Decided to build a garage. Now the fun begins.

[BuiltToWork]

With some planning, you can stagger the circuits whilst only running one MC cable. 12/3 MC Cable costs more, but you only have to run it once to stagger your lighting. (you can use 12/2 also)

see my terrible sketch below: (Electrical construction for 20 years)

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[BVRPLZR]

Just running one 12/3 to control 3 lighting zones, what would he use for a neutral?

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Just running one 12/3 to control 3 lighting zones, what would he use for a neutral?

Exactly. Plus, if you use a common neutral on separate breakers NEC code says you have to have a tied together one (like a 3 Pole breaker). This is because, if you have to work on one light, it may be back fed through the neutral by the others, even if you shut off the breaker for that circuit. If you use one circuit breaker, your good to go with 3 different legs.

As for spending money on a shop this late in life, I built mine when I was 63 years old. I'll just leave the property to my kids and let them fight over it . Enjoy your shop and don't worry about them.

Lighting - I hung double fixtures on chains above the bay and single ones at 8' on the side girts - all LEDs and plenty of light without too many shadows. With high hung doors, there's not a lot of room for lights and, I do most of my work with them open. I put everything in 3/4" EMT conduit, for protection, with outlets for the lights. One issue with hanging lights on chains - with my doors located as they are for cross ventilation, when it's breezy, I have to close one door 1/2 way. The 1st time we got some wind the fixtures started swinging to the point, the power cord between a couple of them pulled out. I had to clear off the floor area and dig out my 12' ladder again

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[Keeper]

Exactly. Plus, if you use a common neutral on separate breakers NEC code says you have to have a tied together one (like a 3 Pole breaker). This is because, if you have to work on one light, it may be back fed through the neutral by the others, even if you shut off the breaker for that circuit. If you use one circuit breaker, your good to go with 3 different legs.

As for spending money on a shop this late in life, I built mine when I was 63 years old. I'll just leave the property to my kids and let them fight over it . Enjoy your shop and don't worry about them.

Lighting - I hung double fixtures on chains above the bay and single ones at 8' on the side girts - all LEDs and plenty of light without too many shadows. With high hung doors, there's not a lot of room for lights and, I do most of my work with them open. I put everything in 3/4" EMT conduit, for protection, with outlets for the lights. One issue with hanging lights on chains - with my doors located as they are for cross ventilation, when it's breezy, I have to close one door 1/2 way. The 1st time we got some wind the fixtures started swinging to the point, the power cord between a couple of them pulled out. I had to clear off the floor area and dig out my 12' ladder again

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Sweet! I do believe your shop is the same size, floorplan and door locations as mine, except mine is still on paper. Contemplating a big door on far end also for bringing trailers/boats straight thru and for catching the predominant breeze in summer. Also need storage high on walls for xmas "stuff". Alas, I'm still using a 3 stall barn with wet gravel floors. Do you have a shop thread? I'm going to go look

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Do you have a shop thread? I'm going to go look

No, but I'll answer any questions you may have. This is probably not the place to do it (sorry for hijacking your thread for a short answer @South VA ). It is 30' X 60' with 12' eaves. The doors are heavy duty 16' X 10' with the high bay option, and commercial grade openers on my WiFi so I can open/close them remotely and check to make sure they're closed when away off location. 2 windows and one man-door.

 

[South VA]

Exactly. Plus, if you use a common neutral on separate breakers NEC code says you have to have a tied together one (like a 3 Pole breaker). This is because, if you have to work on one light, it may be back fed through the neutral by the others, even if you shut off the breaker for that circuit. If you use one circuit breaker, your good to go with 3 different legs.

As an electrical novice, this is above my pay grade. I generally run this sort of thing by my electrician, who acts as a consultant and checks my work. But to @BuiltToWork ’s point, I’m all for saving wire, as MC cable is expensive. I suppose I should compare the cost of using EMT conduit for this, depending on how much wire is needed. Running conduit might be the more economical choice for this.

As for spending money on a shop this late in life, I built mine when I was 63 years old. I'll just leave the property to my kids and let them fight over it . Enjoy your shop and don't worry about them.

Thanks. I’ll do my best to enjoy it and not worry about the kids.

Lighting - I hung double fixtures on chains above the bay and single ones at 8' on the side girts - all LEDs and plenty of light without too many shadows. With high hung doors, there's not a lot of room for lights and, I do most of my work with them open. I put everything in 3/4" EMT conduit, for protection, with outlets for the lights. One issue with hanging lights on chains - with my doors located as they are for cross ventilation, when it's breezy, I have to close one door 1/2 way. The 1st time we got some wind the fixtures started swinging to the point, the power cord between a couple of them pulled out. I had to clear off the floor area and dig out my 12' ladder again

You must be registered for see images attach

As I’ve said before, you have a seriously nice shop!

Good point about hanging the fixtures from chains. I’m planning on using plug in fixtures too, and hadn’t thought about a breeze causing problems. Depending on the orientation of the fixtures, a lot of them could be directly mounted to the trusses and other framing members, which would solve the problem. Still, there are places where chains would likely be the better approach.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

I suppose I should compare the cost of using EMT conduit for this, depending on how much wire is needed. Running conduit might be the more economical choice for this.

Yes. Plus - you can't run any "Romex" (AKA MC cable) below 7' from the floor - it has to be protected with conduit or drywall or whatever.

 

[South VA]

Yes. Plus - you can't run any "Romex" (AKA MC cable) below 7' from the floor - it has to be protected with conduit or drywall or whatever.

Did not know that! Thanks!

 

[Supercharged111]

As an electrical novice, this is above my pay grade. I generally run this sort of thing by my electrician, who acts as a consultant and checks my work. But to @BuiltToWork ’s point, I’m all for saving wire, as MC cable is expensive. I suppose I should compare the cost of using EMT conduit for this, depending on how much wire is needed. Running conduit might be the more economical choice for this.

Thanks. I’ll do my best to enjoy it and not worry about the kids.

As I’ve said before, you have a seriously nice shop!

Good point about hanging the fixtures from chains. I’m planning on using plug in fixtures too, and hadn’t thought about a breeze causing problems. Depending on the orientation of the fixtures, a lot of them could be directly mounted to the trusses and other framing members, which would solve the problem. Still, there are places where chains would likely be the better approach.

Bear in mind that a "breezy" day out west is a windy day most anywhere else.

 

[GrimsterGMC]

That is exactly how I started out with the lighting plan - a grid covering the whole shop. As you and others correctly point out, that doesn’t really address task lighting.

So thanks to you and others for pointing out the downside of this approach, I’m now thinking of two general separate lighting plans - peripheral task lighting and area lighting - switched independently per @GrimsterGMC ‘s suggestion.

Thanks. This reminded me that my planning process has gotten a bit off track.

The programming part - what will happen in the shop, how it will be used - is pretty well complete. I just need to do the actual space planning to determine where the various functions will occur. The locations for workbench(es), rolling toolbox (sadly I have only one), solvent bath, media blasting cabinet, welder, and so forth, should inform the lighting plan. So back to the drawing board.

Makes sense!

Thank you! Helping to create this shop has been fun (mostly) and interesting. I say helping because the observations, suggestions, and encouragement I’ve received from you folks in this excellent community (as well as from those at garagejournal.com), are ensuring that this shop will be far better than it would have been had I been left to my own devices.

I’m getting more excited as it continues to take shape.

However, I also find it sobering to reflect on the fact that the large majority of my years on the planet are now behind me; and that from a strictly financial perspective, building a shop at this point in my life could be viewed by some as a poor investment, and perhaps even a bit selfish. After all, it is being funded in part by what will eventually be left to my two kids and to my brother’s two kids.

What it comes down to is quality of life. As many have said, having this shop will be a game changer. It is a key element in making the most effective use of my time and effort to help manage this farm (still not a farmer) and maintaining our fleet of older vehicles and equipment. Plus it will no doubt accommodate functions that I haven’t yet thought of. And doing it all in comparative comfort and safety.

From that perspective, the bang for the buck - the return on investment if you will - is huge.

I’m thinking the kids will understand.

If anything, you are creating an asset that you will be leaving for those behind you to have the advantage of. Leave them cash and it's gone in a flash.