Hey folks,

I have a, hopefully, easy question for y'all. I recently moved into a new house (a foreclosure) that has some wiring issues. I've got the big ones fixed, but I've been stymied by one small circuit in my kitchen.

There are 6 outlets (and, I think, something else I can't yet find) on a 15 amp breaker. In the first box, it looks like the people were trying to trying to create two branches: I've got live wires (12/2) straight from the breaker, and then 2 sets of wires (12/2) out. One set goes on to power 3 outlets (12/2) downstream; the other set goes to 2 outlets (These last two are 14/2 wiring. I haven't found where the gauge change occurs, which is why I think there is something else on the circuit I haven't found yet).

Also, that in first box - where the power comes in and goes out in 2 directions - it is very crowded and they didn't leave any extra wire so things are very tight. I've already replaced the original box with a deeper one to give myself a little room to maneuver, and am planning on adding pigtails on to each of the original wires.

My ultimate goal is to have a GFCI on that first box (which is ~24" from a sink) so that all the downstream outlets (which are 6-18" from a sink or my stove) are protected. I considered putting in a GFCI breaker, but there isn't room in the box outside.

Here are my questions:

1) Is it possible to wire up a GFCI outlet to have 1 live in and 2 loads out? I originally tried sticking'n'stabbing them in the appropriate spots, but only got power downstream on one branch. Can I run a single pigtail out of the GFCI and then wirenut it to the two downstream wires, effectively splitting it? Or is there a better way to do this?

2) When testing an earlier attempt on this circuit, I turned the breaker on. There was a spark right at the breaker, and my boyfriend said there was a loud bang inside the house. Ok, fair enough - had a short in the that first box. Apparently I fried the circuit breaker itself (I tested it by disconnecting the live in the box and tried turning the breaker on. It wouldn't go.) and have a new one ready to install. No worries there. Do I need to worry, though, about the GFCI outlet that was on the other end of the short? Should I assume it is fried as well, and get a new one, or should it be OK?

Thanks so much for any help you all can offer! I really appreciate it!

-Shalie

Oooh, Sorry for the wrong thread title. :( I thought I had changed it to something more applicable - like 'Wiring a GFCI with 6 wires'. (I originally found this forum by searching '15a breaker 12 gauge wire' to see if it would be an issue on this circuit.)

12 gauge wire is fine for a 15 amp breaker, bit of overkill. Yes you can have more than one protected hot coming off the GFCI but read the yellow label to insure both are protected, label is on the GFCI when you buy it. Never assume a breaker of GFCI is bad or good, always test them. They can be good today and bad tomorrow. Do not connect the new breaker until you locate and correct the short.

Thank you so much for the super-quick reply!

Agree that the 12 gauge is overkill, but it is what is there, so... If I can find where it starts, I'll probably replace the 14 gauge wire on the circuit with 12 and put in a 20 amp breaker - if only to justify the extra annoyance of having to fight with the thicker wire. :)

A follow-up question: Looking at the yellow label on the GFCI, all it says is that you have to make sure to wire it correctly to ensure protection. (Duh! :)) In the instructions, it says how to wire it up with one protected hot, and says to consult an electrician if you have more than 6 wires (including the grounds) in the box.

I have 9. Back of the GFCI, obviously, has 8 holes for stick'n'stab (4 live, 4 load). Is it best, do you think, to leave the outbound wires separate and stick them into their own load holes? Or should I wirenut them together and then run a single live & single neutral pigtail into the load side receptacle?

And the short is resolved - it was in that crowded first box. Yeesh.

Again, thank you for your help!

Shallie,

What are the two circuits serving? If it is counter top outlets which are used for small appliances, then the current NEC Code mandates that you need two 20 amp branch-circuits for small appliances.

You cannot marry 14 AWG into a 12 AWG circuit and keep the circuit at 20 amps. If there is any 20 amp parts of the circuit that someone tied 14 AWG wire into, then the entire circuit must be protected by a 15 Amp circuit breakers.

15 Amps will work fine on 12 AWG cable. However, if you run 20 Amps down a 14 AWG wire you have a very severe of fire!

Hi Don,

Currently the circuit has a 15amp breaker. I will keep it at 15amps unless I can find out where the previous owner (PO) hooked in the 14-gauge wire. If I can find that (and it is reasonably accessible), I'll replace it with 12-gauge wire and up the circuit breaker.

All of these receptacles are on one circuit from the breaker box. It branches into two at the first receptacle. As for what will be on it? Good question. I'm not entirely sure. The circuit is in a sort of 'prep' part of the kitchen, so maybe an assortment of 'pull out of the cabinet, plug in, use & put back' gadgets like a mixer, food processor, crock pot, etc. (Do those count as small appliances? If they do, then - fortunately - I have another, underutilized circuit near the 14-gauge branch onto which I can easily reroute those two outlets.) The microwave, dishwasher, etc. are all on a separate (20amp) circuit on the other side of the kitchen.

Thank you! :)

-S