Bath Room Electrical?

[KennyG]

My house isn't small but it isn't a mansion either. I've got 200 amp service and am keeping my fingers crossed I can get by without upgrading to 400 amps. There's the pool pump, the 220 line to the pole barn to run the welder and compressor, the heated floors and towel rack the wife insisted on in the bathroom, the electric clothes dryer, etc., etc. Fortunately, we very seldom need to run the A/C but I'll probably have to hold off on welding if the A/C is running. :laughing:

Bottom line is that everything seems to require more electricity service. The only saving grace is that we usually don't run it all at once. If I count up the breakers on my panels and subpanels, I think I've got over 1000 amps of breakers on a 200 amp service.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I think I've got over 1000 amps of breakers on a 200 amp service.

I think there's some equation out there for how many amps worth of breakers that you can have in a panel. We have the attention of enough electricians here, hopefully someone will chime in with the right answer.

I have a 200 amp main with two separate 100 amp breakers for subpanels plus all the other 15 and 20 amp breakers for outlets, etc. My inspector passed it all without batting an eye.

 

[Inspector507]

Depends on the total load in the house. Never mind the fact that you have 300A worth of breakers in a 200A panel. It could still be code compliant.

 

[dieselscout80]

This has gone a bit past what I need, but I guess it's ok.

Can anyone shed some light on what type light to use in a domed tub shower unit?

I was thinking that a 12V light might be a good choice like a Trucklite 33062C Clear.
Truck-Lite - Catalog Product : 33 Series LED Auxiliary Lamps, 1 Diode Pattern

Cabela's: LED Livewell Light

Led Livewell Light

Walmart.com: Attwood LED Livewell and Bulkhead Light, Red: Fishing & Marine

If the 12 power supply is on a GFI circuit with a switch more than 3' from the tub/shower unit would that be safe.

 

[JB4310]

This has gone a bit past what I need, but I guess it's ok.

Can anyone shed some light on what type light to use in a domed tub shower unit?

I was thinking that a 12V light might be a good choice like a Trucklite 33062C Clear.
Truck-Lite - Catalog Product : 33 Series LED Auxiliary Lamps, 1 Diode Pattern

Cabela's: LED Livewell Light

Led Livewell Light

Walmart.com: Attwood LED Livewell and Bulkhead Light, Red: Fishing & Marine

If the 12 power supply is on a GFI circuit with a switch more than 3' from the tub/shower unit would that be safe.

Why 12 volt? those lights you linked to look to be very low light output.

Do you have to have light in the shell of the unit? why not just outside it and go with a regular 110 volt light.?

I just put one of those vent/heater/light units recessed in the ceiling just outside the stall and it provides good light inside the shower. I have other lights in the bathroom as well but the supplemental light this unit gives makes it lighter in bath/shower.

JB.

 

[dieselscout80]

Why 12 volt? those lights you linked to look to be very low light output.

Do you have to have light in the shell of the unit? why not just outside it and go with a regular 110 volt light.?

I just put one of those vent/heater/light units recessed in the ceiling just outside the stall and it provides good light inside the shower. I have other lights in the bathroom as well but the supplemental light this unit gives makes it lighter in bath/shower.

JB.

This domed shower is only 84" tall. We have one just like it upstairs and it has a light/fan just outside it and it is still kinda dark in the shower, so we'd like some additional light also this basement bath room will not have a window.

mascobath.com - Aqua Glass - 60x34 Tub/Shower - Domed

note: both bath rooms have 96" tall ceilings.

 

[JB4310]

My house isn't small but it isn't a mansion either. I've got 200 amp service and am keeping my fingers crossed I can get by without upgrading to 400 amps. There's the pool pump, the 220 line to the pole barn to run the welder and compressor, the heated floors and towel rack the wife insisted on in the bathroom, the electric clothes dryer, etc., etc. Fortunately, we very seldom need to run the A/C but I'll probably have to hold off on welding if the A/C is running. :laughing:

Bottom line is that everything seems to require more electricity service. The only saving grace is that we usually don't run it all at once. If I count up the breakers on my panels and subpanels, I think I've got over 1000 amps of breakers on a 200 amp service.

I think I'm all set with my 200 amps, for the 5 of us, even with 4 window ac's electric stove and dryer (don't mention my electric bill ) hot water is off boiler. Just running out of room in box. My small detached shop has it's own metered 100amp service, so welding and heavy power tool use is not on house system.

I have a few supplemental electric heaters going in the winter in the house, never tried to figure my total load but don't think it's all that high, most of the lights are cfl now.
Do you electricians ever see 200 amp breakers tripping?

JB.

 

[LarryD]

I think there's some equation out there for how many amps worth of breakers that you can have in a panel. We have the attention of enough electricians here, hopefully someone will chime in with the right answer.

I have a 200 amp main with two separate 100 amp breakers for subpanels plus all the other 15 and 20 amp breakers for outlets, etc. My inspector passed it all without batting an eye.

About 3/4 down the page you'll see an excel spreadsheet link that does calcs for residential loads. This does not account for outbuildings persay but the is cells for additional loads.

 

[JB4310]

This domed shower is only 84" tall. We have one just like it upstairs and it has a light/fan just outside it and it is still kinda dark in the shower, so we'd like some additional light also this basement bath room will not have a window.

mascobath.com - Aqua Glass - 60x34 Tub/Shower - Domed

note: both bath rooms have 96" tall ceilings.

If the ceiling is 8 feet, how about some nice track lighting, aim a flood beam into the unit from outside. That would give you enough light to put on a show in there and have room for other heads to accent or light up other areas.
But even if you just used it to light the shower it might be the easiest way to go? though track lighting in a bathroom may raise other code issues, not even sure it would be allowed?

JB.

 

[JB4310]

I think there's some equation out there for how many amps worth of breakers that you can have in a panel. We have the attention of enough electricians here, hopefully someone will chime in with the right answer.

I have a 200 amp main with two separate 100 amp breakers for subpanels plus all the other 15 and 20 amp breakers for outlets, etc. My inspector passed it all without batting an eye.

My electrician did say something like "don't go filling the whole box up"
after he finished installing my new 200A box.

I only got 3 slots left blank

JB

 

[dieselscout80]

If the ceiling is 8 feet, how about some nice track lighting, aim a flood beam into the unit from outside. That would give you enough light to put on a show in there and have room for other heads to accent or light up other areas.
But even if you just used it to light the shower it might be the easiest way to go? though track lighting in a bathroom may raise other code issues, not even sure it would be allowed?

JB.

Mike stated that track lighting in a bath room is not allowed.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/199483-bath-room-electrical-5.html#post2304122

 

[JB4310]

Mike stated that track lighting in a bath room is not allowed.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/199483-bath-room-electrical-5.html#post2304122

OK just read that, but he does mention not within 3 ft. so 3ft 1 inch?

Also what about adjustable recessed ceiling light that can be aimed.

JB

 

[grsthegreat]

theres nothing wrong with filling up the whole box......thats what the knock-outs are for.

the biggest problem is the connected load. this is not something that i can exactly list right here, especially since i have actually taken an 8 hour long course on load calculations, and still sometimes get confused.

you cannot simply add up the total number values on your breakers and say i have 1000 amps of breakers on a 200 amp panel. it doesn't work that way.

they have factors like averaging 3 watts per sf of floor space for lighting, if you have 3 dryers, they take 100% of the load on the first and only 30% of the load on the second and third.....stuff like that
'
NO ONE runs everything at the same time. i can wire each bedroom on its own 15 amp breaker, but i may actually only be drawing 3 amps load on that circuit.

so like i said...its really hard to calculate. its on a job by job basis. My house is hooked up to 400 amps, with 200 going to feed the shop,barn and lighted arena.

the other 200 amps feeds my house. I have a mix of gas and elect appliances, but find it interesting that i can run nearly my entire house on a 50 amp generator. so 200 is overkill.. I dont have a well, so that helps.

i've tripped a 200 amp breaker in the past from a dead short, but generally its the smaller breakers that trip. if you keep tripping a 15 amp breaker, don't JUST PUT IN A 20 AMP BREAKER UNLESS YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT THE WIRE RUN IN THE WALLS CAN SUPPORT A 20 AMP LOAD. Otherwise you can invite us over for the marshmallow roast on the resulting fire.

best to split the load on the existing circuit and add a new feed.

 

[dstig1]

I don't find load calcs to be terribly hard, just a bit tedious. But most importantly they seem quite low for residences. 3w/sf for general lighting, add in the greater of the AC or heating load, then the required bathroom, laundry and kitchen circuits, and an electric range (I forget the derating factor). I think that was all of them, but I'm not gonna bother looking it up right now. If it says you need over 150A, you have a huge house.

Here's a good REAL load example for you: my garage. I have a subpanel temporarily setup in there as I am using it as my woodshop annex. I used a 150A subpanel but connected to a 60A breaker in my main panel which is plenty (plan is to move the 150A panel to the new shop when we build). The most I've had running on it was my 3hp Dust collector (20A 220v breaker), my wide belt sander (on a 30A/220V), my 30A 220v electric heater, and several fluorescent lights. All from that panel. Heck even the 5hp compressor has come on in there too as the sander needs air to tension the belt (30A 220v). All pulling through a 60A breaker ... Never tripped a breaker. Add that all up and you'd think I should trip like crazy. Well I never start 2 motors at the same time (intentionally) and that is the biggest issue with tripping. Most motors do not draw full load in use, so there is more headroom than you might think, and all the big stuff has it's own breaker too.

Let me head off the safety police: the subpanel is rated for 150A but only connected to a much smaller 60A breaker in the main panel, using properly sized wire, and is perfectly fine. The reverse would be the hazardous setup: 60A panel fed from a 150A breaker.

 

[MikeInMaine]

This has gone a bit past what I need, but I guess it's ok.

Can anyone shed some light on what type light to use in a domed tub shower unit?

Here's one idea. You can install a recess light with a shower trim in the domed ceiling. It's always a little hairy cutting a hole in one of those fiberglass tops, but I can tell you how I've done it.

1. After choosing a recess light, use a rotozip tool with the optional circle cutter attachment to cut your hole. The rotozip makes a hole in the center. Then the pin on the circle cutter goes in that hole, and the rotozip tool circles around it until you've gone the whole way around. Voila! Note: If the top is already installed before you've cut your hole, you'll want to definitely wear safety glasses and cover your head because fiberglass dust will be coming down at you from above. I thought I'd find lots of uses for my rotozip, but that really hasn't been the case. But this is one job where it really shines.

2. Then, just install the recess light in the hole. What kind of recess light? I use the "remodel" style. Because the fiberglass is so thin, and remodel lights usually attach to 1/2" - 3/4" thick ceilings, you might need to use some 1/2" scraps of wood for the clips on the remodel light to press against on the backside of the top, close to the hole you just cut.

I've done this installation with Halo H5RICAT remodel housing, and the Halo 5450PS shower trim. It looks nice when you're all done.

You can probably use just about any other remodel housing and shower trim combination. Just make sure that the trim is a shower trim. That way it'll be approved for installation in a wet location.