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I am currently looking for advice or recommendations on how to bring the electrical wiring in my garage up to code. I reside in New York State, and I am specifically concerned about several wires that are stapled into the studs.

  1. Correction Methods - What are the recommended methods or best practices for securing or re-routing these wires to meet code requirements?

  2. Would it be advisable to hire a licensed electrician for this task, or is it manageable as a DIY project, assuming standard precautions are taken? (I have installed new outlets, run cable through conduit before via surface wiring, etc.)

  3. I am looking to semi-finish this wall a bit to make it more functional, provide some storage, etc.

  4. That "240v Feed" box was for the prior owner's Tesla - we don't use this at all anymore.

  5. The orange wire is Romex 10 (not an extension cord.)

enter image description here

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  • You said, "wires that are stapled", but maybe you should elaborate about the cables that aren't even attached to anything. Or perhaps the power strip with electrical tape on it. It looks like a mess in there.
    – Robert Chapin
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 13:30
  • For most of that wall, you just need to add a wall cover over the wires, drywall/plywood. The power bar needs to be replaced with an outlet, unless just use temporary(taken away in a short time). Not sure about the code for the bottom wires, probably need conduit.
    – crip659
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 13:31
  • The orange (extension cord?) goes to a garage door opener?
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 13:43
  • The orange wire (not an extension cord) routes to a generator panel on the opposite side of the garage. That generator powers some basic essentials in the house when we lose power. @JonCuster That power strip is going to go for sure.
    – Matt K
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 14:17

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enter image description here

This one is in need of removal. An extension cord running into a hole in the wall is never OK. Perhaps another outlet box coming out the other side of the wall is called for to serve whatever that's running.

Most of the wall is fine if you put sheetrock or plywood or pegboard or some other wall covering so the wiring is protected inside the wall, not exposed. That upper yellow cable needs to be properly stapled or otherwise secured (into the middle of the studs) before you do that.

Unclear from just this picture what the best approach for the cables run along the sill is going to be. Since the orange one goes up over the garage door anyway, it should probably be re-routed up over the people door and into the wall space before adding wall covering, rather than being stapled to the bottom plate as it is.

Any wiring that's "permanent extension cords" needs to be killed and replaced with actual building wire, properly routed and protected, and outlet boxes. That includes the orange one if it's an extension cord, not NM cable. If bringing things up to current code all garage outlets should be GFCI protected.

It's probably best to preserve the 240V charging circuit for potential future use, but depending on the whole picture it might well want to be relocated so as to put its feed into the wall before covering the wall, removing another problematic cable running under the door. Or, again depending on the whole picture we don't have, it might be best used to feed a sub-panel in the garage, which could possibly solve some of the issues currently being run from extension cords and still be able to supply a perfectly reasonable electric car charger as well, if at some point you or a future owner gets one.

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  • Thanks - The orange wire (not an extension cord) routes to a generator panel on the opposite side of the garage. That generator powers some basic essentials in the house when we lose power.
    – Matt K
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 14:18
  • A sub panel would be good actually - that seems really pricey and would probably require a ton of re-work in the garage...
    – Matt K
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 14:18
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    If you're careful and can ask questions and follow code, rather than get creative and invent solutions that are not code; doing a sub-panel yourself is quite affordable, especially in a situation where you can set it up, and change things over from the previous arrangement as you get each circuit wired up. Visit a few of the many "garage sub-panel" questions - step one, don't go shopping for a 60A sub-panel. Get a panel with lots of actual spaces, and if it says 100, 125 or 200A at the top and happens to have a main breaker, don't sweat it. Will need to look at the wires in the box first.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 14:28
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    If the prior owner went cheap, it might not have a neutral, and that would kill the idea of using that cable to feed a sub-panel.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Sep 25, 2023 at 14:31

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