Electrical setup at your shop

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

I was just wondering how you guys have your electrical wiring setup in your individual shops.

Are you running dedicated breakers and lines to each machine or are you running a larger breaker with a bigger wire in a loop to multiple outlets? Do you use one big breaker box or utilize sub breaker boxes? How many amps you have going to your facility?

[mojorolla]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

I couldn't tell you how many amps total, but we have three dedicated 20 amp breakers for building and testing of machines. We also have two fax lines for testing the fax kits before they leave the building. We have one breaker box with 12 to 16 20 amp breakers.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Are you kidding? For the first few months we were blowing breakers like crazy. You can't turn on six 15A copiers on the same circuit during a demo, and expect the breakers to hold. =^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Realistically, I want about 6 independent outlets to have a maximum of 6 pieces of equipment on at once...I don't think I'll ever need more than that or even close to that at once, because I can always move a few things around.

I do most of my own wiring but I'm not sure if I should run 6 separate lines to 6 separate outlets with each outlet on a 20 amp breaker for 120 amps...which the real draw power will most likely never top 100 amps anyway because they're 15 amp devices and won't all be running at once...

...or...


...should I get one heavier gauge wire (not sure which gauge will be necessary) and run one wire from the breaker box using a 100 amp breaker and run the wire to the first outlet, then the second, and so on so that all six outlets are in the series but on the single breaker?

I think either way will work in theory but the 100 amp way should save breaker box space for the future but the wire is probably really thick and expensive for 100 amps.

[irtek]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

..or...


...should I get one heavier gauge wire (not sure which gauge will be necessary) and run one wire from the breaker box using a 100 amp breaker and run the wire to the first outlet, then the second, and so on so that all six outlets are in the series but on the single breaker?

I think either way will work in theory but the 100 amp way should save breaker box space for the future but the wire is probably really thick and expensive for 100 amps.

I hope you are joking about this.

[seansbar]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

..or...


...should I get one heavier gauge wire (not sure which gauge will be necessary) and run one wire from the breaker box using a 100 amp breaker and run the wire to the first outlet, then the second, and so on so that all six outlets are in the series but on the single breaker?

I think either way will work in theory but the 100 amp way should save breaker box space for the future but the wire is probably really thick and expensive for 100 amps.

I hope you are joking about this.

+1. This is against NEC code. In a nut shell, the wiring and outlets must match the capacity of the breaker.

You may run your 100 amp wire to a centrally located sub panel, thus your single runs to your outlets will be shorter. With a sub panel you should defiantly get an electrician to do the work, or at least supervise. ELECTRICITY KILLS!

[blackcat4866]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Realistically, I want about 6 independent outlets to have a maximum of 6 pieces of equipment on at once...I don't think I'll ever need more than that or even close to that at once, because I can always move a few things around.

I do most of my own wiring but I'm not sure if I should run 6 separate lines to 6 separate outlets with each outlet on a 20 amp breaker for 120 amps...which the real draw power will most likely never top 100 amps anyway because they're 15 amp devices and won't all be running at once...

...or...


...should I get one heavier gauge wire (not sure which gauge will be necessary) and run one wire from the breaker box using a 100 amp breaker and run the wire to the first outlet, then the second, and so on so that all six outlets are in the series but on the single breaker?

I think either way will work in theory but the 100 amp way should save breaker box space for the future but the wire is probably really thick and expensive for 100 amps.

If you have any actual input, I'd recommend having five 20A 120V circuits with only one box per circuit, one 20A 120V circuit, and one 20A 220V circuit. If you plan to have production level machines you'll also need one 30A 220V circuit. It doesn't really matter where the circuit box is. If it's wired correctly you won't be blowing breakers.

In real life, management will discover the cost of what you'd like to do, then totally ignore your recommendations. It will end up wired like your bedroom with 5 outlet boxes strung onto each of two circuits. Then when the salesman walks around flipping on equipment you'll get to reset the breakers. And when you need to set up a production machine, you'll say: "Can't do it. No power. Remember what we talked about ... " =^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

of course I was just joking...

I hope you are joking about this.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

What do you mean by one box per circuit? One copier per circuit?

I have to watch how many empty slots are left in the main breaker box because we're running out of room, although some of them could be consolidated, and some of the dedicated breakers removed because there's rooms in the building that don't need all the extra amps anymore.

Another complication is that the building used to have 4 breaker boxes, but years ago an electrician consolidated them down to one big breaker box...but there's still an additional sub-panel that runs from the new main box. The sub box has only about 60 amps, so I was thinking of running a bigger line, like the 100 amp line and putting in a new sub panel and running to the demo room and service room outlets...

If you have any actual input, I'd recommend having five 20A 120V circuits with only one box per circuit, one 20A 120V circuit, and one 20A 220V circuit. If you plan to have production level machines you'll also need one 30A 220V circuit. It doesn't really matter where the circuit box is. If it's wired correctly you won't be blowing breakers.

In real life, management will discover the cost of what you'd like to do, then totally ignore your recommendations. It will end up wired like your bedroom with 5 outlet boxes strung onto each of two circuits. Then when the salesman walks around flipping on equipment you'll get to reset the breakers. And when you need to set up a production machine, you'll say: "Can't do it. No power. Remember what we talked about ... " =^..^=

[blackcat4866]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

What do you mean by one box per circuit? One copier per circuit?

I have to watch how many empty slots are left in the main breaker box because we're running out of room, although some of them could be consolidated, and some of the dedicated breakers removed because there's rooms in the building that don't need all the extra amps anymore.

Another complication is that the building used to have 4 breaker boxes, but years ago an electrician consolidated them down to one big breaker box...but there's still an additional sub-panel that runs from the new main box. The sub box has only about 60 amps, so I was thinking of running a bigger line, like the 100 amp line and putting in a new sub panel and running to the demo room and service room outlets...

Yes. Only one copier per circuit. Two is an overload. A typical 30 to 50 cpm copier draws 12 to 14A. And I like the idea of re-purposing the sub-panel. It will give you lots of room for breakers. =^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Thanks for all the help and inputs.

Are you guys using any of those filter devices or hooking anything else up between the copiers and the wall outlets?

I haven't been for the bigger stuff but think maybe I should. The smaller stuff I've been using standard surge protectors/power strips.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Me? Just the typical surge suppressor that goes out with every machine. The only thing that doesn't get a surge is a tabletop printer or fax.
=^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

Yeah. What kind of surge suppressor do you recommend for the mid to higher volume machines?

Me? Just the typical surge suppressor that goes out with every machine. The only thing that doesn't get a surge is a tabletop printer or fax.
=^..^=

[blackcat4866]

Re: Electrical setup at your shop

We're using ESP and I have no complaints. They have a couple different lines of products. We're using the "basic product". No need for power conditioning in most environments. =^..^=