General questions on home addition

[Ray_G]

Hello all,

I am in the process of wiring an addition to my home (and learning quite a bit in the process). Thanks to all for the mountain of valuable information here. Really, very impressive. Here goes with a few very basic questions that I have not been able to pin down elsewhere:

1. Sub panel in garage: I plan to run 6-3 cable (about 75’) to a 60A sub panel in a new third bay. This will support general lighting, some 20A receptacles and maybe a small welder some day. The cable route is via basement, dry crawlspace and limited 2x4 walls. The town told me that conduit is not required. Yet, I’ve seen many posts on using conduit for just this sort of use. Is it recommended for some reason?

2. When grouping wires together, what is the maximum that is safe to join (assuming 14AWG)? For example, I have a 15A feeder going into a three-switch box to feed three different light fixtures. Thus, a potential for 4 wires together. Again, I’m looking for best practices.

3. Lastly, I am wondering about mixing 14 AWG and 12 AWG wiring. Example: I have a few very lightly loaded general lighting outlets (20A as they are in a dining area). Is it acceptable to chain 14 AWG wire for a recessed light at the end of the loop? I am told inspectors do not like to see this.

Thanks sincerely to all,
Ray

[6pack]

You need to be a bit clearer on exactly whay your doing?
You mention "addition" ? Is this just an added bay in garage only(enlarging garage) or is there also bedrm's or whatever?
Is this (will assume) attached garage area?(attached to house)
What size service do you have now? 100a/200a ETC.
You may use cable as mentioning.(conduit may be a personal choice or if cable were subject to damage, poss weather, then conduit would be required.)
Your second question sounds as if your not sure on wiring.(how to do) You will need to state WHAT you want to do here? Then decide after receiving info IF you can do. Electrical not something to quess at.
Your 3rd statement! No you can't use #14 on a 20Amp circuit anywhere. Plus this may be small apl cir.(all codes unknown to you which need to be followed)

Repost more clearly your intentions as asked? Codes vary!
Also check above in GRN & Yellow sections "read" all what may pertain to your ideas here. See "demand load calculation's"to help in the initial start.

Then we can help you.

[Ray_G]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have been much more specific.

I am not quite sure where to cut off the detail, so I'll just dump a little and see what hits home. (Appologies in advance for rambling). I have recently upgraded the service from 100A to 200A on a typical 2000 sq ft. colonial home. No unusual loads of any kind. There is, however, electric range, dryer and domestic H/W. I now have expansion capacity in the main panel. The addition in question is as follows:

a. 12x16 breezeway converted to expanded kitchen / dining
Plan: Run one new 20A circuit to support small appliances per code.

b. 12x16 master bath on 2nd floor above kitchen / dining
Plan: Run one new 20A circuit for whirlpool tub (GFIC).
Run one new 20A circuit for lights, recepticles (GFIC) and exhaust fan (on the load side of the GFIC)
Run one #12 cable for future / spare use.

c. 22x22 family room on top of existing garage
Plan: Run one #14 15A circuit to for general lighting recepticles (7ea)
Run one #14 15A circuit for recessed lighting and integrated smoke detectors
Run one #12 20A circuit to three recepticle locations to better service window AC unit
Runn one #12 spare / future cable

d. 16x22 3rd bay garage adjacent to existing garage (attached)
Run #6 60A sub-panel. From it, run one 15A lighting and two 20A recepticles. The #6 cable can be routed in such a way as to avoid any adverse weather or wear. Thus, my presumption that no conduit is acceptable. Again, the local inspector claims this is accurate, but I wanted additional input if there are other considerations that might be a factor.

I have combed through every document I could on this site. I have planned the recepticle and switch layouts, gone throught the requirements for small appliance brach circuits, etc. to determine where 15 vs 20A runs are required. I have also done the general lighting calculations as indicated. I have also attempted to mitigate any ampacity reductions by running no more than two cables per staple and leaving 3" spacing between pairs.

So, I have done a bit of work in planning but I would welcome comments and suggestions.

Well, all that said, my questions are probably more generic and basic in nature:

1. Is there a specific reference on the rules of grouping conductors with wire nuts? I am not a total novice, but I want to be sure I am doing this by the book: ie: number of twists required, precise applicability of color convensions, and maximum combined conductors.... just general practise that I have not seen elsewhere.

2. If I had a small circuit with say, three 20A small appliance recepticles (that have no permenant appliances) is it reasonable to support a couple of 65W recesses light on this as well? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I thought I might be able to do this, even using #14 wire, as long as it was not in series with another 20A load.

Best regards,
Ray

[Wgoodrich]

Coduit is often used because you have trouble finding feeder size in a nonmetallic cable. A 60 amp feeder 6 awg may be run in romex to a sub panel black red white and bare. Remember to isolate the neutral bar of that sub panel from the grounding bar in that panel.

Small appliance branch circuits [receptacles serving readily acceissible in kitchen nook dining pantry] are not allowed to serve anything except receptacles in those rooms, no lighting, fastened in place appliances, nothing in any other room.

The breaker of a circuit must be sized in amps not to exceed the smallest ampacity on that circuit. If you put 14 awg on a 12 awg circuit then you just changed maximum breaker size from 20 amp down to 15 amps due to the smaller conductor on that circuit.

Most everything else looks good

Wg