Residential Wiring
- Thread starter Jimmy7
- Start date
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
And we don't have 110, even though many people are calling it that. We do have 120.
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
Electricians are appalled at that now, but I was recently in one of those early '90s homes to troubleshoot an exterior receptacle on the back of the house.
I expected to see at least the master bathroom separated from all the rest, but it wasn't. There was only one circuit. Front and rear receptacles, two in the garage, one in the basement, and four bathrooms.
I asked the owners if they ever had any problems with overloading that circuit. They said they couldn't remember ever having that breaker trip in 8 years living there
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Right. We had 110v back when the high-leg was 190v.
Rick 0920
Senior Member
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Occupation
- Electrical Instructor
I was referring to residential installations. I think the FECC refers to commercial buildings.
Not really a big issue.
I live in a single family home in a gated community in south FL. House was built in early 80's. Two front bedrooms, lights and outlets along with all outdoor lights and outlets were wired on one 15a breaker with #14.
Planning a major rebuild which will include having all that ripped out. 1 15a per room for lights and 1 20a per room for outlets is what I like. Plus a separate subpanel for the kitchen.
House doesn't even have a main breaker.
Got 4 breakers at top of panel, 1 each for hw, ac, dryer and heat plus 2 60a, one for each half of the rest of the panel all wired directly to the meter.
Its worked fine all these years but with the addition being added and 2 EVs and generator plus new arc fault requirements going to all need to be replaced.
Im thinking 200a transfer switch to main panel in new garage with all the 240 loads in there plus a new subpanel where the original one was, plus another sub for the kitchen and another for the pool.
Will use load management on all the heavy hitters to meet the 158a limit on the generator. That along with heat pump for ac, hw and pool heat/cool.
As a note, EV only gets used in middle of night.
Planning a major rebuild which will include having all that ripped out. 1 15a per room for lights and 1 20a per room for outlets is what I like. Plus a separate subpanel for the kitchen.
House doesn't even have a main breaker.
Got 4 breakers at top of panel, 1 each for hw, ac, dryer and heat plus 2 60a, one for each half of the rest of the panel all wired directly to the meter.
Its worked fine all these years but with the addition being added and 2 EVs and generator plus new arc fault requirements going to all need to be replaced.
Im thinking 200a transfer switch to main panel in new garage with all the 240 loads in there plus a new subpanel where the original one was, plus another sub for the kitchen and another for the pool.
Will use load management on all the heavy hitters to meet the 158a limit on the generator. That along with heat pump for ac, hw and pool heat/cool.
As a note, EV only gets used in middle of night.
OldBroadcastTech
Senior Member
- Location
- Western IL
- Occupation
- Retired Broadcast Technician
You have never been in my neighborhood in 90+ / 98 % weather here in Western IL..........
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
Sounds like a split bus panel. I wouldn't even attempt to add to it. Adding such large loads will cause issues on the old bus and to have in most cases catastrophic failures. Recommend to customer replacing with new panel.
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
15 amps is 1800 watts. Holy smokes. You want 6 arena lights in each bedroom?
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Yes, overkill.
A separate lighting circuit in each room in a residence is foolish, but each bedroom on their own circuit is not a bad thing.
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
I've done that in some retirement communities, with each room having a 20 amp circuit for receptacles. Then a lighting circuit or two throughout.
I just think a retirement home is a lot more likely to have the demand of a space heater or oxygen concentrator, et al
Frank DuVal
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Engineer
That's a real minimum, not something I would EVER wire to. I am not in the cheapest way is my way. I hardly ever wire 15 amp receptacle circuits. 20 amp AFCI/GFCI breakers cost the same, and I feel better having more receptacles. Not that silly 12 foot rule (so a lamp with a 6 foot cord can fit most anywhere, but then there is if it sits on a table, then you have to account for drop to floor length....
). i.e. I do not wire a house to a specification I would not want to live in!Using that formula, a 3000 sq ft house only needs five 15 amp breakers (plus laundry, kitchen). Wiring to the 50's idea of 4 circuits in a house on a 60 amp service still?
And why the licensed electrician remarks? Trying to insinuate all licensed electricians are the same?
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
Some people think all licensed guys do everything correct, while all unlicensed guys do everything incorrectAnd why the licensed electrician remarks? Trying to insinuate all licensed electricians are the same?
Frank DuVal
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Engineer
Or anyone over 60 years old, or grew up with people who were around before 1960. It is a learned thing, like accents or misused words (I'll axe you a question grates on me!).We do not have 110V either, mostly just DIYers & foreigners calling it that
Frank DuVal
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Engineer
Is was not a code violation then. The bath lighting could not be on the circuit, though.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
I typically wire receptacles and lighting separately, and also prefer 20a for receptacles and 15a for lighting. I agree with the reasoning of bath and kitchen lighting staying on during an appliance malfunction.
Even if every bedroom has its own 15a circuit, turning on the lights to vacuum is likely to trip a 15a breaker, but one 20a circuit can supply several bedrooms because you're only going to vacuum one room at a time.
Also, lighting and fans are relatively known and fixed loads, so it's easier to load lighting circuits efficiently with little risk of overload. Receptacles can be asked to supply almost anything unpredictable over time.
Even if every bedroom has its own 15a circuit, turning on the lights to vacuum is likely to trip a 15a breaker, but one 20a circuit can supply several bedrooms because you're only going to vacuum one room at a time.
Also, lighting and fans are relatively known and fixed loads, so it's easier to load lighting circuits efficiently with little risk of overload. Receptacles can be asked to supply almost anything unpredictable over time.