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  #1  
Old 12-19-2009, 10:14 AM
danielhv's Avatar
danielhv danielhv is offline
 
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Location: Mesquite, TX
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Default How do you build in a hangar?

So, I am in the middle of a relocation for work, and everything I own was in a storage unit. I HAD a cherokee 180 so I was looking for a hangar. Long wait lists, etc... I decided to sell the 180. 1 week after I sell it, a hangar comes available... imagine that! I went ahead and took the hangar, and eliminated the storage unit. Once I get a house up here, Im going to keep the hangar to build in (possibly). My only concerns are:

1. It only has ONE single 110v outlet. (My compressor is 220v)
2. It only has 1 single light in the hangar

Other than that, its at a nice, new, quiet airport... New hangars, etc... What are the thoughts of those ahead of me or those that have been down a similar road?

Here are a couple of pics of the hangar:



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  #2  
Old 12-19-2009, 11:10 AM
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Mike S Mike S is offline
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Looks like rented hangar, so I suspect upgrading the electrical is going to be prohibited.

Get a generator and use it for the lighting and compressor---you will need a big generator for a compressor.

Or get a gas powered compressor. Use the 110v outlet for additional lighting.

You will figure out a way.

Good luck
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  #3  
Old 12-19-2009, 11:13 AM
odlee odlee is offline
 
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Location: Greensboro,NC
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Default See if the compressor can be wired for 120v.

Daniel, My compressor can run 220 or 120, but it was wired for 120. You will not run it enough that the higher voltage will save you that much money and you will not have to add a 220v circuit. You will probably want to add another 120v circuit, plus add a a few flourescents. They are cheap.

Maybe add heat and a fridge, so you can move in when your other half finds out you ordered an airplane "KIT"!

Good luck.
David
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  #4  
Old 12-19-2009, 11:33 AM
yakdriver yakdriver is offline
 
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Read your lease. I would bet money it prohibits any building/maintainence in the hangars. Don
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  #5  
Old 12-19-2009, 11:36 AM
OceanBob OceanBob is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Trabuco Canyon, California
Posts: 95
Default Sublet the hanger out.

Build the bird at HOME. Nothing is warmer or closer than your garage. You will be hard pressed to get in a car and drive to the cold, bare hanger. I like the idea of wandering into my Shop/Cave with 4 seconds of travel time. I've worked in cold, metal hangers; don't like it much. You will be needing lots of light and power you don't have. JMO...YMMV.
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  #6  
Old 12-19-2009, 12:08 PM
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osxuser osxuser is offline
 
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I build at the hanger, but mine is a super-slow-build project because i'm often money limited. At POC, upgrades to the hangers are 'prohibited' but as long as you do it to CODE, they let you. For instance, my particular 30 year old box hanger has a 20amp 220v circuit as well as the 15 amp 110v lighting circuit it orginally had. It also has a 12x15' office built into it with a wall A/C unit I put in AND insulation.

I use THE craftsman professional oil-lube 30gal horizontal compressor. My old hanger was wired for 110v only, so it worked there, when I got the new one I rewired it for 220v, and it works great in the new one too. All you will ever need for a build.

To avoid cycling the compressor a TON, I suggest buying a 9v makita cordless drill or equivalent. If you are just doing a few holes, it better for setup than the air drill.

I would buy 2 or 3 HIGH OUTPUT 8' florescent light fixtures from home depot (about $30 a piece a couple years ago) those put out good light, and still are cheaper than the other options.
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  #7  
Old 12-19-2009, 12:58 PM
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Brantel Brantel is offline
 
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T hangars suck for building.

At least it looks like you could heat it.

These work well for heating the type hangar you have. Just crack the door to let some air in....



As for power, it depends on how far you are from the main service as to what you will be able to get away with. I am in the middle of a row of 10 and I only have 1 115v outlet. I can draw only about 15 amps before I start pulling the voltage down.

I have two built in 1 bulb 8' lights and I added 2 additional 2 bulb 8' lights and that works well. I use a portable dual head halogen worklight where needed.

I have a small compressor, band saw, wide belt sander, 1" belt sander, bench grider, chargers etc. I cannot power them all up at once but I have cords ran to different areas of the hangar.

I connect all the cords to the one outlet with a power strip with a 15amp breaker so that if I overload the strip, the strip trips instead of tripping the outlet breaker.

Anything but a really small compressor is going to be bad. They won't start at higher pressures because of the voltage drop.
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  #8  
Old 12-19-2009, 01:03 PM
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Brantel Brantel is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by odlee View Post
You will not run it enough that the higher voltage will save you that much money and you will not have to add a 220v circuit.
HMMM

1/2 amp @ 220V = 110 watts
1 amp @ 110v = 110 watts

We are charged for watts used, not amps.

Power is power no matter what voltage you use.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------
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  #9  
Old 12-19-2009, 02:00 PM
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RV9er RV9er is offline
 
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Location: Cumberland Maine
Posts: 55
Cool Home Shop

Quote:
Originally Posted by danielhv View Post
So, I am in the middle of a relocation for work, and everything I own was in a storage unit. I HAD a cherokee 180 so I was looking for a hangar. Long wait lists, etc... I decided to sell the 180. 1 week after I sell it, a hangar comes available... imagine that! I went ahead and took the hangar, and eliminated the storage unit. Once I get a house up here, Im going to keep the hangar to build in (possibly). My only concerns are:

1. It only has ONE single 110v outlet. (My compressor is 220v)
2. It only has 1 single light in the hangar

Other than that, its at a nice, new, quiet airport... New hangars, etc... What are the thoughts of those ahead of me or those that have been down a similar road?

Here are a couple of pics of the hangar:



Pretty darn hard to beat the shop at home. Closer, warmer, and the cook and fridge are close by AND you may need someone to help buck those pesky rivets.
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  #10  
Old 12-19-2009, 02:35 PM
Scott Hersha Scott Hersha is offline
 
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I think heat is probably your biggest problem if you're in a cold climate. Torpedo heaters work great, but the smell is not too healthy. If the hangar is relatively new, they should have 3 circuits - one 220 for the door, one 110v, 20a for the outlet, and one 110v, 20a for the lighting. I'm sure your door is powered by a 220v motor. Tap into that line to a receptacle for your compressor. That's what I did and I have a three position switch so my compressor doesn't come on when the door is going up or down. 220 is kinder to electric motors. You should also be able to branch out from your lighting circuit to add more lights. If you run conduit to receptacles on a ceiling beam, you can just plug in flourescent works lights that are controlled by the light switch by your walk door. The outlet may be on it's own 15 or 20 circuit (mine is) and you can branch off that to add more convenience outlets too. Most metal buildings are required to follow commercial building codes, so you'll probably need to run metal conduit to all of your receptacles/fixtures. The metal conduit used to serve as a ground, but that is no longer the case almost everywhere. You'll need to run a dedicated ground wire (green) along with the hot and neutral. If you are renting, as long as you do it to code, the airport shouldn't mind since it's an improvement and doesn't cost them anything. While building at home is much better, you'll eventually have to move to the airport and you'll still need lights and a compressor.

Good luck. Looks like a nice new hangar.

Scott
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