Need Electrical Advice

[Lloyd_E]

I am trying to run lights in an addition on my barn.

I have a 100 amp panel that is powered from my house.
There is presently 3 breakers used - 15 amp each. They supply lights on the main level - three switches - each switch controls 3 lights. There are lights in the loft and in the tack room.

What I would like to do is run a series of 6 lights from the panel with a switch at the end of the run - switch will be by door - so upon entering and exiting lights can be turned off. I use fluorescent bulbs 23watts = 100watts.

Please outline procedure.

Many, many thanks.

Lloyd

 

[RobS]

Easiest is to run your normal three wire cable to the switch (14-2 or 12-2) then feed the lights from there with the switch controlling the hot (black) side. You could save some wire by running from the panel to each light where each light is on the neutral side only (hot feeds through to the switch at the end of the run). If I were doing it that way, I'd tape each incoming neutral as hot with black tape. Not sure if that's code, but it would work. I'd do it the first way I mentioned.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Ok.

So, I run to switch, break black (hot) wire, use ground wire to box but do not cut white.
From there to each light, do I cut black wire to wire light fixture(has white and black wire on it) and continue through to end. I guess end (final light) would be black from fixture to black wire, white to white. Is this correct?

Lloyd

 

[RobS]

It sounds like you're trying to follow my second option? Did I mention that I am not an electrician? If it were me, and I was following my second option, I would keep the black (hot) unbroken to the switch. The white will power the lights, on the way back from the switch. To be safe (code?) you should color each incoming white wire (closest to switch) black, as it will be hot when the switch is on. So, following the electrons from the panel: Black wire all the way to to the switch. Through the switch to the white wire but colored black at the switch. Then to the first light. The electrons will go from the white wire (also colored black, closest to the switch), into the light, then back into the same white wire (not colored black on this side), then to the next light where the white is colored black, into the light, back to the white and eventually back to the panel.

Again, this will work but not sure it's kosher (code). Coloring the powered sides of the white wires is just for the safety of future electricians in the box.

Grounds just all tie together and to each device.

Hopefully, a real electrician will chime in here 'cause I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night!

 

[lovemytoys]

run 14/2to the first light .then 14/3 from light to light .aslo 14/3 to the switch.now at every light splice the black wire together and cap.at the switch wire it to the red and black .at the light splice the red and the black from the light together and cap .do the same with the white .@ the panel black goes to the breaker and white to the neutral bar.oh Dont forget the ground!!!!

 

[MicroPilot]

run 14/2to the first light .then 14/3 from light to light .aslo 14/3 to the switch.now at every light splice the black wire together and cap.at the switch wire it to the red and black .at the light splice the red and the black from the light together and cap .do the same with the white .@ the panel black goes to the breaker and white to the neutral bar.oh Dont forget the ground!!!!

Is this What you are trying to say? Note that White wires are shown in BLUE and the Green grounds would need to all be connected together.

 

[Steve_Miller]

I am trying to run lights in an addition on my barn.

I have a 100 amp panel that is powered from my house.
There is presently 3 breakers used - 15 amp each. They supply lights on the main level - three switches - each switch controls 3 lights. There are lights in the loft and in the tack room.

What I would like to do is run a series of 6 lights from the panel with a switch at the end of the run - switch will be by door - so upon entering and exiting lights can be turned off. I use fluorescent bulbs 23watts = 100watts.

Please outline procedure.

Many, many thanks.

Lloyd

Lloyd,
Is there a circuit somewhere in the vicinity of the door now? If so, by sounds of your layout now, the circuits are very lightly loaded that you have. You could probably tap into a nearby circuit and use that to power your lights. 6 X 23W = 138watts. A 15amp breaker is generally rated for 80% continuous load, so three lights (3 X 23W=69W) from another circuit will hardly load that circuit (138 + 69 = 207). The 15amp circuit is good for 15amp X 125volt = 1875watt X 80% = 1500watts. If that is all that is on the circuit then you are nowhere near overloading it. Now if there are plugs or other loads on that circuit it is a different story. food for thought. I'm not an electrician on paper, only work with it for a living, mostly three phase though.

Steve
Nova Scotia

 

[Egon]

Installing A 3-way Switch With Wiring Diagrams - The Home Improvement Web Directory

Would this site be of any help.

 

[jcurtisB78]

Here is an excellent reference book for electrical wiring that contains lots of easy to read examples:

Amazon.com: The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Home Wiring - 3rd Edition: Includes Information on Home Electronics & Wireless Technology (Black & Decker Complete Guide): Editors of Creative Publishing: Books

I found it to be extremely helpful when we remodeled our kitchen, bath, and home office.

 

[denmansoft]

Out here on the wet coast there is a 'Red book' which is the proper electrical code way of doing things for the homeowner. It covers all topics from service entries to wire sizes, breaker panels, calculations, and several ways to wire what you are trying to do. If I follow it I know my inspection will go OK and I will be safe!
You may have something like this available in your area. All the Lumber yards and hardware stores around here carry them.

 

[Lloyd_E]

I will try to find a good reference book.
SteveM, Unfortunately there are no circuits close. I ran wire 12/2, two (black and white) wires with ground. This is what was used in the other part of the new barn.
Mirco, you are showing 4 wires White, red, black and ground correct?

Electrical is not my area of expertise...I thought this would be simple, duh, that's why you hire a professional! I will spend more time on this tomorrow and get back to you guys....

Many thanks though!

Lloyd

PS: schematics I can follow!!!!!!

 

[MicroPilot]

Mirco, you are showing 4 wires White, red, black and ground correct?

Yes, 12/2 romex actually has 3 wires in it: Black, White and an uninsulated ground. 12/3 romex has 4 wires: White, Red, Black and the uninsulated ground. I did not show the ground connections in my diagram to keep it uncluttered. All the ground wires would be connected together.

Do note that the diagram I posted is only 1 possible way of wiring this circuit, there are at least 2 other possible configurations. It all depends on the physical layout of the components, including the breaker box.

 

[SPYDERLK]

It sounds like you're trying to follow my second option? Did I mention that I am not an electrician? If it were me, and I was following my second option, I would keep the black (hot) unbroken to the switch. The white will power the lights, on the way back from the switch. To be safe (code?) you should color each incoming white wire (closest to switch) black, as it will be hot when the switch is on. So, following the electrons from the panel: Black wire all the way to to the switch. Through the switch to the white wire but colored black at the switch. Then to the first light. The electrons will go from the white wire (also colored black, closest to the switch), into the light, then back into the same white wire (not colored black on this side), then to the next light where the white is colored black, into the light, back to the white and eventually back to the panel.

Again, this will work but not sure it's kosher (code). Coloring the powered sides of the white wires is just for the safety of future electricians in the box.

Grounds just all tie together and to each device.

Hopefully, a real electrician will chime in here 'cause I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night!

This appears to string the lights in series, which would divide the voltage between them. If so it wouldnt work. The 1st option would work.
larry

 

[lovemytoys]

Is this What you are trying to say? Note that White wires are shown in BLUE and the Green grounds would need to all be connected together.

very good post a lay out of the room and i will try and help better .im a local union electrian for 26 years so i have some insite

 

[MicroPilot]

very good post a lay out of the room and i will try and help better .im a local union electrian for 26 years so i have some insite

Thanks.

When I first read your post I thought that guy is nuts, that will never work, or be a series circuit, so I started diagraming it. Turns out to be a good design.

Upon reading the the first post, my initial design for this circuit was that all the wires would junction in a central box, kind of like a star. The idea of the out and back for the hot wire didn't occur to me.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Nuts... I have been called worst...

So I drew up a schematic: white, black and copper colour(ground).
Also, I have attached a photo of space. I also ran a wire from panel to switch but have not
hooked into anything. This is not in the photo.

So, I need to know:

1/ what wires get connected at the switch- it is single pole/regular house switch and yes there will be plate placed on it when finished.
2/ what wires get connected at each light fixture?

Note: the schematic is for six lights and I have 5 in place and 'am awaiting a 6th one to be delivered. I can wire that in at a later point.
Also ignore how the lights are wired now... Also, the wires will be stapled to the battens attached to the rafters.

I did wire up two weather proof outlet boxes from a circuit breaker and they work fine.

On the schematic: WP/circle = weather proof fixture; S = switch

Many thanks...

On another note - which is scarier for me than this electrical stuff - I showed and watched my wife drive the tractor for the first time today. Her comments "this is very comfortable" she had a huge smile on hear face when she said this!!!! Now this can go in two directions, either I loose seat time or gain time for relaxing.....

Lloyd

 

[MicroPilot]

Nuts... I have been called worst...

I was actually talking to Lovemytoys.

So, I need to know:

1/ what wires get connected at the switch- it is single pole/regular house switch and yes there will be plate placed on it when finished.
2/ what wires get connected at each light fixture?

Based on what you've already done and how it appears wired in the photo, I created a diagram of how to connect everything up.

Lovemytoys: Would this be the easiest way to get this done?

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thanks Micropilot...

So if I read this correctly:
1: all grounds get connected - obviously
2: all whites get connected including light fixture
3: all blacks get connected including light fixture
4: switch gets black wires / whites get connected in box

I printed off your schematic and will proceed in the morning.

Again many thanks...

Lloyd

 

[MicroPilot]

Exactly right!

Good luck.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Wired, lights and one happy wife!

Thanks all and MicroPilot especially.

Amazing when you have professional expertise at your doorstep...

Lloyd