Yeah, I get that urge to cut corners too, especially when you’re staring at a muddy trench and thinking, “Does it really need to be this deep?” I’ve learned the hard way that shortcuts just mean headaches later—like when a shovel finds your wire five years down the road. Curious if anyone here has strong opinions about running separate circuits for lighting vs outlets in a garage? I’ve always split them up, but I know some folks keep it all on one.
Title: Why Does Running Power to a Detached Garage Feel So Complicated?
Splitting lighting and outlets into separate circuits is the way to go, hands down. I’ve seen too many DIY setups where everything’s on one breaker, and it always ends up biting someone later. If you trip the breaker with a power tool or compressor, you’re left working in the dark. That’s not just inconvenient—it can be downright dangerous if you’re in the middle of something.
I get why people want to keep it simple, especially if they’re just running a couple lights and an outlet or two. But garages have a way of collecting more “stuff” over time—suddenly you’ve got a fridge, a charger for the mower, maybe a heater in the winter. It adds up fast. Keeping lighting on its own circuit gives you a buffer. You can overload an outlet and still see what you’re doing while you sort it out.
I’ve also had to troubleshoot a few jobs where someone buried the wire too shallow or skipped conduit because “it’s just a garage.” Five or ten years later, they’re calling me because they hit the cable digging for a new flower bed or trying to run irrigation. It’s never worth the hassle. Inspectors are strict about trench depth and conduit for a reason—it keeps everyone safe and saves money down the line.
One thing I do see debated is whether to run 12-gauge or 14-gauge for lighting. Personally, I stick with 12 everywhere, even if it’s overkill for lights. It costs a bit more, but it means I don’t have to worry about someone swapping out fixtures for something heavier-duty later.
Anyway, I’d say keep things separated and follow code to the letter. It might feel like overkill at first, but it’s way easier than tearing up a finished garage to fix something that could’ve been done right from the start.
I get the logic behind splitting circuits, but honestly, in a lot of my rentals, a single circuit for a basic garage has worked fine. Most tenants just want lights and a spot to plug in a charger or two. If you’re not running heavy equipment, sometimes simple is just less hassle and cost upfront. Not every garage turns into a workshop, you know?
I hear you—most garages aren’t exactly buzzing with table saws and welder sparks. A single circuit can handle the basics, especially if it’s just lights and a couple chargers. But, you know how Murphy’s Law loves to hang out in rental properties... The one time someone brings home an electric mower or decides to run a mini-fridge and a space heater, pop goes the breaker.
I’ve done the “keep it simple” approach in a few places, but after one too many calls about tripped circuits (usually in the dead of winter, naturally), I started splitting things up. It’s not always about what tenants use today, but what they might try tomorrow—people get creative with garages. Plus, if you ever want to add EV charging down the road, having that extra capacity is a lifesaver.
That said, if your tenants are low-key and the garage isn’t doubling as a mad scientist’s lab, keeping it minimal makes sense. Just make sure there’s a GFCI somewhere—nobody wants to be the landlord who electrifies the lawnmower.
I get the urge to future-proof, but sometimes less is more, especially if you’re trying to minimize environmental impact and upfront costs. I’ve seen garages with oversized panels that never get used to their potential—just more copper, more plastic, and more waste. If you plan for what’s actually needed and keep things flexible, you can always upgrade later. And honestly, half the time those “creative” uses never materialize...
