receptacle GFCI wiring quesion

[Flatland Dave]

Wiring in the shop. Running 12/3 romex to GFCI receptacles. Two receptacles per box, on separate circuits. Do I run jumper wires off the correct neutral to the correct terminal? or?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Wiring in the shop. Running 12/3 romex to GFCI receptacles. Two receptacles per box, on separate circuits. Do I run jumper wires off the correct neutral to the correct terminal? or?

Neutral can be shared bwtween the GFCIs on the line side but NOT on the load side. This means you will HAVE to run two 12/2 Romex cables from the GFCIs to each and every outlet downstream!

 

[2ManyProjects]

Wiring in the shop. Running 12/3 romex to GFCI receptacles. Two receptacles per box, on separate circuits.

Neutral can be shared bwtween the GFCIs on the line side but NOT on the load side. This means you will HAVE to run two 12/2 Romex cables from the GFCIs to each and every outlet downstream!

At which point, it would be simpler, cleaner, and just plain all-around better to use separate runs of 12/2 for the first legs (i.e., breaker to first outlet) of each circuit, as well.

Also, the way you (Dave) phrased that, it sounds like you're planning on using GFCIs everywhere. That would be a waste. You only need a GFCI outlet in the FIRST box in any daisy-chained string of outlets. When properly installed/connected, it will also provide full protection for all the ones located "downstream".

 

[Flatland Dave]

Planning on GFCI's being the first receptacle on each run.
Looks like i'll be running 12/2 downstream.


Thanks

 

[Gooch]

Planning on GFCI's being the first receptacle on each run.
Looks like i'll be running 12/2 downstream.


Thanks

make sure to install a 2 pole breaker if using 12-3 to the first recepts.

 

[Rookie2]

GFCI breaker is an option

 

[Flatland Dave]

GFCI breaker is an option

Have thought about that.

make sure to install a 2 pole breaker if using 12-3 to the first recepts.

Yep, thanks

So if I run 12/3 from the pannel to the first set of receptacles, and run 12/2 on the rest of the run, I still need to share the neutral from the 12/3 with the GFCI's

 

[Aceman]

Bring your 12-3 into the box. Black to one GFCI on the line terminal. Red to other GFCI on the line terminal. Neutral wirenuts to two other pigtails. One pigtail to each GFCI on the line terminal.

Now one 12-2(the black and white wires) goes to one gfci's load terminals. The other 12-2 goes to the other GFCI's load terminals. Twist the grounds from all THREE cables together. Make sense?

 

[sands35]

As the other's have stated, using GFCI with a 12/3 feed gets complicated on down stream outlets.

If you are stuck on the idea of alternating outlets, then OK feed with 12/3, but then you need to use 12/2 thereafter.

OR

Use GFCI breakers.

OR

give up on the idea of alternating outlets. IMHO, it sounds good, but how realistic is it for you to pop a 20 amp breaker in a hobby shop? How many tools can you use at once? (is it a one man hobby shop, or do you make money in it?)

If you have fixed equipment, then put in several 30 amp 240 VAC outlets - which are not required to have GFCI outlets.

Or if you don't want to use 240, then run dedicated 120 to stuff like the air compressor or the dust hood or whatever.

Personally, I run all the "fixed" wood working equipment off 30 amp 240 VAC lines, which lets me run the hand tools off 120. Then dedicated lines for the air compressor, welder, heater, etc.

In the shop I'm building - 26x32. I simply have three 20 amp 120 circuits - one for each wall that doesn't have the garage door and three 30 amp 240 circuits - again on each "full" wall. I *never* popped a breaker in an older house with only 1 120 and 1 240 circuit. (I'd run a dust collector and a table saw or jointer off the same circuit - at 20 amps) I don't think I'll pop one in the new garage either.