Wiring electric to my shop building, help?

Question

i am about to build a shop about 100 feet from my house. It will consist of 4 to 5 lights (60 watt) a 110 ac window unit and a couple outlets. most likely never all used to capacity at once. I currently have a 250 ft roll of 12/2 romex and was wondering if that would be large enough to run from my breaker box to the shop without losing to much voltage to run the previously mentioned load. Thanks, if u need more info dont be afraid to ask

Answer 1

new code allows 25 amps on #12 wire over 100feet. you will need to have GFI prtection for outlets and should have a sub panel with 20 amp breakers to properly protect the outlets. you will need to jumper the buss because you are feeding only one side. there is certainly no room for "expansion" later on. as others have stated it would be better to "overdo it" now than be hoping you did later.

Answer 2

AIN'T GONNA WORK!!!

I'm putting a shop up now and I will be getting an underground wire. Yours isn't.

12/2 is for general wiring inside the house or your shop.

You need to tap into a dedicated (220) breaker in your main box and run it to a breaker box in your shop. You split off of there for your lights, outlets, etc. Your air conditioner should be on a dedicated breaker in that box.

Check with the electrical guys at Lowe's or Home Depot to get the right gage for the length you want.

Depending on where you live you may have to go below the freeze line.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

12/2 is good for 20 amps,  and a long run. Get your electrical chart back up. I would use 30 amp breaker from main and 10/3 wire ran to a 220 box in new shop . Go bye code , make sure you got a good grounding system at the house and to the new install. 30 amps are all you need.

Answer 4

I just did this but, I run a 6/2 w/ground for 25 feet to a breaker box nd w/6 breakers. Most are shop lights but, some will serve as power tool units, they will never be use at once.

       You can never say "Never" when it comes to a unit like this because some day someone may just go bigger then what you have.

       I know wirng is spendy, like 4 bucks a foot for 6/2 w/ground but, your home and life are more important.

Answer 5

Use the 12/2 for your inside wiring.  You've got to install a subpanel inside your shop.  Run a piece of 10/3 UF (underground rated) from your house panel to the new subpanel.  Attach the red and black wires to a 30A breaker inside the house panel and at the other end wire them to the hot buss bars inside the new panel.  Be sure to install a ground rod at your new shop as well and attach the ground wire to it.  Using your 12/2, you should be able to run all your lights on one circuit and all your plugs on another as well as have a dedicated plug for your AC, just be sure to use 20A breakers in the new panel.  While this is a very simple job for an accomplished DIY'er with electrical experience, be smart about it.  Do all the research you can on the front end so you don't get bit on the back end.  Good luck!

Answer 6

More important is your amp usage.  Computing that will allow you to use the following chart to figure your voltage drop.  I would be particularly interested in the amp load of the air conditioner.  Are you planning on running this all on one breaker and not use any powertools in your shop?  If so, we'll need to know the amps of those tools.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm