Circuit planning need help
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Circuit planning need help
I'm in the process of totally rewiring our house. The house used to be on 2 circuits and a few plugins here and there had their own breakers. Throw in a couple ghost outlets and un-properly capped off live wires it's amazing the house didn't burn down. I've read so much i'm starting to get confused so here's the question's:
1. Can I put 2 bathrooms on one 20amp circuit? I thought I read somewhere you could but can't remember where. Both bathrooms have will have 2 gfci (4 total) outlets when I get done, currently they have only one. We use the outlets rarely.. very rarely.
2. Our living room has 7 outlets. Our computer, home entertainment and numerous other devices is the room. Per my calculations 1 20amp circuit should handle everything but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and use two circuits. I believe in overkill if I can allow it but i'm running out of room.
3. I'm setting up separate lighting circuits, 2 so far. I've read so many conflicting information on how many I can run on one circuit. We have ceiling fans in the mix also. Circuit one will have 3 ceiling fans, 12-13 lights. Circuit two will have 12-13 and one ceiling fan. I'll be adding 1 bathroom fan/light combo on both circuits also. Of course they won't all be running at once and we use fluorescent low draw bulbs, but I have to set it up for the next owners. Both are 20amp circuits with 12-2 wiring. Should I split it up one more time?
4. Appliances that need to be on their own outlets. Currently I have the central air unit and laundry room on one circuit. I know I need to split this up. But can I connect the central air on any other circuit, like the plugin for the sump pump, or does it need to be separate? Also the frig right now is on it's own circuit. I would like to add a outlet for the freezer downstairs on the same circuit is this acceptable?
5. We have a Square D homelite(?) 200amp breaker box. I looked up the model number on their website and it said that it would accept tandem breakers. But the breakers absolutely would not fit. You can tell by comparing the two why it won't work. The tandems had the same part number HOM also. Anybody have experience with tandem's?
Thanks for the help..
1. Can I put 2 bathrooms on one 20amp circuit? I thought I read somewhere you could but can't remember where. Both bathrooms have will have 2 gfci (4 total) outlets when I get done, currently they have only one. We use the outlets rarely.. very rarely.
2. Our living room has 7 outlets. Our computer, home entertainment and numerous other devices is the room. Per my calculations 1 20amp circuit should handle everything but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and use two circuits. I believe in overkill if I can allow it but i'm running out of room.
3. I'm setting up separate lighting circuits, 2 so far. I've read so many conflicting information on how many I can run on one circuit. We have ceiling fans in the mix also. Circuit one will have 3 ceiling fans, 12-13 lights. Circuit two will have 12-13 and one ceiling fan. I'll be adding 1 bathroom fan/light combo on both circuits also. Of course they won't all be running at once and we use fluorescent low draw bulbs, but I have to set it up for the next owners. Both are 20amp circuits with 12-2 wiring. Should I split it up one more time?
4. Appliances that need to be on their own outlets. Currently I have the central air unit and laundry room on one circuit. I know I need to split this up. But can I connect the central air on any other circuit, like the plugin for the sump pump, or does it need to be separate? Also the frig right now is on it's own circuit. I would like to add a outlet for the freezer downstairs on the same circuit is this acceptable?
5. We have a Square D homelite(?) 200amp breaker box. I looked up the model number on their website and it said that it would accept tandem breakers. But the breakers absolutely would not fit. You can tell by comparing the two why it won't work. The tandems had the same part number HOM also. Anybody have experience with tandem's?
Thanks for the help..
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1. You can put all bathrooms in your house on the same circuit, as long as it is a 20 amp circuit and as long as it is receptacles only. No lights, no fans, nothing but receptacles. If you wire this properly. you could get away with one GFCI in each bathroom, which would save a few dollars.
2. I recommend three 20 amp circuits. One for the computer, one for the home entertainment center, and one for the rest.
3. Bedrooms need AFCI protection. This means the lights and the receptacles. If you are making two lighting circuits, I suggest the bedrooms on one circuit, which will mean a single AFCI instead of 2.
4. I am not familiar with a central air unit that runs on 120. It probably requires a dedicated circuit. The laundry most certainly does. The NEC requires a 20 amp circuit to the laundry. Nothing else can be on that. I would keep your sump pump on a dedicated circuit as well. Allow dedicated circuits for the refrigerator and for the freezer.
5. You must not have the right tandem breakers.
Don't forget at least two small appliance circuits (20 amp GFCI protected) serving the kitchen counter top. This circuit must also serve the dining room receptacles (or they can be on their own 20 amp circuit), with no lights on the circuit.
There are probably many other things I am forgetting to mention as well.
2. I recommend three 20 amp circuits. One for the computer, one for the home entertainment center, and one for the rest.
3. Bedrooms need AFCI protection. This means the lights and the receptacles. If you are making two lighting circuits, I suggest the bedrooms on one circuit, which will mean a single AFCI instead of 2.
4. I am not familiar with a central air unit that runs on 120. It probably requires a dedicated circuit. The laundry most certainly does. The NEC requires a 20 amp circuit to the laundry. Nothing else can be on that. I would keep your sump pump on a dedicated circuit as well. Allow dedicated circuits for the refrigerator and for the freezer.
5. You must not have the right tandem breakers.
Don't forget at least two small appliance circuits (20 amp GFCI protected) serving the kitchen counter top. This circuit must also serve the dining room receptacles (or they can be on their own 20 amp circuit), with no lights on the circuit.
There are probably many other things I am forgetting to mention as well.
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Ouch those acpi breakers are expensive.. very expensive. The central air unit I was refering to is the inside unit, fan only since it's gas. The way everything is now setting up a circuit for each device in the living room would be fairly easy. I'm going to have to try the tandems again though. I tried them in several positions but still no go. I might try to contact the company to find out the exacts. I've thought about running a second subpanel for the upstairs but I don't know if I want to go through the trouble. Currently in the kitchen we have only two plugins on the counter top and on both are on one 20amp circuit, gfci protected. The wall on the opposite side with the microwave and gas stove has it's own circuit as of today, non-gfci protected for now.
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5. We have a Square D homelite(?) 200amp breaker box. I looked up the model number on their website and it said that it would accept tandem breakers. But the breakers absolutely would not fit. You can tell by comparing the two why it won't work. The tandems had the same part number HOM also. Anybody have experience with tandem's?
Thanks for the help..
Tandems will only fit in the bottom slots. Look at the buss bars at the bottom and you will see the diference.
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[QUOTE=ericsmith32;1099958]I'm in the process of totally rewiring our house. The house used to be on 2 circuits and a few plugins here and there had their own breakers. Throw in a couple ghost outlets and un-properly capped off live wires it's amazing the house didn't burn down. I've read so much i'm starting to get confused so here's the question's:
1. "Can I put 2 bathrooms on one 20amp circuit? I thought I read somewhere you could but can't remember where. Both bathrooms have will have 2 gfci (4 total) outlets when I get done, currently they have only one. We use the outlets rarely.. very rarely."
Put all the baths on one 20A circuit.
2. "Our living room has 7 outlets. Our computer, home entertainment and numerous other devices is the room. Per my calculations 1 20amp circuit should handle everything but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and use two circuits. I believe in overkill if I can allow it but i'm running out of room."
Personaly I would only run one 20A circuit here too.
3. "I'm setting up separate lighting circuits, 2 so far. I've read so many conflicting information on how many I can run on one circuit. We have ceiling fans in the mix also. Circuit one will have 3 ceiling fans, 12-13 lights. Circuit two will have 12-13 and one ceiling fan. I'll be adding 1 bathroom fan/light combo on both circuits also. Of course they won't all be running at once and we use fluorescent low draw bulbs, but I have to set it up for the next owners. Both are 20amp circuits with 12-2 wiring. Should I split it up one more time?"
I hate doing the lighting ciruits with #12. I would consider using #14 and adding more circuits. When you say lights do you mean bulbs or fixtures? Some bathroom vanity fixtures can carry 4-100W bulbs.
4. "Appliances that need to be on their own outlets. Currently I have the central air unit and laundry room on one circuit. I know I need to split this up. But can I connect the central air on any other circuit, like the plugin for the sump pump, or does it need to be separate? Also the frig right now is on it's own circuit. I would like to add a outlet for the freezer downstairs on the same circuit is this acceptable?"
I would be interested in hearing about your "central air unit".
I would use one of the circuits that you wanted in the living for the freezer.
1. "Can I put 2 bathrooms on one 20amp circuit? I thought I read somewhere you could but can't remember where. Both bathrooms have will have 2 gfci (4 total) outlets when I get done, currently they have only one. We use the outlets rarely.. very rarely."
Put all the baths on one 20A circuit.
2. "Our living room has 7 outlets. Our computer, home entertainment and numerous other devices is the room. Per my calculations 1 20amp circuit should handle everything but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and use two circuits. I believe in overkill if I can allow it but i'm running out of room."
Personaly I would only run one 20A circuit here too.
3. "I'm setting up separate lighting circuits, 2 so far. I've read so many conflicting information on how many I can run on one circuit. We have ceiling fans in the mix also. Circuit one will have 3 ceiling fans, 12-13 lights. Circuit two will have 12-13 and one ceiling fan. I'll be adding 1 bathroom fan/light combo on both circuits also. Of course they won't all be running at once and we use fluorescent low draw bulbs, but I have to set it up for the next owners. Both are 20amp circuits with 12-2 wiring. Should I split it up one more time?"
I hate doing the lighting ciruits with #12. I would consider using #14 and adding more circuits. When you say lights do you mean bulbs or fixtures? Some bathroom vanity fixtures can carry 4-100W bulbs.
4. "Appliances that need to be on their own outlets. Currently I have the central air unit and laundry room on one circuit. I know I need to split this up. But can I connect the central air on any other circuit, like the plugin for the sump pump, or does it need to be separate? Also the frig right now is on it's own circuit. I would like to add a outlet for the freezer downstairs on the same circuit is this acceptable?"
I would be interested in hearing about your "central air unit".
I would use one of the circuits that you wanted in the living for the freezer.