OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

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Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by sandsnow:
All outlet boxes to have no more than two cable entries, except lighting outlets (ceiling) can have third for switchlegs
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Why? You like using up cable? I'd use a lot more wire if I couldn't "T" :)

And Charlie, separate circuits for lighting and all 20A. Why would you want 20A lighting circuits?

Oh, and all wire 12AWG except the doorbell. Going to like your 12AWG thermostat, phone and cable TV. :D
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by paul32:And Charlie, separate circuits for lighting and all 20A. Why would you want 20A lighting circuits?
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I didn't say that I wanted 20A lighting circuits. I said I wanted #12 wire. And I suppose something smaller might be OK for the thermostat and other LV stuff. This is a "wish list," not a bid spec. Besides, I am guessing my wife would make me opt for the drapes. :D
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by paul32:
Originally posted by sandsnow:
All outlet boxes to have no more than two cable entries, except lighting outlets (ceiling) can have third for switchlegs
Click to expand...
Why? You like using up cable? I'd use a lot more wire if I couldn't "T" :)
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Remember this was a wish list for your house wiring. :D
I don't like fighting even just a little bit getting wires plus device into boxes.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

An emergency light above my panel where I really need one and in my bathroom where I really,really need one.Question arises... why are Emergency lights required outside a building but not in an electrical room.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by Awg-Dawg:
An emergency light above my panel where I really need one
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That I have at my panel, it has come in handy.


I'm what Willis was talkin bout

LMAO. :D
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Actually, I would have discreet sconces or better still, half-dollar size step lights on a car battery on a trickle charger, wired to a 120V ice cube. When the power goes out, my discreet lights would illuminate all paths. Out here in the sticks, we have outages about once or twice a year. It gets annoying fumbling through rooms. :)

I'd smurf tube all LV locations, because things are only going to get faster, cooler, and use different cabling methods.

I might go so far as to 14-3 the GP receptacles, but I don't think so. I'd rather have light fixtures than table lamps.

I'd avoid the high-dollar gimmick lighting systems, and use gimmicky scene controllers that use more conventional wiring methods.

My wife and I bought a set of plans once with high hopes (still on "someday" status), I am going to go nuts with them one of these days.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Well I did alot of the stuff listed here when I wired my house a couple years ago. Here is a list of some of the stuff

1. Switched outlets outside for x-mas lights.
2. 2 cat5 and coax to each data drop.
3. I put extra deep boxs for the switchs, I have PCS switches throught out my house and are controled by my computer.
4. 48 port patch panel on my data board with a wireless router.
5. Lots of plugs, I just finished my basement and went a little overboard.
6. Pulled spare coax's to attic for dish if I ever decided to go with that.

I did some more but can not remember them all. Over all I am very happy with how it came out.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

i have a couple flash lights that plug into an outlet so they are always charged. they come on if the power fails.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

I built my house several years ago, I put switched receptacles in the eaves for Christmas lights, The switch is out of the way in the coat closet.
I put app. 500' of PVC in the slab for all the major home runs, to aviod going over vaulted ceilings.
We have a lift station for our septic system, I installed a second float switch (with an inconspicuous red beacon located above the manhole) a foot higher than the float switch that turns the pump on. I pulled a light circuit out from the house to power it in case the pump failed and tripped the breaker. It's has come on once, when the pump failed, saving us from finding out the hard way that we have no sewer anymore.
Outside lights on a timer overridden by a photocell (on at dark off at 10:30)
Floorboxes in larger rooms, with one outlet switched for lamps.
I went into business this past year and just built a website this week, see what you think, I still have much more to add to it.

{Moderator's Note: Edited to remove the business contact information. We do not allow advertising on this Forum. If you wish to contact this person or to find the web site, please send a Private Message.}

[ November 21, 2005, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: charlie b ]
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by petersonra:
Originally posted by electricmanscott:
[qb] I agree with some of the things here. Some I don't see any additional value.
Every receptacle marked with circuit number?
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I am a nut about labeling everything. If I want to, say, extend a circuit, well which circuit is it? If there happen to be two circuit breakers controlling lights in a single room, well which circuit are these lights on? If the guy wiring it (which is most likely me anyway) doesn't type out the panelboard schedule I throw a fit. Some people don't seem to care so much about labeling things. You know those boxes with all the little bitty drawers in them? That hold each size of screw nut bolt or connector? Mine are all labeled.
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Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by chrsb:
5. Lots of plugs, I just finished my basement and went a little overboard.
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Too many plugs? Nonsense, you could never have too many plugs. 120V Receptacles are like tools, you can never have enough of them! :roll:
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Lot's of good ideas here. I'm currently building a house and here are a few things I did and a few I would like to do. Some (most?) have already been mentioned.

Did or doing:
15A lighting ckts with 14Wire
15A AFCIs for the bedroom recpts
15A recpts for the general purpose
Fed spec back-wired recpts and switches. Pigtailed instead of pass-through.
Flanged, gasketed boxes on outside walls
5000K florescents in the kitchen and laundry
Florescents in the closets, even the shallow ones - I haven't got the shallow closet switch figured out yet - maybe a motion detector or a door switch.

As few as possible boxes in outside walls. Used floor boxes instead.

Cat5e to the boiler room - future monitoring.
Cat5e and coax to above the front and back doors. I'm thinking cameras some day - if I can ever figure out how to keep them warm enough to work.
50A, 4pole gen connection to a three wire transfer switch - feeds an essential loads panel with: boiler, heat trace for well, well pump, two outside non-gfi recpts for block heaters, and couple of inside lights.

Photocell smoke detectors in garages and laundry.
Electric kickspace heaters in the bathrooms.
Ufer ground - PoCo still made me drive a ground rod (sigh)

3W switch motion detector for the stairwell lgts (don't know how well this is going to work)

UG service in 2" PVC conduit - 36" burial, compacted under and the first 12" over, bedded in 100% passing a 200 screen (the 200 screen is a bit of a joke, it's all silt). PoCo squawked loudly and longly - assured me they would not fix it if it failed during the winter. That's okay; I put it in as reliably as available and I'll deal with the risk. I really don't like overhead services.


Next time additions:
Full length 42 space main panel - that's 42 full size CB's - I've got nothing against half-sized CB's, I just want the full length panel.

Subpanel on an adjoining wall to the kitchen/laundry - the kitchen/laundry is 80% of the house load why not put a panel right next to the big loads?

Heat trace in the foundations drains and eave drains.


Still Looking for:
Voice recognition door locks
Video cameras good to -40 without external heating
Push button timers for the bath fans and kickspace heaters - one ON button gives a programmable on-time, say 20 to 40 minute range, with OFF button.


carl
Having a blast with my evenings and weekends ;) And I fully realize that if I were doing this for a living, I'd be starving :p
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Originally posted by coulter:
Still Looking for:
Voice recognition door locks
Video cameras good to -40 without external heating
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Say hi to Cap'n Kirk for me will ya. :D

[ November 22, 2005, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: electricmanscott ]
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

Not really part of the house wiring but I trenched in (8) 3/4" conduits to various locations in the backyard prior to installing the sod so that when the wife asked for a fountain I wouldn't have to dig up the whole backyard. I also used one for the CATV and phone cabling (I had a problem of catting the CATV line at my old house while trying to put in new flower beds)
-Ed
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

I would wire my own house to minimum code standards. Anything above that is a complete waste and will never be apperciated or utilized.

I come from the school of thought that if a single 15 amp circuit is good for a 3 bedroom apartment (as is the case in many old buildings in my area), then I don't really need to go above minimum code standards, which are allready very conservative.

As far as the "luxuries" go, I would add lots of recessed lighting, ceiling fans, and probably a generator transfer switch.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

It seems no matter how you wire it your needs keep changing.Keep in mind when you sell it that you will not even get the cost of materials for them extras.If i was sure i would keep it then i would run it in pipe.Far easier to change things.And in my opinion a lot safer.
 
Re: OK, how would you wire your OWN house?

All recepts at +30". That way I don't have to bend over to plug anything in. I'm getting older and lazier.
 
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