Hey there! I'm planning to build a 12x16 storage shed behind my garage and I wanted to run electricity to it. I'm thinking just enough power for some lights and possibly 1-2 outlets. The shed will be about 85 feet away from my main panel, which is a 100 amp service (it's an older small ranch house). Currently, the garage is powered by a single 20 amp breaker that feeds from a GFCI outlet on the back of the house, running underground into the garage. I don't use the garage for much—just occasional use of a miter saw and a shop vac. What would be the best way to get power to my shed? Thanks a lot!
3 Answers
You might want to consider a 100W solar panel setup with a 12V charger and a decent marine battery (like a Group 29) along with a 3000W peak inverter. It will likely cost under $500, and it’s pretty easy to set up! Alternatively, you could use a portable power bank you charge at home and bring out to the shed when needed, but these can get pricey if you want something powerful enough for tools like saws. The third option is to trench a wire and connect to an outdoor outlet, but that could be a hassle.
Where's your main panel located? Is it in the garage or somewhere else? Also, do you know the total amp ratings of all the breakers in the panel? This info will help determine if you have enough capacity for a new shed circuit. And just to confirm, you said the breaker feeding the garage is a 20 amp single-pole, right? Just checking because sometimes people swap in larger breakers due to tripping issues, which can cause wiring problems. If the wiring's only rated for 15 or 20 amps, it could be unsafe if the bigger breaker doesn’t trip when it should.
If you're only doing light work in the shed like you do in the garage, I’d just tap into the existing garage circuit. Just be cautious not to run too many devices at once—should be fine! But if you're planning to do more or add bigger appliances, you might need to reconsider that approach.