Wiring my new shed

[redhat]

Had delivered yesterday a 12x30 shed. This will house my 1025, 316 a couple of ATVs and give me a nice work area.

I am wiring the shed and trying to do it right and pass code. In full transparency I have been trying to figure out what my local code is, but some of this stuff is a bit confusing to find. I'm no dummy to electrical but want to run this by some of you folks and see your thoughts.

My plans are a 100A panel in the shed that has 10-spaces. This is a pretty big panel but for future expansion potentially and just having a main shutoff, this is what I think I'd like. This will be fed by a 6/3 wire from a 50A breaker in the house's panel. Box will have a 100A main shutoff. Two 20A breakers, one circuit will be 7 perimeter 20A outlets on 12/2, other circuit will be 3 bench-area 20A outlets on 12/2. I always thought garages needed GFCI. I can put a GFCI as the first outlet in each circuit and that will protect plain-jane outlets, right? Or is that a code violation and I need GFCI at each outlet.

Last and third circuit will be 15A for lights. Porcelain sockets with 100amp LED bulbs. Also on this circuit I am thinking an outlet mounted higher up for a 4-6' LED shop light over my bench. Would that one outlet have to be GFCI? Or no?

All wiring is romex.

Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[brianl703]

You can daisy-chain additional receptacles to a single GFCI by using the "LOAD" terminals and it's perfectly code compliant.

All receptacles in a garage or shed HAVE to be GFCI protected, does not matter if they are used for a light or a garage door opener.

Because your shed panel is a subpanel you MUST remove the screw that bonds the neutral bar to the chassis of the panel and you MUST add a ground bar. This is a common problem.

 

[mrsilv04]

Don't forget an outside light near the door(s). Something with a photoeye. And outside outlets...?

Here's what I used on my shed:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093NHVW9P/

 

[thastinger]

The NEC books are readily available online. The easy stumbling blocks are the feed to the subpanel (how deep it is buried and conduit is always considered a wet environment, also have to de-rate the wire if it is inside conduit). I doubt you will get much electrical wiring advise on an internet forum. Maybe you could pay a licensed person to come out and tell you what needs to be done, you do the grunt work and still save money?

 

[AandPDan]

You also need ground rods.
The neutrals and grounds must be separated.

Just to clarify "all wiring is romex" you can't use romex in a wet location. What are you using as a feeder.

 

[redhat]

You also need ground rods.
The neutrals and grounds must be separated.

Just to clarify "all wiring is romex" you can't use romex in a wet location. What are you using as a feeder.

The interior wiring will be the romex. Not the feeder.

 

[Al]

Why a 15 amp circuit? Use 20 amp ones throughout.

 

[redhat]

Why a 15 amp circuit? Use 20 amp ones throughout.

I already got a bunch of 14/2 wire. 15 amp is plenty for lights. Really don’t wanna buy any romex if I can avoid it.

 

[Al]

I already got a bunch of 14/2 wire. 15 amp is plenty for lights. Really don’t wanna buy any romex if I can avoid it.

I do understand especially since the days of incandescent lighting are over. I just am not a 15 amp fan.

 

[dlundblad]

You also need ground rods.
The neutrals and grounds must be separated.

Just to clarify "all wiring is romex" you can't use romex in a wet location. What are you using as a feeder.

Why would he need ground rods if it’s fed from his house’s main?

 

[dlundblad]

I do understand especially since the days of incandescent lighting are over. I just am not a 15 amp fan.

Old school way of thinking. His lights won’t even pull an amp. There’s a huge difference in cost between 12-2 and 14-2 as well.

Realistically, they could be fed from one of the outlet circuits though. It’d save a little wire too. But it’s a shed. Not that big and I can understand having everything separated too.

 

[Lubener]

You don’t need ground rods as it’ll be a sub panel fed from your house’s main.

Why would he need ground rods if it’s fed from his house’s main?

Would eliminate any ground loops. There's always a possibilty of differences in potential between the two points.

 

[dlundblad]

Would eliminate any ground loops. There's always a possibilty of differences in potential between the two points.

I guess I am not seeing it since it’s being treated as a sub panel.

 

[bugeye]

Not to cloud the ground rod discussion, BUT . . .
We had an inground concrete pool installed last summer. Most aggravating unskilled and highest priced contractor in SE Pa. Many problems still to be solved by me as contractor walked off after taking all the $. As part of the install, the pool panel with computer controls is in a shed. Panel is fed from home main panel through conduit and stranded wire. Pool has wire bonding to rebar and electric powered equipment, but no ground rod was installed.

 

[dlundblad]

Not to cloud the ground rod discussion, BUT . . .
We had an inground concrete pool installed last summer. Most aggravating unskilled and highest priced contractor in SE Pa. Many problems still to be solved by me as contractor walked off after taking all the $. As part of the install, the pool panel with computer controls is in a shed. Panel is fed from home main panel through conduit and stranded wire. Pool has wire bonding to rebar and electric powered equipment, but no ground rod was installed.

I don’t know much about pools, but this is the way new homes and construction is done. No ground rods. Just tied into the rebar and encased in concrete. It’s called a ufer.

 

[sparky123]

From what I understand, you want a main breaker 10-space sub panel in your shed. How far of a run from your main panel to your sub-panel? When you say, 6-3. Is this 6-3 UF-B w/ground wire? 4 conductors which is what you need. Or are you going to run wire in conduit? If in conduit, you could run 4 #6 THHN wires and have a higher amperage rating. There's also MHF aluminum wire. 2-2-4-6. 100 amp rated and can be directly buried. You'll still need 90 degree elbows and LB's. As far as using NM-B Romex inside the shed, I don't know your code. You may need BX cable. I'd want a higher (than 50a) amp. rated feed wire, if in the future the need arises.

 

[GMFan]

The replies in this thread are indicative that most here are not electricians (bad or wrong advice). If you have to ask hire an electrician. If you file permits for this job (to get it inspected) you need a licensed electrician. If you don’t permit it, eventually when you sell your house the inspector will make you tear it all out. If your shed burns to the ground with all your tools and equipment, will insurance cover the loss if it was never properly permitted?

 

[Pablo]

Why do you need a 100A sub?

I would think 80A more than adequate for a shed. Even with a 50-60A welder.

My shop is 80A with one 40A outlet, multiple 20A circuits, one 15A for some lights.

 

[AandPDan]

Why would he need ground rods if it’s fed from his house’s main?

Because it is required by Code. Detached structures require ground rods if you put in a subpanel. If it was just a single branch circuit they are not required. NEC 250.32

 

[Al]

Old school way of thinking. His lights won’t even pull an amp. There’s a huge difference in cost between 12-2 and 14-2 as well.

Realistically, they could be fed from one of the outlet circuits though. It’d save a little wire too. But it’s a shed. Not that big and I can understand having everything separated too.

If you can't afford to do it right, don't do it. Just my way of thinking. And not I acknowledged that lighting is no longer an issue. I like uniform circuits so I can do anything I want on any of them...like putting a bunch of receptacles and lights on a single circuit instead of separate circuits (saves $$ on wiring/time/breakers.)