# Ceiling drop for the TS. Where to locate?



## gstuartw (Dec 16, 2013)

I'm in the last stages of tweaking the outlet locations in my new shop. I've decided that the machinery located in the center of the room will have an option for a ceiling drop to avoid too many cords running across the floor. The table saw is my biggest concern.

I have a Unisaw that I've never used as I've been purchasing items off Craigs for the last year in anticipation of this new haven for me. Prior to this my experience with a full size saw has been years ago and the cord ran across my father in-laws garage floor. So I'm a little unsure as to the best place to locate the 220 drop from that ceiling. Dust collector pipe too for that matter. Should I go to the left to the right the blade? Far right or left or somewhere in between?


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I put mine (both the ducting and the power cord) at the end of the right extension. As it turns out that's almost the exact center of the shop. This has worked out well for me.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Far right end of the fence rail


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I would go far right of the blade, ideally off the right side of the side extension table, that way it will never get in your way, regardless of how wide you're trying to rip something.


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## TaybulSawz (Oct 17, 2013)

Concrete or wood floor? In my concrete floor, I cut a 2" wide by 3" deep notch across the floor from the wall, (about an 8' run) with a diamond blade and my circular saw and then ran conduit in it. I then ran 12-2 romex in the conduit and set a 220V box in the floor for the saw. I used concrete patch set everything in place. It all Worked great. Took about 4 hours but it was worth it not to have a cord hanging down. Runs off the same 30 amp circuit as my 8" jointer. They are Never on at the same time. If it's a wood sub floor you could use a router to cut a groove and do basically the same thing.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

+10 Far right of fence rail.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

Edit: or in the rare chance you run things left of the blade, more correctly: +10 the far side of the rail the fence is on the most.


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## gstuartw (Dec 16, 2013)

TaybulSawz - "Runs off the same 30 amp circuit as my 8" jointer. They are Never on at the same time."

Good idea. I'm trying to cram as many "future 220" circuits into my panel right now and that just saved me one! I'm going to stay up on the ceiling and use twist locks so I guess I'll still have two different boxes. Seems I could also do the same with the planer and a sander too.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

+1 TaybulSawz I did the same thing and used self level in a caulking gun to seal the wire in.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

The last thing I would want is a ceiling drop for my table saw ,it's much better in the floor if you can do it. or run it from the wall and use a wire protector,like this one.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiremold-Legrand-5-ft-Over-Floor-Cord-Protector-CDBK-5/100669770#.UrCexNJDtRg
I'm not an electrician but I thought you were suppose to only have one 220 outlet on a circuit
I hope your shop comes together very well.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

I tend to agree with jim rather than loading two wires into a breaker get the slimmer breaker they have them at home depot like this one.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Q-Line-30-Amp-1-in-Double-Pole-Circuit-Breaker-THQP230/100356518?N=bm1e#
They only take up the space of a standard single pole breaker so you can get a lot more space in your panel.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

There's absolutely no reason you can't use multiple outlets on a 240V breaker. It's no different than putting multiple outlets on a 120V breaker. For some tools though, you might want one that's dedicated, like the DC.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

Your right Fred you can run multiple outlets. If your gonna put two items that can draw more then the amperage limit of a breaker, like a tablesaw, you're gonna have problems. Especially the startup draw on a motor. That will trip it every time.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

you can hook up 50 220v machines to a single 220v outlet, no problem. just do not power on more than 1 at a time.

my bosch 4100 contractor saw is also doomed to be in the middle of my 2car garage workshop. luckily, i planned ahead and installed a 20amp circuit in the ceiling right above it with a 12guage retractable reel. tho i'm still thinking of getting some unistrut, dolley/gantry to ride in the unistrut channel, and have a sliding swivel boom to rotate another 20amp circuit (in mc cable) anywhere in a 10' swing.


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## gstuartw (Dec 16, 2013)

" i'm still thinking of getting some unistrut, dolley/gantry to ride in the unistrut channel, and have a sliding swivel boom to rotate another 20amp circuit (in mc cable) anywhere in a 10' swing."

I'd sure like to see that!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have ceiling drops in my shop and never use them. I was always catching long pieces of lumber on them. My cords are on the floor covered by anti-fatigue mats.


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## gstuartw (Dec 16, 2013)

"I was always catching long pieces of lumber on them. My cords are on the floor covered by anti-fatigue mats."

I understand that can be an issue. Where are your DC lines? I figured if I've got DC lines going up to the ceiling I may as well run the power in the same area.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I don't have DC lines to my tools. I drag a 4" hose to each tool as I use it.


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## tomclark (Feb 16, 2010)

"I'm in the last stages of tweaking the outlet locations in my new shop. I've decided that the machinery located in the center of the room will have an option for a ceiling drop to avoid too many cords running across the floor. The table saw is my biggest concern."

I cringe at the idea of running wires across the floor that I would have to walk over. My shop has two drops. One goes to the band saw and a 1hp dust collector that I wired into the 2hp band saw. (The 1hp collector was quite worthless for anything more than light dust.)

The second drop has plugs on it for the table saw, planner, shaper, and 2hp dust collector that is hooked to these four machines. All run just fine with the collector running at the same time. The breaker is a 30 amp and #8 wire runs to the drop. Used this setup for 25 years now.


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## 1yeldud1 (Jan 26, 2010)

I have a similar setup in my shop (as Tom Clark) - I ran a line to the middle of my shop ceiling - ended up being at the right hand side of my table saw at the end of the rail. I have a 4 inch diameter metal support at the exact location. I mounted a junction box on the ceiling and used a cable strain to support the wire as it runs to within about 4 inches of the floor. I used a twist lock plug and have a 10 foot extension chord of the same size wire to reach the saws short power chord.(I have used this setup for 2 years with no problems - I have a powermatic 2000 that I can raise up and move if the metal pole or short chord get in the way. It has worked flawlessly - all of the other plugins are on the outside walls of my 28 ft by 28 ft shop- I use an extension chord for the 100 volt tools and my dust collector


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## grittyroots (Jan 13, 2011)

for my 2 cents worth. I have just finished my shop and ran my power and dc through the floor. I ran a 220 and 110. They come out under my layout table that doubles for my outfeed table. it's really nice not having cords an dc lines in the way. Brendan


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

gfadvm, sounds like you and I have similar work habits! I hate my ceiling mounted drops. I have two. When I work on a tool (like changing blades on a table saw), I need it to be unplugged. I change blades a lot and don't like climbing ladders. I also have all my tools that require dust collection around the center and my DC in the middle. I just move the hose.


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## RichardHillius (Oct 19, 2013)

If you have a ceiling outlet you might want to consider putting in a whip to extend the connections down to either the floor or about chest height depending on if you ever get water on the floor or not. If you go with chest height make sure it's a solid twist lock connector ideally with a locking tab. We used those at a restaurant I worked at many moons ago and it worked great in a environment where we moved stuff around all the time.

A whip is different however than a extension code as it's hard wired to the ceiling box and has a strain relief built onto it to keep from pulling the cord out of the box.


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

The shop I work in for pay has the dust collection and 3 phase power dropping from the ceiling about four
feet to the right of the left tilt unisaw that has an extension that goes out 4 ft also. The 8" Delta Jointer
sets about 6 ft to left of the unisaw and when we are jointing and ripping boards for panels we will have 
both machines operating at the same time. As a wise gentleman once said-"Concerning taste there can
be no dispute." You are going to have to decide what will work best for you and your work habits and 
the rest of us will do the same, there are a lot of good suggestions in the above hints that I may just use
to make my shop a little better.


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## gstuartw (Dec 16, 2013)

Wow, I totally forgot about this post, thanks all for the input. Though the consensus seems to be not to do the drops I have continued on that path. The rationale being that plan of keeping flex line of the dust collection pipe to a minimum I have to a DC pipe dropping down from the ceiling. So if I have that possible obstruction why not place electrical drops there too?

If you can follow my attempt to describe it here is the configuration:

If you were standing at the table saw you would see across the table an out feed table on wheels. To the right of that and nestled up against the right end of the rear rail you would see the back of my jointer. To the right end of my extension table you will see my planer backed along the short side of that extension. The three form an island in the shop, located on one end of a 20×30 space. In the corner where the rear right of the extension, the back of the out feed end of the planer and the back of the out feed of the jointer you will find the 3 drops for the the machines along with the 6" drop for dust collection.

I'll let you know how it goes….


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