Electrician need help

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nafis

Senior Member
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Palestine,tx
hi guys

i am fixing to do my first side job , i do have house i need to wire in the next few days . AHJ in my area required 12 AWG. The house is about 3000 sq.ft. Single story (spic house). I need to know how many feet of wire it will take to wire this house. I really need you help in this guy

thank you
 
I have found that if you take the sq footage of a house that usually equals the amount of 2 wire you will need 1 sq. ft. to @ foot of 2 wire and depending on the amount of ceiling fans and 3 ways you can usually take the sq. footage and divide by 3 to get the amount of 3 wire that will be used.

It has been pretty accurate so far,give or take a few feet.
 
The city here has a written supplement that requires a minimum of #12 for branch circuits. Might be nuts, but it is the way that it is, and has been for better than 20 years. I never buy #14 NM, as I have no need of it.
 
iwire said:
Apparently the AHJ is nuts. :D

I can't answer your question but I will bet Allen knows what he is talking about.:)
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Thank you Bob..... I found that by using that calculation in 1000`s of homes i have come up with a real simple formula.I walked into a huge 25,000 sq house a few years ago and when I ordered the wire I was almost on the money give or take a couple of feet like 500 if memory serves me well.Hey it works for me :)
 
Minuteman said:
The city here has a written supplement that requires a minimum of #12 for branch circuits. Might be nuts, but it is the way that it is, and has been for better than 20 years. I never buy #14 NM, as I have no need of it.
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I'd hate to be you....:smile:
 
Minuteman said:
The city here has a written supplement that requires a minimum of #12 for branch circuits. Might be nuts, but it is the way that it is, and has been for better than 20 years. I never buy #14 NM, as I have no need of it.
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#14 should be outlawed. It serves no useful purpose beside scrimping on cost and raising my blood pressure. All it takes is a phat space heater or blow dryer to ruin ones day.
 
tallgirl said:
#14 should be outlawed. It serves no useful purpose beside scrimping on cost and raising my blood pressure. All it takes is a phat space heater or blow dryer to ruin ones day.
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Gimme break, that is ridiculous. Statements like that raise my blood pressure.

A greater quantity of 15 amp circuits could just as easily provide better service than a loaded up 20 amp circuit.

Good design of branch circuits can be accomplished with either 14, 12 or 10.

Also homes have lightning outlets, they are a fixed load and it is only wasteful to run 12 AWG for a circuit with 1000 watts of lighting on it.

It is also obvious you do not do any control work. :grin:
 
#14 should be outlawed. It serves no useful purpose beside scrimping on cost and raising my blood pressure.
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I disagree, I use the heck out of 14/2 and 14/3 when I wire houses. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a properly installed circuit run in #14 NM cable.

JMHO,

Chris
 
stickboy1375 said:
I'd hate to be you....:smile:
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Why?

If a 250' roll of 14/2 is $87 and a 250' roll of 12/2 is $181, assuming an equal mark-up for both items....which item nets you the most profit?
 
tallgirl said:
#14 should be outlawed. It serves no useful purpose beside scrimping on cost and raising my blood pressure. All it takes is a phat space heater or blow dryer to ruin ones day.
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Nonsense. :smile:

And exactly what kind of house is the original poster wiring? :confused:
 
electricmanscott said:
Nonsense. :smile:

And exactly what kind of house is the original poster wiring? :confused:
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He's wiring a 3,000 sqft spic (sic) house.

What, people who can afford a house that size make sure to save every single watt that comes their way? Wire it with #12, the owners will be happier, he'll get a positive reputation, and then get more business.
 
tallgirl said:
What, people who can afford a house that size make sure to save every single watt that comes their way? Wire it with #12, the owners will be happier, he'll get a positive reputation, and then get more business.
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The homeowners will not know jack squat. Properly wired there should not be any issues. A house with all #12 wiring is not any better than one with #14 where allowed. Not to mention there is not exactly limitless supply of copper.

The reputation you will end up with is one of a contractor who is selling snake oil.
 
tallgirl said:
He's wiring a 3,000 sqft spic (sic) house.

What, people who can afford a house that size make sure to save every single watt that comes their way? Wire it with #12, the owners will be happier, he'll get a positive reputation, and then get more business.
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Julie , I come from NYC and when I moved to NC I had never used 14/2 before. For the next 15 years I was the only idiot around here wiring the entire house in 12 gauge. I finally stopped when we had to start grounding the switches and used a lot more of the Decora style ones. You put a few 3 ways and 4 ways in a box with #12 wire and add in that decora style switch and you would have wished you ran #14. I am still a big advocate of #12. In fact I still use it almost exclusively on receptacles (I have my reasons) but lighting- Nope- no more #12... I am a changed man. Granted you may have to run a few extra circuits but hey my life is much easier.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I am still a big advocate of #12. In fact I still use it almost exclusively on receptacles (I have my reasons) but lighting- Nope- no more #12...
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I agree, except I migrated towards using #12 for receptacles, rather than away from using #12 for everything.

As Bob pointed out, fixed lighting is a known quantity, while receptacle loads are not.

We apparently agree on the reasons for separating lighting and receptacle circuits.
 
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