2 circuits on one 14-3 wire???

[Jeepasaurus]

I just started into my garage project. It's a 20' x 30' three car attached garage. The house was built in 2005 with one previous owner. The builder sheetrocked the garage but did not put insulation in (there is insulation where the garage walls and house walls meet). On top of that, there is only ONE outlet in the garage (not counting the two on the ceiling for the garage door openers).

This one outlet was the GFCI for the three outlets on the outside of the house and the one outlet in the unfinished basement. I turned the breaker off and tested the outlet to make sure it was off. It was... or so I thought. I was removing the wires when I felt a little tingle in my left hand. I found the "hot" wire and had my neighbor hold the tester on there and yell when I found the right circuit. the circuit was for the lights and outlets in the living room which is just on the other side of the garage wall.

It took about two hours, but we finally figured it out. There was a 14-3 (with ground) wire coming in to the box. The red wire was the hot wire for the garage and outside outlets and the black wire was the hot wire for the living room. Both circuits then used the white neutral and ground.

Is this up to code? Either way, I just connected the living room circuit back up... capped the red wire and will be removing that breaker from the main panel.

I will be putting sheetrock back up and my dad stated that I connot put a cover on the box and sheetrock over it. I have to cut a hole in the sheetrock and put a plate cover of it because now it is just a junction box. Is this correct?

Thanks,
Kyle

PS - First post. Been a lurker for a while... Great resource. I've got a lot of good ideas for my garage from here.

 

[walrus]

It took about two hours, but we finally figured it out. There was a 14-3 (with ground) wire coming in to the box. The red wire was the hot wire for the garage and outside outlets and the black wire was the hot wire for the living room. Both circuits then used the white neutral and ground.

Is this up to code?
I will be putting sheetrock back up and my dad stated that I connot put a cover on the box and sheetrock over it. I have to cut a hole in the sheetrock and put a plate cover of it because now it is just a junction box. Is this correct?

Thanks,
Kyle

PS - First post. Been a lurker for a while... Great resource. I've got a lot of good ideas for my garage from here.

It sounds like yes and yes. The junction box needs to be accessable and you have what is commonly called a multi wire branch circuit. I assume the the 2 breakers are on opposite phases and therefore the load on the neutral will not exceed 15 amps . By 2008 code the black and red would have to land on a 2 pole breaker