Hi. I live in New York and would like to add 4 outlets and 2 - 4' fluorescent lights above my workbench area in my basement. I'd be using standard equipment on these outlets such as skill saw, power drill, shop vac, table saw, heater, etc... The heater would likely be used simultaneously with another single item during the winter months along with both lights on. I was thinking of having 2 ceiling light fixtures that are the kind with built-in outlets and having the each fluorescent light would plug in to them separately.

What would be the wireing design for this? Should I use a 12 ga wire and a single 20 amp breaker for the whole project (4 outlets, 1 light switch, and 2 lights)? Or should I have the lights/switch on a single 15 amp cuircut and keep the 4 outlets on a single 20 amp? Either way, what would be the wiring path from the breaker box so all items are connected?

Thanks in advance.

Kent

If possible would use 3 circuits.

A 20amp for lights and outlet for heater. This would be controlled by size of heater.

2 20 amp circuits to run tools. This way u would be able to run a power tool and vacuum at same time. Or any 2 tools at same time.

In summer u would have and extra circuit for tools when not using heater.

Chuck

Just curious, but where in New York are you? NYC, Albany, Buffalo? I ask this because the size of your heater may have to be sized accordingly.

A second concern I have is the use of fluorescent lights. Fluorescent lights do not behave well in cold weather. They can be flickering nightmare during the start up.

Next big concern that I have would be the size of the service to your home. Does it allow for the increased demand you want installed?

Is the basement finished? If it is not, then the receptacles will have to be GFCI protected!

If this basement is to be used for woodworking? If so, then you need to deal with dust collection.

Basically you need to provide more information for us.

Glad I posted because now you have me thinking, which would probably make my life easier in future as I upgrade my workshop (sawdust collector, etc... )

I live in the Buffalo area. My basement is made by Superior Walls, which is considered pre-finished (pre-instullated, pre-holed for electrical wiring). My sump-pump has a non-GFI outlet and was done professionally and instpected in 2007 when house was built. I have other outlets near washer and my breaker box that are also not GFIs. I must not have had to use GFIs then I guess so I'm thinking I won't have to from here on out, but could be wrong.

My heater is a small floor model that stands maybe 2' high, but I would mind investing in a more robust one. I primarily burn with wood upstairs and throughout our cold winters do not have the furnace heat (propane) on. This makes the basement VERY cold (~55 degrees or so) to enjoy doing much of anything down there. So yes, maybe I should account for a separate heater circuit (good idea). You mentioned you can also put the lights on the same circuit as the heater outlet?

I should also account for a future dust collector, which would run simultaneously as the heater and perhaps table saw.

I'm pretty sure I have a 200 amp breaker box and I know it has quite a few available breaker slots (I'd check for sure but I'm not home at the moment). I plan on building a barn in the future and I'd either extend a breaker box off my current breaker box or have the barn breaker box tapped into our above ground transformer near the driveway (we're 650' feet back from road).

So yes, I'd like to do some more serious woodworking. I don't know anything about dust collectors but I'm sure you're going to tell me to put that also on a separate breaker (15, 20? ). Does that hang from the ceiling and need a ceiling outlet?

The flourescents should be okay, but what other shop lighting would be recommended in a 50 degree plus basement?

You mentioned 2 - 20 amp circuits for the tools. So just two outlets per 20 amp circuit if I'm intersted on having 4 power tool outlets?

Thanks!

When I wired my shop, I used 1900 boxes with split outlets so that I could have 4 20 amp circuits at each location. This was a bit overkill, but did not want to be blowing breaker when working.

The lights should be set up so as to not throw a shadow on work. I did this by setting up lights that directly light up work surface. These lights are separate from main lighting.

Wiring heater with main lights will depend on size of heater being used.

Chuck

Thanks. Okay the whole heater part of this discussion has been a concern of mine. So I decided the first thing I'll do is install a real heater... a garage/shop heater unit rated at 240 volts/5000 Watts. Since the math comes to just past 20 amps, I should use a 2 pole 30 amp cuircit breaker and 10 ga wire? I think that's right but just want to make sure.