to splice or not to splice?

[crokett]

How many separate circuits do you have? You only need 1 GFCI receptacle per circuit, but it does have to be the one closest to the breaker to protect the entire circuit. So unless you have 8 circuits you don't need 8 GFCIs

[gtokarski]

well, since they are not in series I have to do each one individually.

[JimD]

gtokarski,

You need to make a habit of planning before doing. It can save a bunch of effort. I make a simple map of my circuits before I start pulling wire. Just lay them out on a piece of paper and then double check the code to make sure it is OK. You are limited on how many circuits you can have per circuit and to use of GFIs in wet areas like garages and bathrooms and also basements. You can get a code book - it is not hard to read - or just a simple how-to book on wiring. I have one of each.

Since you already have the wire run, just put in a junction box and decide how you want to hook things up. I run my entire shop on one 20 amp circuit plus one 15 amp. The 15 amp is lights and DC and the 20A is for the tools. If you will work with others in the shop at the same time, then you could need more. If it is just you, then you should not run more than one tool at a time. Two 20 amp circuits plus a light circuit should be plenty for any single person shop. You can still wire your circuits in series to save on GFIs but it means adding one new run per circuit. What you do is to run from the breaker into your junction box for the circuit, out of the junction box to your first breaker - the GFI - and then you need a new circuit to go from the out side of the GFI back into your junction box for the rest of the circuits. The other alternative is to do what you suggest and just buy a lot of GFIs.

If you do not have a dedicated junction box for the shop you just have to flip the breakers for the shop. I cannot see this difference as justifying $1000. You need the breakers labeled anyway so I do not see it as a big deal. It would be nicer to flip a main breaker and get all the circuits but I can't see where this convenience is worth $1000.

You haven't done anything but waste a bit of time and money - something I have done many times. As I get older with less energy, I plan to start a bit slower and plan a bit more. I think it helps.

Jim

[gtokarski]

Thanks Jim, I did do it a bit backwards this time. But the way I originally planned turned out to be way overkill (ton of new independent circuits).
I just realized that since I am going to splice some of the runs together i can just make the junction box a GFI outlet, that way I can cut down on the number of GFI outlets by about half. let me see if i can whip up a drawing to explain my mess

[gtokarski]

maybe this will make a bit more sense. the colored lines are meant to show the actual runs of wire that i have now.

original plan: 5-8 new circuits straight to the panel. way overkill, and as it turned out no room in the panel to wire them in.


newly revised plan: sub panel for ease of expansion and flexability. GFI outlets where splices were going to be anyway. that way I dont have to add GFI outlets in every single box.
circuit 1 is 20A.
circuit 2 is 20A
circuit 3 is 15A and runs the shop lights, as well as those outlets and the exterior security lights which are only on at night. this will probably end up as part of the main panel instead of the sub panel so if i blow the breaker on the sub-panel for any reason I wont be in the dark!
circuit 4 is 240V.
light switches have been omitted from the diagram.