Electrical Wiring Question.

[Jabba]

I've finished framing my basement and now I'm planning the electical. There is a cetain spot on the perimiter wall that already has insulation and vapour barrier that I don't want to have to cut into.

Is it OK to run ther wire about 12" above the floor as in pic? Is there a minimum distance from the floor horizontal wires must be?

If you're Canadian, is is there a minimum for the Canadian code?

I had bought the electrical code book years ago, and lost it during the last move.

Thanks for the help...

[lcddream]

i don't think there is a minimum height requirement per code, just architectural standards outlet heights. the insulation of the wire is what protects you from a fire. just make sure you run #12 awg wire minimum.

[Tailgunner]

I'll agree about where the actual wiring is going through the studs. I would advise moving the outlets up higher, especially in a basement that's subject to flooding.

Only problem I could see with the wiring that low in the wall would be someone in the future not knowing it's there and cutting into it during a renovation. If they got injured because of your handiwork, you could be held liable.

[RayB]

I'd suggest not guessing and actually GETTING THE BUILDING CODES and building to standards. Also building codes im sure are not the same across all of Canada. It probably varies by province and even municipalities, or even by neighborhood. (For example I'm in an area where every new home must have a sump pit and sump pump system).

[DrewKaree]

I gotta say RayB's onto something there.  You can probably look up the local codes somewhere on the net.  It's been a while since I ever saw wiring being done, and I can't remember, but it seems to me that in my area, we drop lines down to the boxes. 

Home Depot usually has some electrical books there, check them for suggestions and mebbe they have an appendix with where to look for your local codes in there.

[Jabba]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I decided to take your advice and open the vapour barrier and drop the lines like normal. What a job! Now I've got to tape it back up and put Humpty together again. I got six outlets installed, 6 left to go...

I searched for a website but none of them had them specicially for up here. I'll go to HD later today and see if they got anything.

Thanks again!

[RayB]

I searched for a website but none of them had them specicially for up here. I'll go to HD later today and see if they got anything.

We're talking government here. You likely need to drop into a municipal branch and pick up printed materials.

You might find info searching through this: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/
(Assuming you're on Ontario)

[Ed_McCarron]

Yup.  You'll find very little info, even from the local gov'ment.  Providing info is a liability nightmare - the town would rather you hire an electrician, get it inspected, have it fail when the inspector is po'd at his wife, pay the $50 again for a re-inspection...

I don't see anything about conductor height, as long as its at least 1 1/4" back from the nearest edge of the stud to prevent damage after the fact.

Think about it this way - if you were going from the first floor to the second, your penetration would be AT floor level.

Outlet heights still apply.

I'm not a residential electrican, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn express last night.

Oh, the 1 1/4" comes from 300.4(A)(1), NEC 2002 handbook.

[menace]

I have the latest electrical code right here--there is no "standard" or minimum height for an outlet--with the exception that it can be flush with any surface (for water to pour into socket)  all notches in joists should be less than 1/3 the joist depth and shall never be on the bottom face of a joist.  Holes drille din joists should not be larger than 1/4 the joist depth or closer than 2" to outside finished edge.

for studs--the distance from the outside edge to the edge of the hole should be            1 1/4"--any less and a metal protection plate is required.  Also, the remaining stud depth must be 2/3 the total depth of the stud or else it is required to be reinforced.

[Jabba]

Thanks guys. Appeciate it.

[RayB]

...the exception that it can be flush with any surface (for water to pour into socket)...

??

[lcddream]

i think he means floor outlets...like say in a department store.

[danny_galaga]

i think he means floor outlets...like say in a department store.

or maybe it's a type and he means CAN'T

[DrewKaree]

or maybe it's a type and he means CAN'T

o i c.  A type O. 

[menace]

(yes it was can't)  Also your wire must be fastened to the stud within 300mm of the box and every 1.5m after that all the way to the panel.  If two wires run together for more than 600mm (2ft) then the wires must be re-sized to satisfy enclosed space requirements (i.e. make the wires bigger so less heat is developed)--this is rarely an issue in a home.

[Stingray]

Also your wire must be fastened to the stud within 300mm of the box...

For some reason I read this as "your wife must be" and got a very juvinile giggle out of it. Other than that, I got nuthin'.

-S

[Jabba]

Continuing Saga...Another question maybe someone here can answer....(menace?)

I'm adding more outlets in my shop workroom. The Electrical Panel is also in the Workroom. The Electiral panel has a Outlet right beside it on its own circuit (15A).

Am I allowed to add more outlets to this circuit (I know I can't add more than 11)? Does the code say the electrical panel plug can only have one circuit on it?

I'm pretty sure I can add more as I am planning, but just wondering if someone knows for sure.

Thanks Guys!

[lcddream]

the amount of outlets aloowed on one circuits by code is directly related to the amount of power allowed on a circuit.

code says you cannot load a circuit beyond 80% of its rated capacity. in your case you have a 15 amp circuit, 80% of that is 12 amps. convert that to watts by multiplying by voltage. i assume your voltage is 120. 120v x 12 amps = 1440 watts.

the minumum value for a single receptacle (outlet) is 90 watts or for a duplex receptacle 180 watts(i asssume you are using duplex). take the max wattage for a 15 amp circuit at 120 volt and divide. 1440 / 180 = 8 duplex outlets.

i don't recall if the outlet near the panel is a requirement, but i'm almost 100% sure it needn't be a dedicated receptacle, as the reason for it is maintainece derived.

[DrewKaree]

Not certain if code is the same in your area, but we've got the same setup, and from that outlet box, we've got conduit running in either direction with 2 more outlet boxes on both sides. 

[Jabba]

Thanks guys. Thats what I thought too.!