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I need to install 2 outlets 240v 20A I plan to run them off the same breaker as they will not be used at the same time so not worried about over amps.

I want one on one side of my garage and one on the other. I have a finished garage so running stuff through the walls is a real PITA so I figure I can run Romex to a junction box in the middle of the loft space (which is tight) and then run armored wire from there to the outlet on the outside of the sheetrock. I already have a good section of normal yellow Romex which is why I wanna use as much as possible so I can save on buying as little as possible of the armored stuff.

The reason I don't run to the walls is because the slopes on the roof are so that I can't get into the corners to drill a hole to get down into the siding so I have to go on the outside of the walls.

The side the breaker box is on is the peak so getting there to drill a hole and whatnot was easy.

Can I use a plastic junction box for this or do I need to use the metal one? Or is there a better way to do this entirely?

nobody
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rasmukri
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    Both types are allowed by code. Quite a few people will prefer metal over plastic. Quite a few places require GFCI protection(breaker or receptacle) for new receptacles in a garage. 240v breakers might be easier to find than 240v receptacles. – crip659 Dec 24 '23 at 20:54
  • I dont have the space in my panel for a GFCI breaker i had to get a cheater to free up the space for this 20/20 breaker. Just saying though technically it only needs a GFCI if its getting inspected and since the house wont get inspected till i sell in like 30 years at which point a 240v GFCI might be affordable... – rasmukri Dec 24 '23 at 22:53
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    technically it only needs a GFCI if its getting inspected No1 Technically it needs what it needs based on current code in your area - not all areas require 240V circuits to be GFCI-protected. What state are you in? On the other hand, practically does it only need a GFCI if its getting inspected? Yes. That's true with one exception: If there is ever a serious problem (injury or fire) caused by anything electrical in your garage then it may come out that this particular circuit wasn't inspected and, more importantly, was not done to code. That can be a big problem. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Dec 24 '23 at 23:06
  • ok yeah makes sense what about if i just run 1 circuit does that need a GFCI? Like i said i dont have the space for a double pole GFCI so im trying to find a solution here. Or do i just need to grab some more cheaters and make space for a $100 20A breaker? – rasmukri Dec 24 '23 at 23:11
  • What state are you in? Maybe it isn't even required? Let's figure that out first. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Dec 24 '23 at 23:20
  • Nevada adding more so I can post lol – rasmukri Dec 24 '23 at 23:39
  • You may want to check with your local building/permitting department, but according to https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/electrical/nec-enforcement-maps Nevada is on the 2017 NEC and according to https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=808.0 the change to require GFCI for 240V circuits was in the 2020 NEC. So I think you are 100% legal without the GFCI. The one catch, in case you had thoughts of such things, is that you can't turn it into an MWBC to use the same circuit for 120V as well, because then you would – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Dec 25 '23 at 01:47
  • need GFCI for the 120V parts and logically for the whole thing, though you could do it at the receptacles for 120V. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Dec 25 '23 at 01:48

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A metal box makes the most sense for a lot of reasons. A metal box works well with pretty much any type of conduit, armored cable, Romex (non-metallic cable), etc.

But keep in mind you have multiple options. The key is that cable must be protected if not inside the walls. Options include wires (or cables, if the conduit is large enough) inside:

  • Rigid metal conduit
  • PVC Schedule 80
  • Flexible metal conduit

But other possibilities are any type of metal or wood enclosure around cables (but not individual wires) to provide the necessary protection. Unlike with individual wires, there are no specific electrical requirements - the cable is handling all of that. For example, you could run yellow Romex from the breaker to a nice metal junction box, and join it to two separate lengths of yellow Romex to go to each of the receptacles. Between the ceiling and 8 feet above the floor you route those cables into conduit or attach it to the wall and box it in with furring strips (e.g., 3 x 1"x2"x8' will run you all of $3.81 at Home Depot right now). In fact, unless you have appropriate conduit lying around, boxing Romex inside 1x2s is going to be the most cost-effective thing to do, by far.

manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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  • oh damn i never thought of wood didnt know that was allowed. Like i used 1" PVC to run the wires for my car charger, but i had that lying around but its all but used up now. So i can basically make a conduit out of wood and run it without having to buy more wire – rasmukri Dec 24 '23 at 23:14
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    The key is to understand that for cable, conduit is (in most cases) simply "physical protection from damage", which can be done by: putting inside a wall, building a wood or metal enclosure, putting inside actual honest-to-goodness conduit. That is different from the wires for your car charger, which assuming they were individual wires required actual official electrical conduit - why? because there it must meet specs as essentially it replaces the cable sheath, so there are concerns - e.g., if there were arcing between the wires or heating to the allowed level, etc. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Dec 24 '23 at 23:19