NEW QUESTIONS ADDED!! Adding 220v to my garage, can I use outdoor 10/2, and how?

[Mr_Mike]

2014 NFPA 70 334.15(B) Protection from Physical Damage -  (Type NM) Cable shall be protected from physical damage where necessary by rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, Schedule 80 PVC conduit...

334.15( C) - Nonmetallic sheathed cable installed on the wall of an unfinished basement shall be permitted to be installed in a listed conduit or tubing or shall be protected in accordance with 300.4.

So in fact NM cable can, and in some applications must be, installed in conduit. I wish this urban legend would die...

Thank you, I stand corrected.  How does this apply to the OP's use in a finished garage?   The above references unfinished basement.

[jlanciani]

Thank you, I stand corrected.  How does this apply to the OP's use in a finished garage?   The above references unfinished basement.

To use the existing UF cable and be code compliant it would need to be protected as needed per 334.15(B). As for me personally, I would not bother with the UF because it is such a pain in the butt to work with. I would either run conduit the entire way and use THHN or use NM from the panel and transition to conduit and THHN where aplicable.

[pprobus]

Thank you, I stand corrected.  How does this apply to the OP's use in a finished garage?   The above references unfinished basement.

The OP stated that he will be running the cabling in a finished garage and wants to do it exposed, therefore, it needs to be protected in the garage portion of the run in either conduit or a large wiremold (I don't think 10/2 can be run in the wiremold that the BORG's sell) since he is unwilling to cut into the sheetrock.

Paul

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Well, I think we have a winner of an idea here. I think I'll use the free-to-me NM to run two lines from the subpanel in the basement to the garage thru the joists. Then I'll have a box where it comes into the garage and from there, I'll buy and use some THHN in conduit in the garage to the 3 drops I want. One point for the Compressor and DC, and the other 2 points on the same line for the machinery.

The only issue I'm going to have is that occasionally, I use the DC and compressor together when using my media blasting cabinet. In those instances, I'll just move the DC plug to the other run.

I think I have a plan, and tomorrow I can get started running the line in prep for the electrical guy to hook it up.

Thanks gentlemen.

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Well, the electrician showed up today. He looked at the wire and told me he'd prefer to use a 10/3 with ground. I don't recall exactly his reasoning, but he said it after I mentioned that I want to use a phase converter sometime down the line. Not sure if that was related.

Anyway, he's in town for a couple weeks, so I'll go buy the 10-3 WG and he'll come back on Monday.

Anyone know why he may have these preferences?

He also said that he'd use THHN. If I use THHN, I'd need 6 wires for 2 runs (the 2 runs could share the neutral and ground?), right? Is that going to be a similar cost as buying the Romex 10/3 WG ??


Thanks again

[GHR]

One wiring scheme for phase converters requires 2 hots and a neutral. That may be a cheaper way to go.

I would let the electrician decide how to wire the whole thing. Ask him where he wants wires, how many, and what size.

I would run THHN between the buildings and NM within the buildings. But other people have different preferences.

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

I'll do as he asks, but I did have all that 10/2 wg that was free and it was about half of what I need for the entire project. I'll need to buy about 250 ft of 10/3 wg now. It's about $150, but at least the electrician is doing the hookup to the panel free for me. Overall, a pretty good savings.

[Stwood_]

I'll do as he asks, but I did have all that 10/2 wg that was free and it was about half of what I need for the entire project. I'll need to buy about 250 ft of 10/3 wg now. It's about $150, but at least the electrician is doing the hookup to the panel free for me. Overall, a pretty good savings.

Do the price ck thing between the big box stores and you'll probably save 10%.
Plus, sometimes it's cheaper to buy a roll instead of the lengths you need.

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Yeah, I have a Lowe's, HD and a Sutherlands all within 5 miles of me, so I'll shop around a bit.

I figured that I need about 175 feet to get both runs and all 3 drops I want. I'll probably get a 250 ft roll. Gonna cost about $150 or so.

[gamma]

There are some good vendors for wire on ebay.  Only really makes sense on the non-common stuff (not 14/12/10 ga).  I bought some 4/0-4/0-2/0 there for a good bit less than the local supply houses/borg.  I'm probably going to buy some 1ga soon as well.

THHN is easier to pull in conduit, easier if something gets damaged (replace one wire, not all of them), and lets you more easily reduce gauge for ground. 

Check if the ground needs to be the same size as the feeds.  The NEC generally allows grounds to be 2 sizes smaller.  Not a huge savings, but every dollar counts.