Electric guys

[FishingBuds]

I have a electric diagram question. Im installing some outlets and lights in a shed of mine and I got my info off the net, so Im double checking it to see if its correct to work.

I have three wire 14 gauge, which is a black wire and a white wire along with the bare wire.

With power coming in conjunction box I want to run three outlets in a role, then place a Light switch of this wire and run two outlets off of the light switch. I want have some halogen lights plugged into the last two outlets and use the light switch to be able to turn the lights on and off from there with out disturbing power from the other three outlets.

According to my drawing, is this how to wire it?

You can see the black wire running in and out of the outlets, so the amber color wire is actually the white wire, I didn't show the bare wire obviously

[Brute]

Yeah that will work, but that is an awful lot of outlets on 1 circuit.

What all do you plan on having plugged in at one time?

Brute

[George Welcome]

What you have there is a recipe for an electrical fire.

[FishingBuds]

Yeah that will work, but that is an awful lot of outlets on 1 circuit.

What all do you plan on having plugged in at one time?

Brute

Thanks for the feed back, I plan on having a exhaust fan, microwave and two lights going at the same time, the micro wave will be run at moments no more than 1 minute. so I would be kicken it on and off.

So, not safe? if so let me know what I need to do and once again appreciate the positive feed back to help me do it right.

[fourbizz]

That will be way too much draw on one leg of 14/3.

I suggest you run 2 legs of 14 or even better, 12. One for the three plugs, and one for the switched plugs. If you have the space in your panel, do it.

And yes, I know, that much more Romex is expensive.

[fourbizz]

That will be way too much draw on one leg of 14/3.

I suggest you run 2 legs of 14 or even better, 12. One for the three plugs, and one for the switched plugs. If you have the space in your panel, do it.

And yes, I know, that much more Romex is expensive.

Didnt see your post, what you described wouldnt be too much for one leg, but I wouldnt want to add much more above that.

[Wayne P.]

You will be wiring for 15A, but the circuit should only be loaded for 75%-80% of the capacity.

Change the wire size to 12 ga and use a 20A breaker.

[FishingBuds]

That will be way too much draw on one leg of 14/3.

I suggest you run 2 legs of 14 or even better, 12. One for the three plugs, and one for the switched plugs. If you have the space in your panel, do it.

And yes, I know, that much more Romex is expensive.

Didnt see your post, what you described wouldnt be too much for one leg, but I wouldnt want to add much more above that.

The main three outlets just give me options on where to sit at times to work. I would like to run a small 5000btu 110 window air unit in it this summer, that there would be another power line correct?

[firefightn15]

You will be wiring for 15A, but the circuit should only be loaded for 75%-80% of the capacity.

Change the wire size to 12 ga and use a 20A breaker.

X2

[Brute]

I would run 2 circuits to your shed.

1 x 15 amp dedicated for the microwave and

1 x 15 amp for the fan and lights.

You cannot run all of this stuff off of an existing breaker you already have.

If you add 2 more breakers and run them back there, you will be fine.

Brute

[firefightn15]

Run a dedicated circuit for the air conditioner.  12 wire.

[FishingBuds]

My wire is marked colonial flex type NM B 600 volts 12/2 with ground wire.

[firefightn15]

Run 2 separate circuits, both with  12-2 wire.  One for your original project and one for the air conditioner.  For the air conditioner circuit, instead of a duplex recepticle, get a single 20 amp recep.  This is provided that there is room in your breaker panel.

[FishingBuds]

Here is a pic of my garage breaker box Im using to run the power off of.

and the bar

I'll take the advice and will run two lines now, in doing so, I should use the empty breaker spots correct? The black wire to the fuse and the white to the bar?

And yes for safety I can cut the power to the box and take out the main breaker too.

[firefightn15]

That's a fuse panel and could be wired to do what you want, but honestly I would have some one come in and wire up a new panel for you. Standing there, it would be easy to do, but on the forum is another beast. You've got what you need there, go find a forty or 60 amp breaker box, cut the power, rewire the breaker box in place, and your ready to rock. If you are really unsure of what your doing, don't screw with it, you'd be better off to pay the piper and know it's right.

That looks like it should be updated anyways.

[fourbizz]

X2. That panel is a little scary. A new box and a couple breakers isnt horribly expensive. I wouldnt want to direct you how to wire that fuse panel over the net either.

[FishingBuds]

seriously??

Its just a older edison fuse panel in the garage?

Guys, the panel checked out when I bought the house in 04 as everything else did and the previous owner ran a small paint shop in the garage with this panel, so there's nothing wrong with the panel. If the looks of the panel scare ya and thats how ya judge it then I understand the change of heart suddenly, thanks for the advice up to this point tho.

If anyone has advice for properly wiring up two 12 gauge lines to my Edison fuse panel, please PM me. Thanks.

[firefightn15]

pm sent

[SirSnookalot]

I would have a licensed electrician do the work and a permit pulled.

If ever the property goes up for sale it's possible upon inspection the wiring will have to meet code.  You may want to check your H.O. policy to see if you are covered in case of a fire.

[ohioriverrat]

I am a licensed electrician, and your panel, though in pretty ratty old shape, is probably still safe. I would absolutely upgrade if it were mine, but that's your call. I will also not comment on your circuit design. I would not build that design either (underpowered, overworked) But again, that's your call. If you have appropriate fuse protection, the worst that would happen is popped fuses ( a lot of them probably).

However, the drawing you have made shows one wire going into the receptacle and one wire coming out (same on each side)- I assume you mean incoming wire under one screw and outgoing wire under the other (same on both sides) This is not the best way to wire a receptacle. Each color wire should always have a short piece of wire attached with a wirenut (a bundle of three wires under a wirenut). This short piece then attaches to the receptacle. That means one black wire under colored screw and one white wire under the silver screw. This method is best for two reasons. First, the little tab between the two colored or silver screws is not meant to carry a full circuit load. See how small the little tab really is? It will get hot if the other receptacles are loaded. It is there so a duplex receptacle can be split into two separate outlets. Example: top outlet switched, bottom outlet hot all the time (with appropriate extra wiring). The other reason is that if a particular receptacle fails, the entire circuit is not compromised, and the branch wiring may not be burned up. Only the short tap wire will fry.

If you do it the way it's drawn, you will certainly not be alone. Many people make the mistake, and many people get away with it forever. However, it takes little extra time to tap the branch wires, and it will be correct, and safer, by any account.

Easy to do, harder to write.

[FishingBuds]

Thanks for the PM's fellas and the tips and help

I have safe electric seperate 12/2 lines/20amp in my shed

[firefightn15]

Glad you were able to get 'er done! 8-)