Wiring "new" electrical circuit

[Tim Wentworth]

I'm hoping to get some new audio/video equipment soon. The circuit where it's going to plug in is an old one in that occasionally overloads, and also has no ground connection. Last year, we added on to the house and put in brand new electrical service (new 200 amp box). There are 3 or 4 breakers in the new box that are not hooked up to anything - it appears they are unused. I would like to use one of these unused circuits to hook up to a new outlet for my audio/video equipment. I assume that it's just a matter of stringing the appropriate guage wire from the circuit breaker to the outlet. Is there anything else that I should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

[Toller]

Yes, it is just a matter of stringing the wire. And yes, there is a whole lot to be concerned about.

If you have to ask this question, you should not be doing it yourself.

[Me]

[jim]

Yes, the electricity.. and the new equipment you plan on buying.. why not get an electrician??? if you have to come here to ask questions then you dont know how to do it, why take a chance and burn up your new equipment?????

[Tim Wentworth]

Such as?

----- Original Message ----- From: "Toller" Newsgroups: alt.home.repair Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 1:39 PM Subject: Re: Wiring "new" electrical circuit

[Tim Wentworth]

Cost.

Who says I'm going to do it wrong?

[R Doornbosch]

To be on the safe side do us all a favour and hook up the new outlet first and then power down the whole house (Before the box if possible) and then hook-up the new circuit breaker. If you haven't done this before it might be smart to buy a six pack of beer and invite a electrically sound friend over (Beer later though)

[PJx]

This is the correct place to ask such a question.

But you really need to narrow down your question. I would bet that the system you have now is more dangerous than whatever you might come up with if you do it yourself. So visit your home depot and go for it.

PJ

[Doug Miller]

No offense intended... but if you knew how to do it right, you would not be asking questions here. Hence the presumption that you may wind up making some mistakes. Rather than sniping, though, I'm going to offer you some constructive suggestions.

First, this is *not* rocket science. Any reasonably handy person with the right tools and the right knowledge can install a simple residential circuit safely.

Second, the right knowledge isn't that hard to obtain. Home Depot, Lowes, your local library, and most bookstores have books that explain how residential electrical systems work, and how to do simple tasks safely. You can also get courses at most community colleges or vo-tech institutes.

Third, check with your local electrical inspection authority. You may need to get a building permit, in order to be strictly legal.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[PhotoMan]

Because they're a lot more fun to look at and listen to? Joe Arnold

[HA HA Budys Here]

You know, I'm getting a little sick and tired of you and others who send perfect strangers to my local watering hole, (where I'm trying to RELAX) attempting to buy me off with an offer of cheap domestic beer.

If you need legal help - you go see (and pay for) a lawyer.

Need medical help - you go to see (and pay for) a doctor.

Car won't start, call a mechanic and a tow truck.

But for some reason, the solution to an electrical, plumbing or HVAC problem is to go down to the local gin joint and find the appropriate drunk, and con him into "helping you out" for next to, or absolutely nothing, save for the cost of a 6-pack.

Well I got news for ya pal - I make more than my doctor, and dentist, and sometimes my lawyer. (Unless he, or I, had a *really* good year,) and that wouldn't be possible if my modis operendi was: "Will work / advise/ consult for beer."

[HA HA Budys Here]

Better turnout and news coverage for the pageant, too.

[Toller]

Good question. Modern electrical is extremely overdesigned and can suffer a lot of abuse before there is a problem. There are many code requirements as to spacing of supports, how the cable must be run, grounded, and on and on and on and on. You can ignore many of them and get away with it 99 times out of a 100. It is that 100th time that is the killer.

But there are somethings that done wrong can be catastrophic. A previous owner of my house put in a new circuit. For some reason he moved a breaker when he did it. Most of the time that doesn't matter, but the breaker just happened to be one of two on a multiwire circuit. He could easily have burnt the house down. Obviously he didn't, but it was just a matter of luck. If I hadn't actually seen it done, I never would have thought of it as something to be concerned about; cause it's just so damned stupid that it could never happen. But, it you have never heard of a multi-wire circuit you wouldn't think twice about doing it. I am sure there are hundreds of things like that, but no way I can point them out.

Another consideration is that running a new circuit in existing construction may not be easy. Your situation might be pretty simple, but in many it is nearly impossible unless you know the little tricks. Sometimes it actually is impossible unless you are willing to rip open walls.

If you still feel confident, then good luck!

[PhotoMan]

You can try to prevent fools from hurting themselves, but damn fools will succeed. Joe Arnold

[Joseph Meehan]

From the tone of your question I suggest getting some local help. There are many things to consider and possible problems to overcome on this kind of project. Experience and knowledge are very helpful. Errors can result in fire and death. Sure must of the time it works. Most of the time.

From here it is difficult to know what problems you may come up against. Do you know the requirement of running wire in an attic? Do you know the tricks of getting a wire through a wall? And about a hundred others.

[I-zheet M'drurz]

Like the 101 things that you can do wrong once you take the cover off of the load center. Some will just scream "A HACK DID THIS", some could kill you or the next innocent person to touch the wrong combination of your wires.

This is a "look over somebody's shoulder a couple times" type of job. Call an electrician or "Home Handyman" and watch while they work but don't annoy them.

[TimS]

I don't know what you do, I'll bet you could spend a Saturday at your job, instead of the whole Saturday you'll spend doing this job the first time, and pay me what I would charge to do it right and fast, and you would still be ahead. If you handled the inspection and fee, if necc., I would estimate $100 (2 hours) and start to feel guilty at $150, if it took that long. I have the long bits you would need, the million dollar insurance, and the skills to sleep that night after I know I did your house right (just like my own house). I instinctivly work 'one handed', when necc., so I get to go home every night. I cut the drywall right, re-tighten the copper, curl the wires the correct way, don't 'ring' my strips, and a 100 other skills per hour that took 20 years to and 3 serious shocks to learn. When I go in your panel, I will know if things are right. "There are 3 or 4 breakers in the new box that are not hooked up to anything - it appears they are unused." I lease these skills for $50 an hour residential.

The place to learn electricity is with a master, or on low voltage (car,

24V), not in the house you sleep in.

Don't mean to rant, but people will spend $2800 on a TV and skimp on a pro electrician?

The skills are not hard to learn, but MUST be learned. Under your house is not the place.

[George E. Cawthon]

[PJx]

Here is what I'd do.

I'd tape off the wires and run a new 14/2 with ground from the service and connect it to a new grounded receptacle on one end and one of those unused breakers at the service panel.

Now what's hard about that?

PJ

[Me]