12/2 or 12/3

[chris1971]

Sadly, I've found even supposedly skilled electricians who are afraid to use MWBC's. :roll:

Back when I was wiring new houses in 1999/00 before the dawn of the AFCI, we would run tons of 3-wire circuits throughout the house. Those were the days.

You can still run mwbc's today. Most panel manufacturers have two pole AFCI circuit breakers. Do you save any money anymore running mwbc's? Probably not.

 

[peter d]

You can still run mwbc's today. Most panel manufacturers have two pole AFCI circuit breakers. Do you save any money anymore running mwbc's? Probably not.

:roll::roll:

 

[chris1971]

:roll::roll:

Typical response when you have nothing intelligent to post.:happyyes:

 

[ActionDave]

Sadly, I've found even supposedly skilled electricians who are afraid to use MWBC's. :roll:

Back when I was wiring new houses in 1999/00 before the dawn of the AFCI, we would run tons of 3-wire circuits throughout the house. Those were the days.

I'm surprised by the hysterical fear some electricians have of them too.

I never knew a day of wiring without them. For commercial it was always three hots and a neutral in conduit and for homes it was always 12-3 homeruns.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

....
I can hear the conversation, "You're crazy old man. How do you get three circuits only using four wires? You need six."

Then you just have them explain the 4 wire service that feeds the panel.

 

[brantmacga]

I agree, nothing like wasting copper with individual neutrals. :rant:

Most drawings I get these days require separate neutrals on every circuit

Not sure if it's a CYA thing or what.

 

[ActionDave]

Most drawings I get these days require separate neutrals on every circuit

Not sure if it's a CYA thing or what.

It's the handle tie/common trip rule and and a new found irrational fear of MWBC.

 

[kwired]

FIFY

You can still run mwbc's today. Most panel manufacturers have two pole AFCI circuit breakers. Do you save any money anymore running AFCI's? Probably not.

 

[peter d]

Typical response when you have nothing intelligent to post.:happyyes:

I'm aware that you can still use 3-wire circuits and 2-pole AFCI's. 2-pole AFCI's are expensive and not always readily available. Furthermore, given the nuisance tripping of AFCI's, most EC's would not want the headache of having 2 circuits lose power when (not if) it nuisance trips.

 

[GoldDigger]

Then you just have them explain the 4 wire service that feeds the panel.

Remember ember that POCO electrons are different.

 

[mstrlucky74]

I'd run 12-3 as a MWBC. Does the job have specs that state you can't use mwbc's?

spec says each ckt must have separate neutral...

 

[peter d]

spec says each ckt must have separate neutral...

Then you're stuck running 2-wire circuits.

 

[chris1971]

spec says each ckt must have separate neutral...

Than no mwbc's are allowed.

 

[cdslotz]

spec says each ckt must have separate neutral...

So why did you even bother to ask the original question?
It doesn't apply...