Best Approach for Whole House Wiring?

[Topzide]

@Richard, you're reminding me of my sound production days! I can remember setting up a 15k watt system in an old grocery store! The tile floors with high ceilings, sure played h$ll with feedback!

 

[grsthegreat]

I'm not getting all the love for 12/2 for general purpose outlets. What are you guys plugging in that draws so much power? Except for the kitchen and the workshop my house is all 14/2 and I've never tripped a circuit.

With me, ive just had too many service calls over the years about people having issues with residential 15 amp circuits. Generally happens when someone plugs anything larger than a vacuum in one. Its just generally recognized that residential track homes use 14/2 on everything except bath,kitchen and garage outlets. Custom homes go above and beyond and run 20 amp everywheres outlets are needed.

Probably just a selling point, but for as long as ive been an electrician its what we did.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm not getting all the love for 12/2 for general purpose outlets. What are you guys plugging in that draws so much power? Except for the kitchen and the workshop my house is all 14/2 and I've never tripped a circuit.

The problem I’ve seen is curling irons and hair dryers… add a small space heater and 20 is taxed.

Air Fryers are popular as are Rice Cookers… electric skillets not so much but 4 slot toasters, toaster ovens draw.

I had a renter that was cooking for her church… she had her 9 year old hold the breaker to keep it from tripping… eventually it disintegrated… never seen anything like it.

 

[bcp]

I think my house was wired (1970's) with commercial leftovers, a mix of 10 and 12 gauge. No fun changing an old outlet with two lined stabbed in the back and one under the screws, and all of it 10-12 gauge, that sticks out of the box about 3/4 inch. Seven wires on the outlet. Almost needs a sledgehammer to get it back in the box.

Bruce

 

[quicksandfarmer]

The problem I’ve seen is curling irons and hair dryers… add a small space heater and 20 is taxed.

Air Fryers are popular as are Rice Cookers… electric skillets not so much but 4 slot toasters, toaster ovens draw.

I had a renter that was cooking for her church… she had her 9 year old hold the breaker to keep it from tripping… eventually it disintegrated… never seen anything like it.

Kitchens and baths should be 20A.

I associate tripped circuits with old houses where the circuits are overloaded. In Levitt houses I've seen panels where the circuit breakers have duct tape to keep them from tripping.

 

[ultrarunner]

I still manage some nice 1920’s Craftsman Bungalows, 3 bedroom one bath with the original 30 amp main split to one 15 amp light circuit and one 20 amp plug circuit… I never had a single issue but that changed when I rented to a mom with two teenage girls…

At least the 3 bulb ceiling light fixtures no longer have three 100W bulbs making for 300W and now three 9W making for 27W

My most interesting was war time 3 unit building served by a single 30 amp service but it also had 3 individual gas meters.

 

[grsthegreat]

My sisters house in canoga park, calif had a 60 amp panel with 4 screw in fuses for lights and outlets and a couple of larger fuses for heat and oven. I ripped that out and brought in a 200 amp service and rewired entire house. All new outlets and wires. Had old knob and tube junk. We replaced all the plumbing at same time. Ive done so many of these rewire jobs here in north idaho over the years, it still amazes me.

But the all time oddest one was an old farm house out of Spokane Wash. about 20 years ago i was called out on a service call to run new well service on the house. When i asked where the panel and meter was, the old farmer pointed up towards peak of house. About 20 feet in the air was a meter with breaker panel. I asked him if there used to be a deck there, he said no, and hes lived there his entire life. How the heck did that ever get installed. And this was way before smart meters. Some fool had to read that meter somehow.

It kind of reminded me of the old green acres telephone pole with the telephone at the top.

 

[ultrarunner]

My sisters house in canoga park, calif had a 60 amp panel with 4 screw in fuses for lights and outlets and a couple of larger fuses for heat and oven. I ripped that out and brought in a 200 amp service and rewired entire house. All new outlets and wires. Had old knob and tube junk. We replaced all the plumbing at same time. Ive done so many of these rewire jobs here in north idaho over the years, it still amazes me.

But the all time oddest one was an old farm house out of Spokane Wash. about 20 years ago i was called out on a service call to run new well service on the house. When i asked where the panel and meter was, the old farmer pointed up towards peak of house. About 20 feet in the air was a meter with breaker panel. I asked him if there used to be a deck there, he said no, and hes lived there his entire life. How the heck did that ever get installed. And this was way before smart meters. Some fool had to read that meter somehow.

It kind of reminded me of the old green acres telephone pole with the telephone at the top.

Periscope?

Telescopes were standard issue to electric meter readers.

Some of the older homes had a 90 degree offset on side yard meters so the meter could be read from the street with telescope.

Still have a few under the house crawl space meters… one is 50 amp main 120v before the meter and 4 Edison fuse sub panel.

Thing is even after a 100 years still on the job…