Overhead power drops

[John K Jordan]

In a couple weeks I will be able to get into the new house and begin wiring the two car garage for my shop. I am beyond tired of cords running around the floor in my current shop. All the big tools are mobile. I have no idea what the lay-out of the equipment will be at this point. I want to install a couple 110 & 220 drops from the ceiling. What type of reels or other methods do you suggest?

I installed several 110v drops. I mount a receptacles in a boxes in the ceiling then bolt a short cord reel close to each. The cord reaches the work bench or other work are. For low-amperage uses only. Use one in the back room to power the chain saw sharpened, etc, as needed, another low amperage motor. I don’t like cords snaked across the floor.

Fortunately I have enough space so all 220v equipment is stationary and plug into wall receptacles. If I need to weld outside I use a massive 50a extension cord.

JKJ

[Frank Pratt]

Pulling more current than the cord is rated for isn't a problem anyone can solve...as they say, you can't fix stupid. Most reels, including mine rated for 20A, have a built-in fuse. I really have no idea why being rolled up has any relevancy unless you are way over the limit. Reel or cord, it is irrelevant how it is constructed if "melting" becomes the point of failure. I've had mine for years, zero problems and zero missuses.

As Andrew pointed out, maybe people are buying cheap-o reels rated for well below 15A (typical house hold 120V). I know mine were expensive not just for the current rating but also the quality of the reel.

Being coiled up has everything to do with it because the cord cannot dissipate heat as quickly as the current flowing through produces it. The fuse or circuit breaker protects against overcurrent, not overheating. A 20A cord is 12 AWG and can carry a 20A load all day long if it's out in the open air. Even then it will get a little warm. But think what happens when you have 20 or 30 wraps in a tight coil. A fire in the making is what you'll get.

Mostly, nothing will happen, but what if one day someone uses it to plug in a heater that will run for hours? I don't want to take chances like that.

[Michael Burnside]

Being coiled up has everything to do with it because the cord cannot dissipate heat as quickly as the current flowing through produces it. The fuse or circuit breaker protects against overcurrent, not overheating. A 20A cord is 12 AWG and can carry a 20A load all day long if it's out in the open air. Even then it will get a little warm. But think what happens when you have 20 or 30 wraps in a tight coil. A fire in the making is what you'll get.

Mostly, nothing will happen, but what if one day someone uses it to plug in a heater that will run for hours? I don't want to take chances like that.

Respectfully I disagree and I'd suggest that if you're at exactly 20A and a 100% duty cycle with the reel completely rolled up, well, good luck, you should have used something else

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I ran a series of outlets down center of the ceiling of my shop while wiring it as I finished the interior over a decade ago. Two of them are currently in use by my two air cleaners. Ironically, yesterday I purchased a 14-gauge extension cord so I could power my table saw from one of those outlets. I have an extra 16-gauge extension cord that my disk sander/oscillating spindle sander and my scroll saw will share via another ceiling outlet. All the cords will be mounted with cord restraints.

I am tired of having to plug and unplug cords to move my jointer and router table to use a common 4" dust collection inlet. I am also getting older. Stumbling and tripping has become an issue.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I put a 20A 120V receptacle in a box on the side of a ceiling joist in my new shop. It's on its own circuit. The joists are open, so I took a power strip with a cord that comes off one side of the plug and looped the cord over the joist and plugged it in. It works as a strain relief and keeps the power strip at a handy height. This is used for a cart parked below it that has a spindle sander, belt sander and router table, and for handheld sanders and drills and routers. The other socket in the outlet is used to plug in the table saw or the planer (which I set on top of the table saw when using it). There are no cord reels to worry about, and I can reach the plugs easily enough to change from table saw to planer.

[Doug Garson]

Seems to me you can accomplish the same result by running a non conducter wire or paracord etc between the two boxes that is shorter than the conducting cables so it takes all the weight. This would be much easier than retrofitting the strain relief shown.

[Lee Schierer]

Two 20 amp 220v outlets dropped from the ceiling. Made entirely with parts from HD. As soon as my ambition level rises I am going to add a third outlet to this circuit. I will use one box above the two existing and let the feed wire go out the bottom of the new box to feed the two existing.

I hate to tell you, but those boxes don't meet electrical code for drop cords. Those romex clamp connectors are not strain reliefs.

[Tom Bender]

Here's how I manage the cords to my sanders. It provides 5' of travel but could be made longer, maybe 10' plus the hanging cord gives about 6' more at bench height.

The model car wheels have been replaced with shower curtain hangers which slide easily and are more reliable.

The orange cord is also very handy.

Sanders.jpgWheels.jpg

[Patty Hann]

Another option is to create simple columns that can hold electrical conduit & dust piping. These are just "L" shapes made from 1x material.

Neat-o idea. I' think I'll run with that one in my garage set-up.

[Doug Garson]

Respectfully I disagree and I'd suggest that if you're at exactly 20A and a 100% duty cycle with the reel completely rolled up, well, good luck, you should have used something else

What are you disagreeing with? Frank's post essentially said the same thing.
". A 20A cord is 12 AWG and can carry a 20A load all day long if it's out in the open air. Even then it will get a little warm. But think what happens when you have 20 or 30 wraps in a tight coil. A fire in the making is what you'll get."