House wiring

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elecguy21

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I ' ll be working on a two family home from start to finish with another helper . I talked to the boss into letting me run the job with a little help from him, I know between the two of us we can get this done. This a chance for me to move up prove myself as a electrician. By no means do I think I know everything about wiring, I just like a shot at getting to be a "electrician".

Can some of you contractors give me some of your wiring ways as far as your types of layout of the work? With what I have learned in the last two years and what I learn here I should be ok.
 
I can tell you one thing I like doing, as do some others here: place lighting and receptacles on separate circuits. For example, in a 3-bedroom house, one 20a circuit can supply all receptacles in the bedroom and hallway area, and a second (15 or 20a) can supply all of the lighting in the same area, such as ceiling lights and fans, bath, hall, and closet lights, attic light, etc.

Same with other areas. We already do that in the kitchen and dining room, so keep it going. One circuit can cover most kitchens, the dining room, living room, foyer, and exterior lights, unless there is a lot of kitchen lights, so you might want two circuits. Same with the den, garage, laundry, guest baths, etc. It's easier to keep track of wiring and home runs this way.
 
Since I have no idea what type of work you have been doing or what your experience level is it is hard to give any advice that would be meaningful. Also what "level" of project this is. I guess my main advice is to be thinking of finishes now, always think ahead. Make sure your boxes don't wind up in the trim. Make sure that if you have a surface mount fixture it won't interfere with any doors. If there are vent pipes in the way of fixture boxes in the baths have the plumbers move them now, don't think you can deal with it on the trim. Thinking with this type of mind set will make the whole process go much smoother. Also related to this is try to work w/ the other trades in terms of staging, cleaning, coordination etc. If you don't make an effort to work with them they might choose to actively work against you. Remember that running a job is a different ballgame than working on one.
 
The job is a two family house and its a new construction . We are doing the service for it also it will be 200a with each geting a 100a panel . I plan on puting a panel for the second floor up there. The smokes will go on a bedroom circuit. Each apartment has central ac .

I plan on doing as much as I can, we have done about 50% of house wiring in the two years I been working.

This is great. Thanks for everything.
 
I don't know about your AHJ, but, here in Texas, helpers/apprentices can not work unsupervised on a commercial job (sadly I don't know much about residential but I would hope it is the same). How this multi family dwelling is going to be inspected, and, whom will be doing the inspection are some questions you need answers to, because, you may not be able to wire this building without a lic. JE on site.
 
apavl.

Like all contractors do they check up on thier workers to see the type of
work that is being done. No contractor is going to go any amount of time without checking on the workers and the work. Most contractors around here have people at all work levels doing work for them, and it is legal here. The boss my not even get to do any manual labor with all the other head achs they have. I try to take responsibility on my job and do as much as possible. Can't wait for tomorrow when I go back to work.
 
You should run the job as you've been trained; that's what I would expect if you were my employee. Don't waste too much time thinking about where things should go; just do it. Follow the code for circuit layout. When you get there, have the helper unload the device boxes, extension cords, hole hawg, and tools. You go in every room, mark the switches by the door, a receptacle every 12', and cover the kitchen counters as they should be. Mark where the appliances will go. By this time your helper should already be nailing up boxes. When you're done marking, have him start drilling while you finish nailing boxes. Pull the rope, make the splices, set panel, go home. Depending on the skill of the helper, I usually give them one or two recep circuits at a time to pull while I'm working on the overhead circuits (lights). Say, "tie these receps together, then home run from the shortest point (and mark gfci line side where applicable)." remind them to write the circuit on the cable. The most important thing is that you know which codes apply to your job. Keep it neat, not artistic.
 
Your panel on the second floor may be a problem if the service disconnects are not grouped together. How do you plan on going from the 200 amp service entrance to each of the 100 amp panels?
 
Rob, I am going to pull a ser cable to the panel upstairs. Thanks for the questions it keeps me thinking ahead. I hope to get some more questions. It's great.

Oh, 200a meter twin pan outside 1 meter to panel otherside of wall. Second meter to 100a circuit breaker and then up to panel. Please if you have something better let me know.
 
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elecguy21 said:
Rob, I am going to pull a ser cable to the panel upstairs. Thanks for the questions it keeps me thinking ahead. I hope to get some more questions. It's great.

Oh, 200a meter twin pan outside 1 meter to panel otherside of wall. Second meter to 100a circuit breaker and then up to panel. Please if you have something better let me know.[/QUOTE Do you think i should put the panel with the first floor panel?
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elecguy21 said:
elecguy21 said:
Rob, I am going to pull a ser cable to the panel upstairs. Thanks for the questions it keeps me thinking ahead. I hope to get some more questions. It's great.

Oh, 200a meter twin pan outside 1 meter to panel otherside of wall. Second meter to 100a circuit breaker and then up to panel. Please if you have something better let me know.[/QUOTE Do you think i should put the panel with the first floor panel?
Click to expand...


That will work, I would put the panel on the 2nd floor in a heartbeat!
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like others have said think about what you are doing.do what u can to work efficiantly with out backtracking think of the finish wire the air handler now. do what is practicle now to save time later.
 
One little tool I used when I worked for a company that did 3,500 sqft houses start to finish in a day was this. Take a piece of scrap 1x6 and cut a notch at the height of your receps. (Bottom or top, whatever you use) Then cut the 1x6 to the height of your switches. After you have that all you do is walk around with a marker and that stick and bang out locations. No tape measure, or clunky hammer, and your lines are razor straight across the stud every time. Write on the studs s1/s3/s4 etc....... and your helper can go around and bang up boxes. Then you drill and he ropes in.


This tool may not be worth making if your are doing a small house but when we did a house a day it was well worth it. (I kind of miss those days)
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Sounds as if you're putting one service disconnect on the outside (for the 2nd floor) and one on the inside (for the 1st floor). If that's correct, you have a problem because you need both disconnects grouped together.
 
infinity said:
Sounds as if you're putting one service disconnect on the outside (for the 2nd floor) and one on the inside (for the 1st floor). If that's correct, you have a problem because you need both disconnects grouped together.
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To me it sounded like the disconnect was going next to the first floor panel... but you could be right. I dont know. :confused:
 
Most home owners always change vanity size and appliance types, if you want to start out quick the first day, it is always better to meet with the home owner or contractor by yourself, get all the specs mark the preffered light locations etc; Otherwise you will be deciding where the correct plce to put the can light since the truss is dead center, let them decide or you will do it twice. These sound like spec homes if not you should talk in detail with your boss because there is alot of planing with the owner on high end homes.
 
stickboy1375 said:
To me it sounded like the disconnect was going next to the first floor panel... but you could be right. I dont know. :confused:
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I envisioned the two meters together with one nippled to a panel on the other side of the wall for the first floor and then from the second meter to a 100 amp disconnect adjacent ot that meter and SER to the second floor panel.

Oh, 200a meter twin pan outside 1 meter to panel otherside of wall.

Second meter to 100a circuit breaker and then up to panel. Please if you have something better let me know.
Click to expand...
 
infinity said:
I envisioned the two meters together with one nippled to a panel on the other side of the wall for the first floor and then from the second meter to a 100 amp disconnect adjacent ot that meter and SER to the second floor panel.
Click to expand...


Your probably right, I just pictured what I would do... :grin:
 
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