Questions about rewiring basement kitchen


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Old 08-07-08, 01:52 PM
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Questions about rewiring basement kitchen

Background: We bought a house that was well-built in the beginning, but has since suffered through a series of very poor remodelers. They started to redo a finished basement area into a kitchen, but failed miserably and I can't tell you how many code violations there are in this place.

In ripping it out and doing it the right way, I have some questions.

1. What is the standard height for an outlet for an over-the-range microwave? I will make it dedicated.

2. How necessary is it for a fridge to have a dedicated circuit? Is it okay with 2 duplex outlets?

3. They put the dryer and the stove on the same circuit. I will put the stove on its own 40 amp circuit, but what amp/gauge does the dryer require?

4. It's a 200amp service with 40 slots. A lot of the circuits are tandem or have a couple wires going into them. I read somewhere about 42 being the max in a panel, but is that 42 circuits or 42 breakers?

Thanks! I know enough to see where the problems are, but I want to do this right the first time.
 
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Old 08-07-08, 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Jennyfair
What is the standard height for an outlet for an over-the-range microwave? I will make it dedicated.
The height is set so that it lands inside the upper cabinet, usually 8" - 12" right of the centerline. If you don't have the cabinets or microwave picked out yet, you can just hang the romex out of the wall until you are prepared to mount the cabinets, then install an old-work box in the back of the cabinet at the correct location. The actual height varies based on preference for microwave height, cabinet size, soffitts, etc...

How necessary is it for a fridge to have a dedicated circuit? Is it okay with 2 duplex outlets?
The fridge is not required to be on a dedicated circuit, although it is a reasonably good idea. The fridge may be served by one of the two required 20A small-appliance countertop circuits.

I will put the stove on its own 40 amp circuit, but what amp/gauge does the dryer require?
Stove: 40A double-pole breaker, #8/3g copper cable, NEMA 14-50R receptacle.

Dryer: 30A double-pole breaker, #10/3g copper cable, NEMA 14-30R receptacle.

It's a 200amp service with 40 slots. A lot of the circuits are tandem or have a couple wires going into them. I read somewhere about 42 being the max in a panel, but is that 42 circuits or 42 breakers?
Your panel is overfull as 40 circuits is the max. A 40 space panel is not allowed to have any tandem breakers. Pretty much the only solution in this case is to install a subpanel (possibly adjacent to the existing panel) and relocate some of the existing circuits and the new circuits to that panel.
 
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Old 08-08-08, 01:49 PM
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subpanel specs

Great! Thanks for the info.

On the subpanel, what would be the appropriate amp size? It's a 200amp service, but there is already a 70 amp subpanel run out to the garage. Am I allowed to put on a second subpanel? What size should it be?

Thanks again!
 
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Old 08-08-08, 02:32 PM
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Yes you can have multiple subs off the main panel.

Sizing the subpanel is based on the load that it would be expected to serve. Common sizes are 50-60 amps. If you can provide the loads that need breaker space better guidance can be given.
 
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Old 08-08-08, 02:45 PM
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subpanel specs

This panel is such a mess that I am going to do some serious reorganization of it...so I can really switch over anything I need/should to the subpanel. It's a 40 circuit panel with 12 double-tapped breakers. Yikes, I know. I can clean up a bunch of it, so I should need around 45 circuits in the end.

Are there loads that are better to switch to the subpanel? Is it better to put things like the boiler and dryer on the sub, or lights/outlets? It's a pseudo-duplex setup (my parents are living with us on the upper floor, and we will live on the bottom). Is it maybe worth the trouble to separate out our space from theirs using the new subpanel?

Thanks again!
 
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Old 08-08-08, 04:21 PM
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In the USA the max circuits from the breaker box is 40 or 42 depending on what model it is.{ this is based on 2005 or earlier codes, the latter one change a bit }

However If you are in Candian area they go much higher and they have slightly diffrent code so I will ask you just post the genral location because it will make the diffrence on NEC or CEC codes it will change a bit.


Merci,Marc
 
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Old 08-08-08, 07:49 PM
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subpanel specs

I'm in New Hampshire. Yes, I'm going to put in a subpanel to bring it back down to under 40 in the main box. Just looking for advice on what to put in the subpanel vs. main.
 
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Old 08-09-08, 12:59 PM
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I see two routes to attack a nearby subpanel, three for a basement apartment.

1: put only low draw 120V circuits in the sub-panel.

2:consider setting up the sub panel as such as it could be easily connected to a transfer switch for a standby generator, in which the sub-panel would have critical circuits in it.

3: place the sub-panel as such as the tenant will have access to it in their unit, and it controls/protects the circuits in the unit.
 
 

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