New circut

I am in the process of building a new deck/porch in my backyard. woohoo!

I am now at the point that I want to run electricity to it before I finish decking it.

I have not checked to see what amp my service is yet. But I know there are alot of open spaces in my breaker box.

My home was built in 1955 and is pier and beam on blocks.

The idea I have. Is to install 2 GFI sockets. 1 with a raintight cover for in use protection. The other with standard outdoor outlet cover. Also a motion activated light and a fluorescent reflector light.

I was thinking of running 12ga 2 wire with ground UFB feeder wire in PVC conduit from the box to the deck. Securing it to the underside of my home.

Questions are:

1) Does wire choice and gauge sound appropriate?

2) Can all of this be placed on one 20 AMP breaker/circuit?

3) Is there anything special I need to do because of the GFI receptacles?

 

1. Nothing special you need to do to run GFCIs. A money saving suggestion though - you don't need both receps to be GFCI. For multiple receps on same run, make the first one on the circuit a GFCI, connect to the "Line Side" terminals. Feeding the rest of the circuit, connect to the first GFCI on the "Load Side" terminals. Standard (non-GFCI) receps are GFCI protected by the first one in the string

2. If running UF-B cable this can be direct buried (18" deep required in most residential situations where run is not subject to vehicular traffic). If you prefer conduit, PVC is good but I would not run multi-conductor cable (like romex/UF-B) in conduit. Instead I would run individual #12 AWG type THWN wire. This should be available at most home centers. Between 18" deep and 8-feet above grade I would recommend schedule 80 PVC. Most common is schedule 40, but 80 is thicker wall and inspectors in some localities require 80 for "protection of conductors from physical damage" requirements in NEC. Not much difference in price, and Home Depot caries some schedule 80. With hot, neutral and ground 1/2" conduit would be fine. If you stuff UF-B cable in conduit anyway, go with 1", the requirements for max. conduit fill are different for multi-conductor cable than for individual wires.

3. A 20 amp circuit is a good choice (20 amp CB, 12 gauge wire). With 2 receps and some lighting you'd be fine with 15 amp, but if you add anything later or plug in a beefy power tool some time, can't hurt to have 20 amps out there. FYI - #12 is rated for up to 20 amp circuit (15 or 20A breaker feeding it). If you use #14 wire your max breaker allowed is 15A.

So, sounds like you have a plan. Best of luck, hope this helps.

Juice

 

I suggest running the circuit through a GFCI receptacle inside, before the circuit goes outside. This way the wiring is protected in route too. If the cable is GFCI protected, and if you choose to bury UF-B at any point (but it doesn't sound like you need this), then the cable can be buried as little as 12" (with or without the conduit).

For simple jobs such as this, I have no problem with putting UF-B in conduit for physical protection where needed. As Juice says, be generous on the conduit sizing.

 

Thanks for the replies. I thought this was correct but it makes me feel better to hear it from someone else.

So I went and picked up a few things on my lunch break. And now I have another question.

I plan on the GFI receptacle being the first in the run from the breaker box and splitting out from there.

I know that the other receptacle should come out the load side and will be GFI protected as well.

But should I come off the line side of the GFI for the 2 lights or pigtail?

 

Either way is fine. I guess I'd lean to providing GFCI to the lights, even though not required.

 

I didn't see anyone mention it, but why not run the whole circuit off a GFCI breaker?

 

No reason at all except for cost and availability. GFCI breakers are considerably more expensive than GFCI receptacles, and 20-amp GFCI breakers are not available at most home centers (because nobody would buy one when the GFCI receptacles are so much cheaper and just as effective).

 

Just wanted to post back and say thanks for the info. All is working well.

I just put in the 1 GFCI receptacle for now until I finish my deck. Once the deck is done I will tie in to the load side and run the rest.

Thanks again.