School Me On Romex

[jabin]

If you're looking into Home Automation, then go with the extra third wire.

 

[wingfootedgodhead]

My shop is basically wired with white coated Romex


I would love to redo it with conduit and pull the wire, but that's not cost effect for me

Such a nice space there. It is inevitable that your wants will soon outrun a Romex installation. Then you'll revert to tearing out all the Romex and running conduit.

Why not save the time and trouble and do it right the first time ?

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I was told that I want 12-2 with ground for my 120v circuits.

12-3 or 10-3 is only needed for 240v or 3 way switches

No need for 12/2 in most cases for lighting,14/2 is fine.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

in my experience, 1000' rolls are exactly the same price per foot as 250' rolls (i usually just hit lowes or depot, maybe electrical supply shops are different, idk).

so depending on your wiring projects and lengths needed, i don't agree that using #12 wire everywhere will be any cheaper. it's going to greatly depend how much wire you need. if you need 200 ft of wire total for the entire re-wire and you'll never need wire again, then yes, all #12 wire will be cheaper. if you need more than that, or want wire left over for future projects, it will more than likely be cheaper to use #14 and #12.

250ft of 12/2 = $64.74 ($.26/ft)
1000 ft of 12/2 = $258 ($.26/ft)
250ft of 14/2 = $42.17 ($.17/ft)

as a homeowner, i always keep a 250ft roll of both #12 and #14 wire around. i find myself using them all the time here and there (if i owned a new construction house, this would be a different story).

Unless youre shacking/new construction I personally see no need to drag a 1000' roll of any kind of romex around,250' rolls are just right for dragging around the house and rolling out as you need it.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I have never seen those prices for 250' rolls, that is double what they should be. Sounds closer to UF prices.

14/2 250' here is $39.95.

12/2 250' here is $60.87.

As 87jeep said, the 1000' spools are exactly the same price as four 250' rolls, or close enough where it doesn't really matter.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Unless youre shacking/new construction I personally see no need to drag a 1000' roll of any kind of romex around,250' rolls are just right for dragging around the house and rolling out as you need it.

I have a neighbor who has his own electrical contracting business. He says the same thing.

 

[D45]

How many 4' long shop lights can be ran on one breaker....say 20 amp?

They will be a combo of 2 bulb and 4 bulb shop light fixtures

What fixtures are the best bang for the buck, especially in colder temps..........T8?

 

[D45]

Now............what about this thought: Keep the current fixtures and swap in $19 T8 ballasts and new T8 bulbs ($3 each). New 4 foot T8 fixtures are $33 each without bulbs. Worth the time to swap out ballasts or no?

No, new fixtures do NOT come with bulbs

$19 per fixture for a ballast
$12 per fixture for new T8 bulbs

It would save me about the cost of the bulbs, compared to buying new T8 4 bulb fixtures

What about the T5 bulbs? Large price increase I know, but whats the light difference and overall performance of the T5 compared to the T8?

 

[ishiboo]

How many 4' long shop lights can be ran on one breaker....say 20 amp?

They will be a combo of 2 bulb and 4 bulb shop light fixtures

What fixtures are the best bang for the buck, especially in colder temps..........T8?

This is basic math, how would we figure it without knowing two or four?

20A * 120v = 2400W. Loading at 80% gives you 1920W to work with. You can load a lighting circuit up to 125% I believe, but I like to keep a margin for additions/changes later.

T8 bulb is usually 32W, most shop lights I see people use are 2-bulb. So 64W per fixture. Guessing 8% efficiency loss, or 69W per 2-bulb, 138W per 4-bulb.

1920 = 69t + 138f, where t is the number of two-bulb and f is the number of four-bulb.

That's 27-28 2-bulb fixtures.

 

[D45]

This is basic math, how would we figure it without knowing two or four?

20A * 120v = 2400W. Loading at 80% gives you 1920W to work with. You can load a lighting circuit up to 125% I believe, but I like to keep a margin for additions/changes later.

T8 bulb is usually 32W, most shop lights I see people use are 2-bulb. So 64W per fixture. Guessing 8% efficiency loss, or 69W per 2-bulb, 138W per 4-bulb.

1920 = 69t + 138f, where t is the number of two-bulb and f is the number of four-bulb.

That's 27-28 2-bulb fixtures.

Thanks for doing that for me! haha

I would be doing a mixture of 4 bulb fixtures and 2 bulb fixtures.....maybe 10-12 total fixtures

 

[carnutdallas]

I am late to the conversation and more of a lurker, but I must add that the only way to go on lamps is T8. Put 10 fixtures in my shop and it was like turning night into day. We have about 40 T12 fixtures and the 10 T8 outshine all day long. I think the T12's are 7000 lumen and the T8 are 24,000ish. Crazy bright!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[D45]

Get a stripper. I like the K1412 for 12/2 and 14/2 work.

So funny!!!! I found the same exact K1412 stripper in my garage today!!!

 

[mhoss44]

I ran 12/3 overhead, that led to four receptacles. Just plugged four shop lights in, and wired two ceiling fans for plug in. 20A breaker. Really easy, my first wiring job. I bought a fifteen dollar Black and Decker book at Lowes, learned a lot. Wiring my shop was my first wiring, and it was interesting, and fun. 200 A box, lots of receptacles. Light switches. Getting ready to do some more, for a second bench area.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JT-3]

Good info here, I was at HD tonight and looking at romex. I have all the drywall down in the garage and want to replace some tin wire and clean up other messes. The wiring that has been run/spliced over the last 50 years is awful and dangerous, lots of electrical tape and bare wires buried in insulation.

I'm waiting to hear from an electrician but might attempt myself, just a little worried about the dryer circuit and electricity in general. Luckily the panel is inside the garage so I can see point A and B.

 

[D45]

Eaton, Square D, or Siemens 100amp panel good?

Price varies greatly

20-34 circuits

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Good info here, I was at HD tonight and looking at romex. I have all the drywall down in the garage and want to replace some tin wire and clean up other messes. The wiring that has been run/spliced over the last 50 years is awful and dangerous, lots of electrical tape and bare wires buried in insulation.

I'm waiting to hear from an electrician but might attempt myself, just a little worried about the dryer circuit and electricity in general. Luckily the panel is inside the garage so I can see point A and B.

If u decide to go at it on your own, just start a new thread and we will be happy to help u!

 

[JT-3]

I hired an electrician - it was well worth it. Right off the bat he pointed out the dryer circuit was copper and not tin, even though everything else was tin. LOL.