With all the people on this site I figure someone here should be able to help me.

Anyway I’m building a modeling room and will be needing to wire it up. Now I already have a wire run over to the area. I just need to know if 1 circuit will be able to handle it.
It will be running 2 lights and 4 receptacles ( mostly only 2 of them will be used at a time. The other 2 are mostly for convenience if a cords to short.)

I’m thinking it should be able to handle it but my basic expertise in electrical work doesn’t include designing circuits.

20 amp Circut and should be all set..... ( I'll double check tonight I don't have my Electrical ref book with me right now)

Thanks Matt.

I'm not just a Drftsman... I also work Part Time @
"The Orange Blood Bank" in the Electrical Dept. :-) :-) :-) :-)

It’s straight from the box I believe. The wire was already there. It was supposed to go the one of the outside walls but they were never finished so I’m just using it here.
There’s a wire just like it on the other side of the basement that my be on the same circuit but if it is I’m going to disconnect it.

Before the entire project is done I will have to take at lest 2 or 3 more circuits out of the box for a wood shop. Boy is that going to be fun putting in.

Here in NY (anyway ) 12 is the minimum for Outlets,
14 for DEDICATED light circuts. But 90% of the electritians that come in run all 12 because it's easier.

Thanks guys.

The wire is 12/2 and I believe the circuit is 20amp but I still have to go down and check.

Just one question. How do I know how many Amps the outlet is made for?
I have a box of random outlets, switches and things that I would like to use up before buying new ones.

If it is like it is over here in Sweden, each outlet should be stamped or embossed with what it can handle. An example for Sweden would be 240V 16A 50Hz. My guess it should be something like 120V 16A 60Hz. It is my understanding that it should'nt be coded, you should be able to read straight off the outlet.

Have fun!

Most of them are a 15amp rated outlet....... I know i have 15 amp ones on a 20 amp circut..........

Ok I just went down and checked on things.
The outlet are 15amp and apparently the wire is nothing. It runs to the circuit board and just hangs there.
I’ll probably make it 15 just to be on the safe side with the outlets.

Yep... Over @ the "Orange Blood Bank" we're not allowed to quote Building code.....(Company Policy). DUH how do you expect us to do our jobs...LOL

Maybe my breaker is a 15 amp... dunno haven't looked in the box for awhile....lol

sounds like a good policy to me.
(Had to read parts of my states code book for carpentry work. Half of it didn’t make sense)


I’m thinking Pa allows 14 on outlets to. That’s when we used back in are booths when I had that 3 weeks of training.

I did finally get around to drawing up a wiring map using my fantastic drawing on the computer skills. :-)
Looks like a 3 year old drew it.





Is it just me or does the board keep messing with what I type?

Redneck:

You've got plenty of info on the hobby room wiring -- 15 or 20amp should be fine.

But I noted you're later doing a wood shop ???
You'll really have to beef that up & do it right.
Take a look at the shop designs in some of the magazines like Popular Woodworking, American Woodworker, etc for ideas & then consult a professional to lay it out ...

John

Yes John I’ll also be putting in a wood shop as well as a small display room.

The shops already got everything for the lights. As for the outlets I don’t know what I’m going to do just yet.
I’m still a long way from starting anything in there.

I probably will end up finding a professional before I’m done in there.

Jacob/redneck:

Great, I envy you a real wood shop.

I live on the ocean & my house is on stilts -- our zoning codes don't allow separate structures nor do they allow more than a couple hundred sq feet storage under the house, so I drag everything out & work under the house or in the driveway, then put it all away again -- and of course do nothing for 4-5 months of the year due to weather. Thus my projects are a bit rougher than I'd want 'em to be ...

John

GFCI's, ground fault circuit interrupters, will only trip in case of a ground fault. That's why they're required in bathrooms, kitchens and anywhere else water is nearby. They won't trip in case of an overload or short circuit. That is left up to the circuit breaker.

That being said, since you're setting up shop in your basement, they're still not a bad idea if you have water issues, i.e. sump pump, groundwater seepage, etc. You can never be too safe when it comes to electricity. It only takes milliamps to kill.

John I’m sorry to here that. I know how you feel.
Right now half of are basement is living space and isn’t separated from the others side so I have to drag every thing out side that makes dust when I want to use it.
Which means I usually cant do much during winter.


Cary thanks for the advice but luckily we don’t have any water trouble. One of the pluses of being built over top an old mine shaft. Probably the only one aswell

I don't think you rambled on at all, Ken. In fact you gave a lot of excellent advice. I just chimed in because of your comment about not having to go back to the breaker box to reset, so I thought you were alluding to an overload condition.

And your suggestion about having the GFCI's at a modeling desk is a good one. I know I've spilled water on my desk before while decaling. Having that go into an outlet strip or power tool would definitely ruin your day.

Thanks guys. I’ve never really thought about spilling water.

I’m thinking I remember hearing that you only need 1 GFCI outlet on the circuit. Is that correct?

If you are going to feed multiple receptacles from one GFCI, then it needs to be the first one in the circuit. You then just feed the rest of them off of it. An alternative would be to install a GFCI breaker, but these can be expensive compared to the cost of a GFCI receptacle.