Quake3World

I think I may have a problem. I've got 100 feet of 14/2 NM-B wire and I want to run a 4-way socket, a 2-way socket, and a lightswitch on a new wall. I just don't know if it will be heavy enough to run it. Yeah I know look it up, but I'm sure it will say get at least 12 guage wire. I want to know if it will actually handle it at 14 guage.

I know it's quite common to recommend things with more than enough stability to handle a job. I don't want to buy new wire if I don't have to, but I also don't want to burn my house down.

Phone your local home depot and ask for someone in electrical to answer your question.

FragaGeddon wrote:Phone your local home depot and ask for someone in electrical to answer your question.

By the time I realized what I had, I think they were closed. Figured maybe someone here had some real electical knowledge and could tell me if it would work or not. I'll probably call them tomorrow if they are open if I don't find out anything here. I'd like to have it done by tomorrow evening if possible as I have to put in a lot of hours next week and won't have much time to put into it for a while. Good suggestion though. Maybe someone will be open that I could ask.

even if you find something out here, i'd still call.

This is the _most_ awesome electricty forum I have _ever_ seen:

http://electrical-contractor.net/cgi-bi ... LastLogin=

tnf wrote:even if you find something out here, i'd still call.

I will anyway. Never can be too carefull. The carpentry I can handle, electricity is another matter though. Not to mention the previous owner made a mess of everything he touched. I've been working for almost 3 years fixing all his fuckups. He's my father-in-law and drunk most of the time. Rebuilding the walls and floors has been a nightmare. Can't bitch too much though, took over payments and will have it paid off in a few years. Got it for less than 1/3 of what it would have cost me to buy it outright.

mjrpes wrote:This is the _most_ awesome electricty forum I have _ever_ seen:

http://electrical-contractor.net/cgi-bi ... LastLogin=

Thanks, I think I found my answer. Seems I will have to get 12 guage wire. 14 would work until a short occured, then flames might ensue. Crap. Guess I'm going back to the supply store.

It depends on what you plan on plugging into the outlets and how many light are on the switch.

If the outlets are general use only (not going to be used for running heavy equipment) and you're only going to run one or two lights, the 14/2 should be fine. Just make sure that you're not hooking the 14/2 circuit to a breaker larger than 15 amps. The breaker is what protects the wiring from burning up.

Hope that helps...

and yes I do work for a licensed electrical contractor.

mjrpes wrote:This is the _most_ awesome electricty forum I have _ever_ seen:

http://electrical-contractor.net/cgi-bi ... LastLogin=

Great site

Many thanks mjrpes :icon14:

YourGrandpa wrote:It depends on what you plan on plugging into the outlets and how many light are on the switch.

If the outlets are general use only (not going to be used for running heavy equipment) and you're only going to run one or two lights, the 14/2 should be fine. Just make sure that you're not hooking the 14/2 circuit to a breaker larger than 15 amps. The breaker is what protects the wiring from burning up.

Hope that helps...

and yes I do work for a licensed electrical contractor.

Ahh, thanks. One light on the lightswitch, the 2-way will be in the kitchen for shit like the toaster. The 4-way will be for my pc. If need be I could run 12 to the 4-way. The breaker is 15 amp.

scourge34 wrote:

YourGrandpa wrote:It depends on what you plan on plugging into the outlets and how many light are on the switch.

If the outlets are general use only (not going to be used for running heavy equipment) and you're only going to run one or two lights, the 14/2 should be fine. Just make sure that you're not hooking the 14/2 circuit to a breaker larger than 15 amps. The breaker is what protects the wiring from burning up.

Hope that helps...

and yes I do work for a licensed electrical contractor.

Ahh, thanks. One light on the lightswitch, the 2-way will be in the kitchen for shit like the toaster. The 4-way will be for my pc. If need be I could run 12 to the 4-way. The breaker is 15 amp.

14/2 is rated for 15 amps. So there's no need to run any #12.

i am a 13yr electrican,if you are gonna run only small stuff,then hes right about the 14/2,however how badass is yer pc?
if its got alot of extras,then yer only concern would be if you were running all these things at the same time.
but like it was said,14/2=15amps 12/2=20amps
also you can do this,count the max amps of the things you are gonna run,a breaker will trip when it reaches over about 66% of its max load.
so if you are in doubt about it,jus go get a 20 amp breaker,and run 12/2. this will work for sure.imo as long as yer not running a microwave,or a hairdryer you should be fine.
jus DO NOT hook a 14/2 to a 20 amp breaker as was said before!

hope this helps!!

It's an Athlon 64 3000+ with a 300w PSU. I have a printer/scanner/copier, cable modem, monitor, and a desk light. As for the 2-way it might be running a microwave. I do have some unused 12/2 hooked to a 20 amp that I can reroute for it. It went to a porch light that I won't be using anymore. Thanks for all the help guys.

A 300watt PSU @ 120volts draws 2.5 amps max. A 1200 watt microwave @ 120volts draws 10 amps max (that's a big microwave). Combined, thats 12.5 amps "MAX". You should be fine with 14/2 on a 15 amp breaker.

If it's not going to kill you, get the 12/2 and put it on a 20 amp breaker.

YourGrandpa wrote:A 300watt PSU @ 120volts draws 2.5 amps max. A 1200 watt microwave @ 120volts draws 10 amps max (that's a big microwave). Combined, thats 12.5 amps "MAX". You should be fine with 14/2 on a 15 amp breaker.

That'll work. :icon14: Well it seems I won't be doing any wiring today. Hit the main breakers outside and nada, still have power running in the house. Actually there's 2 sets of mains outside. Tripped them both, same thing. Lol. Seems my nightmare is just beginning.

edit: I found a few lines not being used that are 12/2 hooked to 20 amp breakers that I can reroute. It wouldn't kill me to get some, just rather not if I don't have to. The more I think about it the more I want to go ahead and run 12.

no ones died yet then ?

What?

You turned both of your main breakers off and you still have power in the house? :icon30:

YourGrandpa wrote:What?

You turned both of your main breakers off and you still have power in the house? :icon30:

Yep. I think someone may have done a bit of rerouting the mains in the past. Fixing to pull the cover off and see what I have to deal with.

losCHUNK wrote:no ones died yet then ?

Not anyone I'm going to mention anyway.

scourge34 wrote:

YourGrandpa wrote:What?

You turned both of your main breakers off and you still have power in the house? :icon30:

Yep. I think someone may have done a bit of rerouting the mains in the past. Fixing to pull the cover off and see what I have to deal with.

Ohhh.... Not good.

Sounds like someone may have used a jumper wire to bypass the main breaker.

Be careful from this point forward. If this has be done to your electrical panel you never know what else is lurking to be discovered.

i highly recommend you call an electrican,dont be a hero and get yerself killed man!! the old adage,you cant see it hear it or smell it but its there and will kill you!!! piz be careful,if someone has rigged this,then you could have some crazy things happen,i've seen it!!

I was an apprentice electrician with just 1800 hours of work and one thing I know for sure by experience, please don’t experiment/assume or improvise yourself as an electrician even if it’s seem to be the logical way to do it. If that be plumbing you might at worst have severed water damage but you don’t play with electricity. That said, if you are still planning to do it by yourself, make sure you close the main power of your main electricity box before doing any work in it.
Good luck. I want to see you tomorrow my friend.
Pete

Oh believe me, i don't think I'll be tackling this by myself. I'm nowhere near an electrician and not going to act like I am. I don't fuck with it if I can't turn it off.

That is exactly what I wished to hear from you because I am pretty sure that within your circle of friends you have a colleague of yours who has a brother in law who know a friend that his girl friend knows a cousin that has a colleague who know someone in that department that know someone that can do it.

Lol, yeah, something like that.