Detached garage sub panel. Inspection tips


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Old 05-03-16, 04:10 PM
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Detached garage sub panel. Inspection tips

Alright every garage is completely rewired. All outlets and switches are wired to the new panel and we have lift off. Everything is working as should and my multimeter is showing the correct voltage at each outlet/switch.

All that is left to do is clean up the garage double check it all and call the inspector. I was looking for tips on how things should look for the inspector. I know some are going to say I did too much wiring but a lot of what I read said just complete the work because it was an un finished garage.

Also how should I treat the old feed? Currently the fuses are off in the house and the wires are capped and taped white with OLD written in magic marker. They are secured in a junction box. I can provide pics if necessary.
 
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Old 05-03-16, 04:23 PM
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#1, We have no location, so no idea what codes apply.
#2, No idea what loads you going to be using, what size wire or number of wires where ran.
#3, Where the wires ran to a sub panel?
Is there two ground rods spaced at least 6' apart?
The mention of fuses in the house is a red flag.
 
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Old 05-03-16, 05:38 PM
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I'm in Dearborn MI. I ran some 2-2-2-4 MHF buried18" in conduit. I left 4 areas of the trench open the rest I covered up. The run is approx 50'.

In the house there is a 60am fuse for shut off. The garage has a 100amp panel with 100amp fuse shut off. There are 2 x 8' grounding rods about 7' apart connected to the panel with #6 bare stranded copper wire. I installed a separate ground bust bar.

The garage panel only has 2 x 20amp 120v fuses and 1 x 20amp 220v fuse. One 20amp 120v fuse controles the outlets and the other controles the lights. Both are protected downstream with a gfci as the first outlet in each run. The 20amp 240v fuse directly feeds a turn lock outlet outlet for my jointer. I ran a piece of black tape around outlet screws.

All outlets/switches were fed with 12/2 Romex which I ran vertically fastened to studs and horizontally fastened to joists. Versus the holes through studs.
 
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Old 05-03-16, 05:42 PM
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The only fuse currently in the house is the 60amp for the feed. The 2 old fuses for the previous feed are off. Not sure of the proper method of termination. I'm guessing disconnect wires, cap with nuts and pull fuses. I know the 2 fuses from the old feed weren't code. They came with the house.
 
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Old 05-03-16, 07:30 PM
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Here are some pics. Excuse the messy shop.
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Old 05-03-16, 08:17 PM
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You have a breaker panel , not fuses.

The whites on the breakers should have tape or magic marker to identify them as hots. Black or red is fine.
 
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Old 05-03-16, 08:25 PM
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The garage has a 100amp panel with 100amp fuse shut off.
That is not true based on the picture. You have a main breaker panel, no fuses. Is it really 60 amp fuses in the house or do you have a 60 amp 2-pole breaker? Fuses and breakers are very different. Writing fuse gives a very misleading impression of what your equipment you have.

Do you have GFCI protection on your receptacles?
 
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Old 05-04-16, 07:01 AM
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Sorry about the terminology. I have breakers on both panels. Yes the outlets are protected with gfci. I used 2 gfci's. 1 to start the chain for wall outlets and the other gfci was used for the cieling lights. The 240 outlet is un protected.
 
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Old 05-04-16, 08:41 AM
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the other gfci was used for the cieling lights.
Normally the lights are not GFCI protected, not wrong just no need to.
The 240 outlet is un protected.
That is also normal practice.
 
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Old 05-04-16, 10:10 AM
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Currently one of my work benches are directly underneath the garage panel. From my under standing I will have to move the bench so there is 3' of space around the panel? Is this correct?
 
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Old 05-04-16, 11:30 AM
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The clearance requirement is 30" along the face of the panel and 36" out from the panel. The panel need not be centered in the 30" space, and you are allowed to open or close doors if needed to meet the clearance. Essentially you need to be able to slide a refrigerator box up to the face of the panel.
 
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Old 05-04-16, 06:13 PM
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I am wondering what the inspector's reaction will be to the NM cables being tie wrapped rather than being secured with cable staples.
 
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Old 05-04-16, 07:08 PM
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Well I will find out tomorrow and report back if he complains. I saw a few other garage sub panel threads on the net where they were used. I went with them because the screws make them reusable and in my mind seemed like a better choice. The NM staples are a B!tch to hammer and take out. These cable screw on clips don't damage the wire at all. They hold it fairly snug and I used plenty so one would need to put a stupid amount of force to rip the wire.

In general I'm more of a screw fan for the reasons listed. I'm a fairly serious woodworker and if I use a nail/staple it's with my gun. All other fasteners are usually screws.

Also I moved the bench 3ft down today just in case. After the inspection I may sneak it within a foot of the panel. But for the inspection I figured why ask for trouble off the rip.
 
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Old 05-04-16, 08:16 PM
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I like these instead of traditional staples. Easy to install and won't damage the sheath.

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Old 05-05-16, 08:35 AM
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Leave the old feed in place for now, with wire ends capped but not snipped off, if it was still working up to the time of changeover.

You can use the old feed for a switch loop, to allow you to control a light at the garage and powered by garage circuits by using a switch at the main house.
 
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Old 05-05-16, 08:14 PM
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Allan - that's basically what I did I just put some wire nuts on them with some white tape and labeled it "Dead Old Feed". Then I disconnected the fuses and labeled it the same in the house box. The garage originally had 2 dedicated breakers 110v and a 3way shared with the house. So I kept the 3 way in addition to the new sub panel. So I doubt I'll ever have a use for them but I left them intact just in case.

BTW I passed then inspection. The only complaint was to add a unistrut clamp to the pvc in the basement. But he said it's no biggie and he'll trust that I do it.

The inspector had no complaint with the plastic screw on cable clamps.

He also stressed how the ceiling gfci was important. From what I read I knew it wasn't required per NEC but something some inspectors wanted. So I went ahead and installed on ahead of time just in case. But it's a heads up for others.

It was a good experience and I learned a few things along the way. It was also nice to hear the inspector ask if I was in the trades because he thought it was a pretty through job. I've been a helper in the trades but never did a big electrical job like this one on my own before so it was nice to hear that.

Now it's time to install the plug on my 12" 1900 circa JA Fay Jointer and watch the chips fly 😃😃😃😃

Thanks for the advice and assistance everyone.
 
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Old 05-06-16, 07:14 AM
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He also stressed how the ceiling gfci was important. From what I read I knew it wasn't required per NEC
That is outdated information. NEC does now require GFCI protection for receptacles on the garage ceiling.

Glad your shop is up an running. Enjoy running that battleship of a jointer.
 
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Old 05-06-16, 09:39 AM
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Note though while the receptacle must be GFCI protected at the ceiling it can't be a GFCI receptacle because the GFCI protection needs to be easily accessible for resetting so it needs to be a non GFCI receptacle fed by a GFCI protected feed. Such as another GFCI receptacle located at an accessible height. (Or so I have read here.)
 
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Old 05-06-16, 11:00 AM
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All GFCI devices (and AFCI for that matter) are required to be readily accessible, meaning you can get to them with the use of tools or ladders.

The only change (other then those already mentioned) I would suggest is getting rid of the extra feeder wire in the panel. Looks very sloppy like a newbie did it. Also I hope you use anti-oxidation paste on your aluminum wires.
 
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Old 05-06-16, 03:33 PM
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I saw a few other garage sub panel threads on the net where they were used. I went with them because the screws make them reusable and in my mind seemed like a better choice. The NM staples are a B!tch to hammer and take out. These cable screw on clips don't damage the wire at all.
I was referring to the black ty-wraps. The screw clips are a bit unconventional, but I don't really see a problem with them either.
 
 

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