House electric questions

Originally Posted by Yah-Tah-Hey
Unless you are a licensed electrician, AND IT'S YOUR HOUSE AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, stay out of the breaker panel.

FIFY! Remember, you burn it down, it's your problem!
crazy.gif

I must be doing something right, 2 houses & 32 years later, I haven't burned one down! Yet...
27.gif
 
Originally Posted by Donald
I have see where the electrician uses a single piece of wire looped around the screw for each outlet to power many outlets. From 2 to 4. You need to strip a little insulation in the right places.
Yes, it does get done that way. Whether it's 100% to code or not, I have no idea.

Originally Posted by Donald
The issue many run into with pigtails is space in the box.
No. Outlet boxes are a standard size (or larger), i.e. cubic inches, and this correlates to a given number of circuits and the device that will fit safely. Yes, using the screw terminals on an outlet does 'save' space but something else is wrong if you have to do that.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Yes, using the screw terminals on an outlet does 'save' space but something else is wrong if you have to do that.

I dunno, I have no love for the "standard" blue boxes at Home Depot, not after pushing a rework box through the wall and having to resort to
this to finish the job. Actually I take it back--that grey box was wonderful to work with, plenty of space. I might have to buy some more.

I definitely see why "all" lighting is done with 14g wire and not 12g, there's a huge difference in working with it!
 
Originally Posted by Yah-Tah-Hey
Unless you are a licensed electrician, stay out of the breaker panel.


Why do I get the impression that most new house electrical work is done by laborers who have only had OJT? A lot of what I've seen after the fact would never be done by a licensed electrician.

FWIW my father was an electrician who went through Navy training and the full IBEW program. I wish I had been old enough to pick up skills from him before he passed.
 
Originally Posted by supton
I definitely see why "all" lighting is done with 14g wire and not 12g, there's a huge difference in working with it!

They use 14 gauge because of the amount of load they need, which is pretty minimal, and it's a relatively known amount. A light fixture with 2 x 60w bulbs draws just 1 amp. Our house has the eat-in kitchen light, main kitchen light, sink overhead light, outside patio light, 1/2 bath light and exhaust, and the garage/kitchen entry light on (1) circuit. Not counting the exhaust fan, that's what, 6-7 amps on a 15a breaker. Code allows 80% continuous or 12a on a 15a circuit. A quick check of typical, builder-grade exhaust fans shows maybe 1-1.5 amp draw.

An outlet can have extension cords, adapters, etc that multiply the number of 15a plugs actually end up connected to it. You can plug in an outlet strip and connect a toaster, blender, vacuum cleaner, and so on. Run 'em all at once, you're most certainly going to trip the breaker.
 
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Originally Posted by Yah-Tah-Hey
Unless you are a licensed electrician, AND IT'S YOUR HOUSE AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, stay out of the breaker panel.


I must be doing something right, 2 houses & 32 years later, I haven't burned one down! Yet...
27.gif



Same.... I know some "licensed electricians" I wouldn't trust to change a light bulb for me.

I have my own copy of the NEC (it''s a few years old)... but I can read. And I do know what I am doing, thank you very much!
 
Ground screws should only get one wire under them.

There's tandem breakers so double tapping doesn't have to be done.
 
Originally Posted by mx5miata
Ground screws should only get one wire under them.

There's tandem breakers so double tapping doesn't have to be done.


Tandem is good if you don't have space in the panel to add extra breakers. OP said he has several available slots so he should just get another regular breaker. Those are typically cheaper than tandem breakers anyway.
 
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Originally Posted by Yah-Tah-Hey
Unless you are a licensed electrician, AND IT'S YOUR HOUSE AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, stay out of the breaker panel.

FIFY! Remember, you burn it down, it's your problem!
crazy.gif

I must be doing something right, 2 houses & 32 years later, I haven't burned one down! Yet...
27.gif



I added a couple breakers to my panel to wire up my basement.

My house is definitely wired using the outlets as splices by the licensed electrician.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by mx5miata
Ground screws should only get one wire under them.

There's tandem breakers so double tapping doesn't have to be done.


Tandem is good if you don't have space in the panel to add extra breakers. OP said he has several available slots so he should just get another regular breaker. Those are typically cheaper than tandem breakers anyway.

Or if the box even takes tandems. I bought one, thinking I'd do that (both circuits are in the same area). But no go, my panel does not support tandems. Back it went for a pair of regulars, about the same price anyhow.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by mx5miata
Ground screws should only get one wire under them.

There's tandem breakers so double tapping doesn't have to be done.


Tandem is good if you don't have space in the panel to add extra breakers. OP said he has several available slots so he should just get another regular breaker. Those are typically cheaper than tandem breakers anyway.

Or if the box even takes tandems. I bought one, thinking I'd do that (both circuits are in the same area). But no go, my panel does not support tandems. Back it went for a pair of regulars, about the same price anyhow.


What brand of box is it? You have to use the same brand of breakers and the breakers have to be meant for that particular box.
 
Not 100% true but a good way to start. In some cases you need to figure who bought out who. As the company who made your circuit breaker box may no longer make breakers under that name.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Unless the breaker allows extra wires, it's against code. If you have the room, just get another breaker. Basically the way I heard it is that UL only tests the breakers with one wire so the rating is only for one wire.

Are you claiming that the ones rated for two wires are not tested with two?

[Linked Image from i.stack.imgur.com]
 
I took a look; it's a Cutler-Hammer BR Load Master. I don't see a model number though--just says it's a 200A box. I think there's a label missing somewhere with model number. A look on the web redirects me to Eaton BR Load Center. It has 40 slots.

The seven open slots did not have any notches in the bus stabs. Indicating that those slots did not support tandem breakers.

http://www.ashireporter.org/HomeInspection/Articles/Inspecting-Tandem-Circuit-Breakers/2047

Right now I'm off reading on differences in breakers; I thought a 20A breaker was a 20A breaker (UL standards and all that, stuff that isn't compatible doesn't plug&play). Apparently each panel maker only spec's their own breakers in their boxes. I need a BR type not the HOM type. Easy enough to swap out tomorrow.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Right now I'm off reading on differences in breakers; I thought a 20A breaker was a 20A breaker (UL standards and all that, stuff that isn't compatible doesn't plug&play). Apparently each panel maker only spec's their own breakers in their boxes. I need a BR type not the HOM type. Easy enough to swap out tomorrow.

Breakers are not generic or standardized, so yes, you have to get breakers of the design that your box uses. Some companies do make breakers that fit other manufacturer's boxes though, especially to fit Square D panels since they are probably the most common out there.

If the label for your panel/box is missing, get details from the existing breakers (generic answer for others). They usually will be designated by a "type" and from there, you pick the amperage, voltage (single/double pole), GFCI/AFCI, etc.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by zzyzzx
This is an easily solvable problem:
[Linked Image from do-it-yourself-help.com]


? Not sure what your point is...?

Plus I've stopped using nuts, Wago's are way easier to deal with.


Correct me if i'm wrong but aren't these push connectors not recommended by most electricians?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by diyjake
Correct me if i'm wrong but aren't these push connectors not recommended by most electricians?
If they have a UL rating, I'm not sure how much an electrician's "recommendation" means. Plus, who do they recommend anything to, other electricians, DIY folks ? The local Lowes (and I'm sure Home Depot, Menards, etc) all stock push-in type connectors, including ones made by Ideal. I'm confident these connectors are completely legit and safe.
 
I am not saying they are illegal (I am not a electrician) I just remember when they came out I asked some electricians about them and they said that wires nuts is the way to go versus push connectors. I personally like the idea of push connectors because they are easier to use in tight places.
 
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