I’m wiring up my shop and put 8 – 20 amp outlets on a 12 AWG wire. The last outlet is about 5 feet from the switch for the two lights on the stairs. It would be perfectly safe to run a 14 AWG to the switch and then to the two lights but I don’t know if this is legal under the code and I loaned out my NEC book so can’t look it up. The shop has outlets every 4 feet so no one would ever need to put in one of those outlet plugs into the light.
Thanks.
Steve.
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Replies
STeve,
If the circuit is on a 20 amp breaker, you cannot use 14 gauge wire. The breaker is there to protect the wiring, and 14 gauge wire is only rated for 15 amps. I am pretty sure you could run 12 gauge to the switch and light and be fine. I wired everything in my detached garage with 12 ga, it was just easier to buy a 250 ft roll and go at it. You can always use larger wire than needed, but never smaller than what the breaker is.
Not an electrician, but pretty certain this is correct.
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
The real question is why put 14 ga wire on a 20 amp breaker?
If you're that broke, save up for another roll of 12-2.
Because I have a roll of 14-3 sitting in the pile and would need to buy a roll of 12-3 to wire up the two lights and two switches.I know all the various ways to do this otherwise, the question is - this wire will carry a max load of about 1 amp, what does the NEC allow?Steve.
While true it is probably safe it is not the code.There are some tap rules that do allow for smaller guage wire for "taps". But I am not clear on them. However, i don't think that they apply in this case.BTW, why did you use 20 amp receptacles? Do you have any thing with a 20 amp plug on it?
I used 20-A receptacles in my shop because they grip all plugs tighter (I did use 12-2 and 20A breakers). I hate hand tool plugs wiggling and coming out.
Forrest
You could have bought high quality 15A receptacles that have the same good grip, and saved a buck or two per receptacle compared to the 20A ones.
Cliff
ForrestIt is a common misconceptions that you have to get 20 amp receptacles to get quality devices.There are several grades of devices (residential, spec, commercial, and hospital).The residential are only available in 15 and that is the basic builder recpt.Spec and commercial are available in 15 and 20 amp devices and with and without BACKWIRING (those use a pressure plate to hold the wire like used in GFCI's, no the backstab used on residential grade).Here are some representative prices from the local Lowes. I think that I got these right. There are clearly a bunch of misprints on their web side.Residential grade.15 amp #270$.46 bulk, $.56 each in a box, $.37 in box of 10Spec grades15 amp, side wire #CR15, $1.69
15 amp, back wire #Br15, $1.99 $1.69 in box of 1020 amp, side wire #CR20, $2.49
20 amp, back wire #BR20, $3.09
Wow - thorough reply!
I think that when I got mine from HD for my shop, they were having a sale. I used a double box, with a 20-A on the left, and a higher-quality 15-A on the right (not the orange industrial ones), just to experiment. I find I like to use the 20s; they feel more secure.
Forrest
..........." what does the NEC allow ? "15 amps on 14 ga.20 amps on 12 ga.so, either change the receptacle breaker to a 15 or change the wire for the lights to #12or feed the receps AND the lights with their own 14 ga. hot and share the Neutral, but the lights will dim when you turn on anything plugged into the outlets. ....and quit trying to cut corners, the NEC (and inspectors) does not care what that load will be, only that the materials are used properly
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'Wer ist jetzt der Idiot?'
"so, either change the receptacle breaker to a 15 "Can't change the break to 15 unless he also change the receptacles. He used 20 amp receptacles.
yep, .........skimmed over that one.....but I did figure out how to use color.
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.Wer ist jetzt der Idiot
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> or feed the receps AND the lights with their own 14 ga. hot and share the Neutral, but the lights will dim when you turn on anything plugged into the outlets.
If you share a neutral, the hots have to be on opposite legs, 240 Volts between them. In that case, the starting surge on one side will actually pull the other high, and the lights will brighten. If they dim, it means both hots are on the same leg, and the neutral carries the sum of the currents. That can result in a substantial overload and overheating of the neutral.
Code allows shared neutrals, but requires the hots to be on opposite legs. I'm not sure if it allows sharing a 12 gauge neutral between a 12 gauge 20 amp hot and a 14 gauge 15 amp hot. Never done that, but I don't see why not.
-- J.S.
Don't put 14-2 on a 20 amp circuit, just keep running 12-2 for the switch and light. It's hardly more difficult to wire, it's only a few cents difference in expense, and you'll know it's done right.
zak
"so it goes"
I'm guessing he already had the lighting circuit partly wired.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Steve, run a new circuit for the lights. It would be unsafe to pop a breaker and be in the dark. Split up those outlets into two circuits to limit tripping the breaker with multiple tool use.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Run a new line for the lights. If you trip the breaker you will end up in darkness with the lights feed from the sockets. (thats how the nut wired my garage so I have experance)
Steve,
If something were to happen to one of the lights and cause it to draw a bunch more current than normal, the wire "could" possibly melt and cause a fire in the wall before the 20 amp breaker opened. I know the likelyhood of it happening is slim to none, but that is the reason for properly sizing the wire to the breaker, or vice-versa.Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
To make clear, one breaker for the lights and another for the sockets.
Just buy what you need of #12. You can buy it by the foot if you don't want to buy a lot.