Question on wiring a light and a string of outlets

[jasmrosen]

Hi everyone,

I am breaking up a space to put in a shop space and couple storage rooms. It is an old building so the walls are stone and columns are made of brick. I want to run a circuit from the new sub-panel. I have not put the walls up yet but want to get the basic electrical in because the electricain doing the upstairs space said he would terminate all the wiring for me in the panel, if I put in all the boxes and pulled the wire.

Basically I want a light, a switch and a couple outlets in each room. Seems pretty straight forward, but for the moment I need to mount the switch and the first outlet on one of the brick columns. When I get the partitioning walls up I will add the other outlets. Since they are exposed I was going to use metal boxes and conduit.

My question is should I pull the cable from the subpanel to the light box in the ceiling then go down to the switch then to the outlet....or should it go to the outlet first and then back up to the switch and light.? I want to try and minimize the amount of conduit but I'm not sure for example if you can "pass through" the light switch box to go down to the outlet(s)

 

[mrb]

you shouldnt put the lighting and receptacles on the same circuit

 

[Frank The Plumber]

What he said and, if you need to ask this question you should have the electrician do the wiring. Not to say that you should not do the box and pipe or hang the fixtures, just that you should let the pro do the part that can cause a fire. He is coming to do the box work, let him wire it and know you are safe.

 

[mrb]

the other issue is you generally cannot do any work yourself in a commercial building

 

[Charles (in GA)]

the other issue is you generally cannot do any work yourself in a commercial building

He said it was an old stone and brick building, didn't say where or what it was used for.

Lights and receptacles are best put on separate breakers. Need to do box fill calculations for anything that you are passing circuits thru, in addition to installing switches or receptacles in, as you may have too many wires for the box, depending on what size box you use.

Charles

 

[NUTTSGT]

you shouldnt put the lighting and receptacles on the same circuit

jasmrosen, incase you're wondering why. If it's dark out and you trip the breaker for the outlets, you'll leave yourself in the dark, as you have killed the light circuit too.