Hello All,
I am beginning to set up my first permanent workshop in our recently purchased first house!! The workshop will be in the basement (definite pros and cons). I have done some wiring in the past and have worked alongside a few electricians and in the building trades as well, so wiring the workshop seems like a very doable option for me, along with insulating the ceiling, hanging resilient channel and drywall, doors, etc. I have read up on wiring in the past, but am reading the book Wiring Simplified for the first time, which is based on the NEC. My basic understanding of wiring for electric motors had been that for a 5hp motor, that tool should be on an independent 30a circuit with 10ga wire, and a 3hp on a 20a circuit with 12ga wire. A chart in this book indicated that, due to potential voltage drop, those wire sizes should both be increased by one gauge size each. All of my tools will be fed off of an independent 100a sub panel, which is fed by the main 200a service panel, and no tool will require wiring longer than 25 feet from the sub panel. This increase in wire gauge seems like it might be unnecessary since none of my tools are anywhere near the 100' max distance for the first wire gauge category, and since woodworking equipment does not typically have a pronounced startup load like a well pump might have. My budget does not have a lot of flex, much like many other people here, so I would rather not increase wire sizes if it is not necessary. Am I being pennywise and pound foolish here, or am I missing something? Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Matt