120v home shop/garage upfitting

It's just electrickery - if wired properly, no difference from you installing it than an electrician. Really not much to it, install a ganged breaker, wire both hots, and a ground, run to an outlet and connect there. Only gotchas would be wire size, breaker size, & proper outlet for it to be to code. (And should be more than 4ft from water if it's not a gfci circuit if my memory is correct, but I'm not an electrickery professional - I've got an adapter cord or two that "shouldn't exist" example- 220v parallel flat terminal plug to 120v plug for the plasma so I can use it within 26 ft of the outlet with a standard 120v drop cord. Should it exist? No. Does it? That's up to your imagination.)
 
a_kelley said:
It's just electrickery - if wired properly, no difference from you installing it than an electrician. Really not much to it, install a ganged breaker, wire both hots, and a ground, run to an outlet and connect there. Only gotchas would be wire size, breaker size, & proper outlet for it to be to code. (And should be more than 4ft from water if it's not a gfci circuit if my memory is correct, but I'm not an electrickery professional - I've got an adapter cord or two that "shouldn't exist" example- 220v parallel flat terminal plug to 120v plug for the plasma so I can use it within 26 ft of the outlet with a standard 120v drop cord. Should it exist? No. Does it? That's up to your imagination.)
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Forgot to add that it doesn't matter what you do as long as it's doesnt catch fire burn your ________ down while you're not there, which is why everything gets turned off and unplugged when I go home. Even stuff properly wired should be turned off/unplugged when unattended in my book.
 
FWIW you can always make the long run in 240V, drop that power into a sub panel, then run all your branch circuits in 120V. And still have a provision for a welder outlet down the road since you’d have 240 there already. That way your longest run will be the highest voltage/ smallest wire.

Keep your neutrals and grounds on separate bus bars since the sub panel wouldn’t be the first point of disconnect (from line voltage)
 
a_kelley said:
It's just electrickery - if wired properly, no difference from you installing it than an electrician. Really not much to it, install a ganged breaker, wire both hots, and a ground, run to an outlet and connect there. Only gotchas would be wire size, breaker size, & proper outlet for it to be to code. (And should be more than 4ft from water if it's not a gfci circuit if my memory is correct, but I'm not an electrickery professional - I've got an adapter cord or two that "shouldn't exist" example- 220v parallel flat terminal plug to 120v plug for the plasma so I can use it within 26 ft of the outlet with a standard 120v drop cord. Should it exist? No. Does it? That's up to your imagination.)
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336wheeler said:
FWIW you can always make the long run in 240V, drop that power into a sub panel, then run all your branch circuits in 120V. And still have a provision for a welder outlet down the road since you’d have 240 there already. That way your longest run will be the highest voltage/ smallest wire.

Keep your neutrals and grounds on separate bus bars since the sub panel wouldn’t be the first point of disconnect (from line voltage)
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So when I said I was an electrical dunce...I truly meant it. I'm capable of swapping light fixtures, outlets, switches...beyond that, when I plug in the item does it work, yes or no. It's just not a skillset I have, and think I understood about 7 words of what's quoted.
 
UTfball68 said:
So when I said I was an electrical dunce...I truly meant it. I'm capable of swapping light fixtures, outlets, switches...beyond that, when I plug in the item does it work, yes or no. It's just not a skillset I have, and think I understood about 7 words of what's quoted.
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Dont feel bad, @336wheeler is kind of like our friendly neighborhood Rainman. :lol:
 
With the panel in the garage, my thinking is it's a no brainer. Run two 220v outlets. If there are not 4 spaces open in your breaker box, run power to a sub panel. Then run the outlets from there. If your garage is finished(sheetrock or something else) I would put the outlets near as you can from the breaker box. Harbor Freight has a really nice drop cord so you can move the welder around your garage. The compressor, if it's not gonna work to be clos enough to the outlet, just get either a drop cord or rewire in a longer cord. My best advice is to take the offer)s) of help!
 
Post a pic or two of said panel (one of the wall it's on & one with the door open)...

If the panel is of a surface-mount & has open slots - this is a very simple solution. Flush-mount panel complicates it a bit (aesthetics, mostly) - but not mo' room @ the inn makes it a little more difficult.

Many great ideas posted here...
 
upnover said:
My best advice is to take the offer)s) of help!
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Appreciate the advice and offers of help. Ended up talking to the electrician that sub-contracts for work. I wanted some more flood/spot lighting around the perimeter of my house and some interior/exterior lighting in my 12x24 shed. Told him I'd like to add some juice to the garage, said he'd do the garage for me instead of a fruit basket for Christmas. Not sure how often I'll use it at home, but it's better to have and not need, than need and not have, I suppose.
 
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