at the moment.

I read where people put multiple circuit in for all there machines. Wire and breakers aren't that expensive but other than a dust collector, air compressor, air cleaner, and dedciated hvac system I tend to only run one power tool at a time in my shop. So if you have a 220 v lot circuit for your big tools and 2 120 v 20 amp circuits for your wall outlets and a 15 amp for you general lighting why would you add more circuits than that in a large garage shop or basement shop?

It may make you feel good that each tool has its own breaker but it won't be any safer or save any energy.

I only have one 20 amp circuit in my wall outlets in my basement shop and I've never blown a breaker. I do have a dedicated light circuit and both are on switches so I can shut everything off when I leave.

[Greg Portland]

Hi all, first post here, though ive been lurking for a few weeks.

I'm in the process of putting together a shop in my basement, and I'm basically starting from scratch. I gutted all of the ~40 year old wiring/outlets/lighting. Now Im wondering whats the best way to locate the new outlets...

As I see it, my options are; on the walls, on the ceiling, or conduit drops from the ceiling to the individual machines.

How did you guys handle this? thanks

I assumed that I would likely end up changing the location of various tools so I made my electrical system as flexible as possible. I used Wiremold series 4000 steel raceway and THHN wire. If I need to add a new circuit I can pop off the covers and run new wires. If I need to add another 20A outlet I can add it in-line to an existing circuit. Due to the cost of the product I ran Wiremold around 2 sides of the shop and added a few 15A outlets to the other side (which is my hand tools area). A good jig saw + metal blade makes it easy to cleanly cut the product (no need for Wiremold's $$$ shears). A metal file cleans up the cut edges.

The various sizes of Wiremold product have differing capacities (not space, electrical capacity). You may be able to get by with a smaller series of raceway (3000, etc.) depending on your electrical needs.

I prefer wall-mount outlets using twist-lock plugs for the 30A+ machinery. Commercial grade 20A outlets were used for everything else. I have two homebuild 30A extension cords and two 20A homebuilt extension cords to get power to any corner of the shop. My tools are all on mobile bases so I push them into a work area that contains a 6" DC drop and electrical. Each tool has some ductwork attached so all the tools have their DC connection points at the same height.