# 2 spare breakers 15 & 20a, want to wire outlets in garage



## pitterpat (Sep 25, 2005)

Moved into a new house for me...built in 1956. It has 100 amp service, GE Powermark Gold Load center the garage. I want to add more outlets to my garage (only 1 outlet now) and need to add more. Also the garage it self is on the breaker that says furnace (I'm sure it is because I turned off furnace breaker before restarting furnace).

I have two breakers that are labeled spare, a 15 & 20 amp breaker. I would like to add 5-6 outlets to my garage. Should I use the 15 or the 20 amp breaker....also I am thinking that I should take the garage off the Furnace breaker (15a) and put on the breaker with the other garage outlets. The wiring for the garage has 2 double switches, a grounded outlet,2 exterior lights, garage door opener plugged into one of the outlets and the power to the other 16' x 22' garage which has 2 outlets, garage door opener, 2 interior lights and 1 exterior light on a daylight sensor.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

for 5 or 6 general purpose outlets, your wire size will determine which breaker to use


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## pitterpat (Sep 25, 2005)

TxElectrician said:


> for 5 or 6 general purpose outlets, your wire size will determine which breaker to use


I generally use 12 gauge...but could use 14 to save the 20 amp to use for the other garage. I have a compressor that I'm going to have an electrician run additional power to that garage for the compressor.


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## realelectrician (Jul 13, 2011)

pitterpat said:


> I generally use 12 gauge...but could use 14 to save the 20 amp to use for the other garage. I have a compressor that I'm going to have an electrician run additional power to that garage for the compressor.


To be honest it does not sound like you are qualified to do this type of work.


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## pitterpat (Sep 25, 2005)

realelectrician said:


> To be honest it does not sound like you are qualified to do this type of work.


Thanks for the help.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Pat, your description is a bit confusing, though I know you tried not to make it so. Whichever breaker you use, a half-dozen points of use would be fine--though in a garage, I would go with 20A because of the likelihood of high-current devices.

With 12 gauge wire, you can use either breaker.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I would use both spares for your garage, and the furnace should be solo on its own breaker. If you are using tools, it's good to split the loads when running things together, like vacuum and table saw.

I don't think 14 gauge wire and 20 amp plugs and breaker are recommended.


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## pitterpat (Sep 25, 2005)

Morning Wood said:


> I would use both spares for your garage, and the furnace should be solo on its own breaker. If you are using tools, it's good to split the loads when running things together, like vacuum and table saw.
> 
> I don't think 14 gauge wire and 20 amp plugs and breaker are recommended.





Tinstaafl said:


> Whichever breaker you use, a half-dozen points of use would be fine--though in a garage, I would go with 20A because of the likelihood of high-current devices.


Thanks guys, you both have some good points about high current devices, probably won't use in this garage but worth considering. I have another 16' x 22' garage that I plan on using the high current devices in. Thanks, I still have to sort out what I'm going to do.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

The only way to properly address this is to do a load calculation.


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