Basement Wiring?

[dieselscout80]

I'm working on my basement and I had been planning and running all the circuits from the main breaker box. I hadn't thought about putting a sub box/panel in the basement until recently. The basement part of the house is only under part of the house and it is on the opposite end of the house from the main breaker box/panel.

Basement rooms are:
Bed rooms 2 - (per bed room) 6 outlets; ceil fan with light (wired for separate fan switch), light in closet (wiring is done 12 ga for outlets and 14 ga for lights.

Bath room - 2 or 3 outlets GFI, 2 lights on separate switches (one light may have multiple bulbs) and vent/exhaust fan on its own switch.

Recreation/family room - 8 outlets, 10 lights.

Circuits:
One 20 amp circuit for the bed room outlets total of 12 outlets
One 15 amp circuit for all the lights and fans (does this need to be 20 amp)
One 20 amp circuit for the rec/family room outlets

I first I was going to use four circuits, but can I use just three circuits or do I need that fourth circuit?

The main box has plenty of open breaker slots some room in the main box/panel is not an issue.

Would I be better off installing small sub box/panel in the basement vs running back to the main box/panel for the basement circuits?

If I run a sub box/panel what do I need to do it?

Here is how I want the switches for the rec room and stair lights.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/180082-5-switches-control-3-lights.html

Here is link to my bath room circuit question.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/199483-bath-room-electrical.html

 

[RalphVa]

If you want to put in a separate panel in the basement, just run a single 220v line to carry the necessary (55 amps; you show) amperage. Then put the breakers in the basement.

Check your amperage requirements, but I think you'd be into 8 gauge multistrand wire. This is relatively easy to run, as my electrician put in a generator feed line with this wire. It's much more flexible and easier to work with than 10 gauge (think it's only good for up to 30 amps) wire.

Ralph

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm an amateur, but I'd say it's not worth the subpanel for 3 circuits. You're into it for the cost of the wire, the panel, and the breakers. I don't think there will be much of a benefit to you if you have plenty of room in the main panel.

 

[KennyG]

I think you will need at least 4 circuits. I don't like the idea of all the lights on a level being on 1 circuit. Also, your bathroom outlet circuit should be 20 amps because of the potential use of hair dryers/blowers.

We've been having another discussion on common neutral circuits. You could run two 12/3 (220 volt) lines (or one 12/3 line and one 14/3 line) to the basement area and then split off to four 12/2 20 amp lines (or two 20 amp and two 15 amp lines).

Think about a 20 amp circuit for the bedroom outlets and one side of the family room, a 20 amp circuit for the bathroom and the other side of the family room and two 15 amp lighting/bathroom fan circuits.

Just a note that up north here, bedrooms don't meet code unless they have two means of egress - two doors or a door and a window you can get out of.

 

[dieselscout80]

I think you will need at least 4 circuits. I don't like the idea of all the lights on a level being on 1 circuit. Also, your bathroom outlet circuit should be 20 amps because of the potential use of hair dryers/blowers.

We've been having another discussion on common neutral circuits. You could run two 12/3 (220 volt) lines (or one 12/3 line and one 14/3 line) to the basement area and then split off to four 12/2 20 amp lines (or two 20 amp and two 15 amp lines).

Think about a 20 amp circuit for the bedroom outlets and one side of the family room, a 20 amp circuit for the bathroom and the other side of the family room and two 15 amp lighting/bathroom fan circuits.

Just a note that up north here, bedrooms don't meet code unless they have two means of egress - two doors or a door and a window you can get out of.

All the outlet circuits are 20 amp sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

Do these windows work? Each room has one.

 

[KennyG]

Just curious - Is your basement mostly out of the ground or do you have huge retaining walls? Those don't look like the usual "basement windows".

 

[dieselscout80]

Just curious - Is your basement mostly out of the ground or do you have huge retaining walls? Those don't look like the usual "basement windows".

We are on a hill one side of the basement is fully in the ground with no windows (bath room is on that side) and the other side you walk out with no stairs.

 

[dstig1]

You are plenty fine for circuits with the 3 you have described, IMHO. You won't come near 15A with lights and fans. Most ceiling fans are about the draw of a 60W light bulb - not much. I like 20A circuits for outlets too - good choice. Future-proofing. 15A is nicer for lights as the wires on many fixtures are so small that 12ga wire is a bear to connect to, but 14ga (15A circuits) are not too bad. Plus lights and fixtures just don't draw much, unless you have some monster kleig lights in the fam room.

But the bathroom outlets need their own 20A circuit. I know they changed the code slightly on this some years back, but I think that is still the case, and a good idea.

If you do the split neutral suggested by KennyG, you need to tie the breaker handles together so you don't leave half of the circuit live by accident. Easiest way is to use a 220V breaker for that.

Check codes on egress windows, if you are concerned. There are a couple simple requirements on sill height and clear window opening sizes. Many sources on the web show the specs. Search "egress window" and you will find it, easy peasy.

Disclaimer: All IMHO. I am not an electrician, but I have played one in 3 of my houses so far

 

[JB4310]

If you do the split neutral suggested by KennyG, you need to tie the breaker handles together so you don't leave half of the circuit live by accident. Easiest way is to use a 220V breaker for that.

Can someone explain this further, as I mentioned in the other E thread I have several shared neutral circuits but they are all on single breakers.

Can power go thru neutral some how from the live circuit, if you were working on a shut down circuit, if both were sharing the same neutral?
Is it code?

Thanks JB.

 

[KennyG]

Can someone explain this further, as I mentioned in the other E thread I have several shared neutral circuits but they are all on single breakers.

Can power go thru neutral some how from the live circuit, if you were working on a shut down circuit, if both were sharing the same neutral?
Is it code?

Thanks JB.

Code requires a double pole breaker because, at some future date, if you trip one breaker and open up the box, you could still have one live circuit in the box. It's not just a shared neutral issue. Anytime you have more than one circuit in the same box, they should be ganged to prevent you accidentally having power in a box you thought was tripped.