Adding outlet and running wires in crawlspace.....
#1
10-20-03, 11:01 AM
Code for Electrical Wires in Crawlspace?
All-
I'm going to be putting in an electrical floor outlet in a small room under the stairway (to plug in a wine cabinet). To get power to this new location, I am going to have to connect to an existing outlet, then take the new power lines down into the crawlspace and over to the new floor outlet.
Any suggestions on how to route the wire in the crawlspace? I was thinking that I would need to put it into conduit and either attach it to the floor joists via brackets -- or can I just drill some holes in the joists and feed the romex thru?
Thanks in advance-
HMS
I'm going to be putting in an electrical floor outlet in a small room under the stairway (to plug in a wine cabinet). To get power to this new location, I am going to have to connect to an existing outlet, then take the new power lines down into the crawlspace and over to the new floor outlet.
Any suggestions on how to route the wire in the crawlspace? I was thinking that I would need to put it into conduit and either attach it to the floor joists via brackets -- or can I just drill some holes in the joists and feed the romex thru?
Thanks in advance-
HMS
#6
10-28-03, 07:48 PM
Well, I've basically completed the project -- except for one problem.... at my floor outlet, I'm only getting 70 VOLTS AC.
Any idea why?
I tested the outlet that I connected to and have 120 volts.
What I did was drill a hole thru the floor in the wall, fish up some 14/2 romex, then put it in conduit in the crawlspace, then cut the hole in the floor where I wanted my outlet, then attached all the wiring. But only 70 V.
Any idea where I went wrong, or what happened?
The outlet I attached to was not the end of the run, but I don't think that should matter, as I am not blowing any fuses....
HMS
Any idea why?
I tested the outlet that I connected to and have 120 volts.
What I did was drill a hole thru the floor in the wall, fish up some 14/2 romex, then put it in conduit in the crawlspace, then cut the hole in the floor where I wanted my outlet, then attached all the wiring. But only 70 V.
Any idea where I went wrong, or what happened?
The outlet I attached to was not the end of the run, but I don't think that should matter, as I am not blowing any fuses....
HMS
#7
10-28-03, 08:13 PM
Member
Plug a lamp into your new receptacle. Does it work? If it works, move the lamp over to the receptacle you tapped off of and plug it in there. Is it the same brightness there?
Most of the time when people read 70 volts, they are misusing their multimeter. Might or might not be the case here. Try the experiment I suggested.
Most of the time when people read 70 volts, they are misusing their multimeter. Might or might not be the case here. Try the experiment I suggested.
#9
10-28-03, 08:24 PM
Member
The 70 volts is phantom. You have an open circuit. One of the wires is not properly connected at one of the two ends. If you have an $8 outlet tester, it would tell you whether it is the black or white wire that isn't connectd. Or you can just double-check your work.
#10
11-11-03, 03:16 PM
Well, it turns out you were right on, and the neutral wire was open along the run.
What puzzles me is that I was using the exterior romex 12/2 which had a hard elastomer cover.
Anywho, I reran a new wire and now everything is working perfectly.
The hardest part of the project was:
1) Drilling up thru the floor beam and wall base w/o drilling thru the wood floor on one side of the wall, or the carpet on the other
and
2) Cutting out the area for the gang box in the floor -- had to cut thru the tongue and groove floor (2 1/2") and the subfloor (3/4") (I'm glad my wife was away during that step!!)
Thanks for all the help!
HMS
What puzzles me is that I was using the exterior romex 12/2 which had a hard elastomer cover.
Anywho, I reran a new wire and now everything is working perfectly.
The hardest part of the project was:
1) Drilling up thru the floor beam and wall base w/o drilling thru the wood floor on one side of the wall, or the carpet on the other
and
2) Cutting out the area for the gang box in the floor -- had to cut thru the tongue and groove floor (2 1/2") and the subfloor (3/4") (I'm glad my wife was away during that step!!)
Thanks for all the help!
HMS
