Help with Back Porch Wiring


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Old 10-30-15, 06:21 PM
Brandon Schwank's Avatar
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Help with Back Porch Wiring

Hey all, this is my first post on this site and I'm excited to get started!

To start I'm in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, USA. My future home is a row home and I'm planning to start redoing some wiring on the back porch.

Currently, the setup is this: source>switch>receptacle 1>receptacle 2

Neither of the receptacles are GFCI protected, this is outside as mentioned before and none of the cables are run through conduit. There is also an old light fixture mounted on the wall that was just "plugged" into one of the receptacles.

I would like to update this and bring it up to code. My plan is to start with a junction box in the house in the basement. From there run the cable through conduit to the outside and up onto the porch level.

I would like the setup to be: source>GFCI receptacle>receptacle 2>switch>light fixture. I want the receptacles to have constant power, and the fixture to be able to be switched on and off. I use these receptacles quite often for some power tools, lighting in the garage, etc.. and need them to operate independently of the light fixture.

I understand all of these receptacles and switches need to be rated for outdoor use and receptacles enclosed as well as wiring enclosed in conduit. My question is, is what I plan to do acceptable? Does everything sound correct? This is my first bigger wiring project other than replacing a few receptacles and running lines in the basement. The existing wire from the service panel is 12/2. It has a black, white, and a ground conductor inside.

Thanks for all and any help!

-Brandon
 
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Old 10-30-15, 07:22 PM
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Sounds fine. The source will go to the line terminals on the GFCI, and the load terminals will feed the other recep, switch and light.

You can't run romex in conduit, so you'll use #12 THWN wire from the junction box to everything else.
The receps will need in-use covers.
The junction box needs to be accessible. It can be behind drywall as long as you can access the inside through a blank cover. Good luck!
 
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Old 10-31-15, 08:36 AM
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Thanks for the help! I will be sure to get THWN wiring, thanks for that reminder I almost forgot! By "in-use" cover do you just mean those outdoor receptacle boxes that have a cover over them when not in use? Or is there another type of cover I'm not aware of yet?

The j-box will be accessible as it will be on the ceiling of the basement. Thanks again for all your help!
 
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Old 10-31-15, 08:50 AM
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An example of an in use cover:

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No longer recommended.

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Old 11-01-15, 11:13 AM
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Okay, yeah the bottom picture is what is currently installed. Slight change of plans though, the existing wiring is only 14/2 and not 12/2. I am planning to run a new line in its place of 12/2 to a junction box just before the exterior wall, from there I will connect a length of THWN wiring to go out the other end of the j-box and outside through conduit up into the receptacles. Does that sound ok?
The current breaker is one of those slimline, 15a each which powers the back porch as well as one receptacle on the second floor. I plan to remove this breaker, replace with a single 20a breaker to power the 12/2 cable. Let me know if there are any flaws in my thinking. I will still obviously be utilizing the GFCI receptacle. Also, one last note, on testing one of the receptacles, the tester read "open ground". What should I be looking for in this case? I am certain the romex is labeled "with ground". An electrician stated he is sure the panel is grounded at our meter rather than the earth. This sounds odd to me, is this common in older homes?
 
 

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