[Guest]

My friend and I are finishing his basement & will be attempting most of the electrical work. I do have several questions, and while I'm sure that they are basic, I'd appreciate any advice anyone may provide. Here goes:

1) Since the basement will have 3 twenty amp circuits, we need 12 guage wire. Can we also use this guage for the standard 15 amp circuits? Any advantages/disadvantages other than cost or the number of wires that I can fit into the conduit?

2) Why do the books that I have require a 20 amp dedicated circuit for a bathroom GFCI? Is this necessary? (the 20 amp, not the GFCI)

3) If I am running several wires through conduit and reach a splice point for 1 wire (e.g. to go to a switch) can I continue another wire unbroken through the covered box to another location (e.g. a receptacle). Or is there an advantage for cutting the wire and usin a wire nut to continue the run?

4) From what I've read, connecting the circuits to the service panel seems pretty simple; are there any pitfalls to doing this myself? Or should we hire an electrician. If we do hire an electrician, what would he expect to see at the panel? Would leaving the conduit about 3' short with an extra amount of wire be sufficient?

5) We will be installing recessed lighting in a drop ceiling throughout. Since we won't know their exact location until the ceiling is in place, would it be OK to run the wires and terminate them in a covered box; then when we decided on the light locations, come out of the box to the lights. More simply put, is there any problem with having extra covered box with splices in the ceiling?

As you may infer, we are using conduit & solid wire, not Romex.

I would appreciate any info/advice that anyone can provide.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nathan]

Please respond in this thread on DIY: http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=71

Thanks

 

[mdcorreia]

Do you carry liability insurance to pay say $300,000.00 or what ever if this home burns down? why would I be questioning this? How about if it burns down later when I buy it and I may die in it? Aren`t you concerned about the safety of others? Where I live, one is not allowed to touch any wiring UNLESS he or she SLEEPS in it and owns the property.

 

[mdcorreia]

About Myself!
I just joined and have been upset all day with what I have been reading. I still have not read all posts.
I have this urge of reading between the lines and seems to me that some are really showing disrespect to a licenced electrician and/or taking advantage of those who had to spend 5 years or longer to become tradespeople.
I have been an electrician for 36 years - worked 15 commercial, 6 Industrial and 15 residential. I am also a member of the IBEW - (I understand not to go there) Now all kinds of unskilled people are trying to take my work and yours away from us! Doing it themselves illegally.
I and some other electricians had a great input in changing the legislation to STOP this electrician helper business. If one wants to be an electrician - fine - get into an apprentiship program like we all did.
Some questions here from some handy people are really frightning when one sees the consecuences when the installation fails. It will. It may take a few months or years. I have seen it a few times and have gotten shocks and other near misses due to improper existing wiring installations by other non skilled people. It only takes 10 seconds to look something over and realize that it was not done by a qualified person.

 

[Sparky Joe]

Hey MD I have full respect for you, being in the trade for so long, but you gotta realize from all the DIY projects you've had to fix that people are going to do it themselves anyway. Isn't better that they try and get some proffessional advice first? About the IBEW thing, I think it's safe to speak about them all you want now, by the way where were you when I needed the help? Oh and take note of how old the posts are and just stick to the new ones.