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hbuilder · Jun 3, 2007, 01:28 PM

I live in a town home with unfinished basement. As part of finishing my basement I am now wiring the family room. The room is almost 18' x 14' and there is one 15A dedicated circuit meant for this room. I am thinking of the following outlets to be in that circuit.

1 GFCI
9 regular receptacles attached to that GFCI
1 staircase light
1 Corridor light
1 regular light/fan fixture (for future use, if need be)
6 recessed lights of 6" diameter

My question is: Is the number of outlets and lights are within the NEC guidelines?
Any other comments are also welcome

Thanks in advance

tkrussell · Jun 4, 2007, 02:58 AM

Since there is no maximum amount of outlets for a residential circuit, the amount is fine, however, another circuit would be a good idea. Perhaps a separate circuit for all lighting?

Once the basement is finished, the outlets will no longer need to be GFI protected.

Stratmando · Jun 4, 2007, 06:10 AM

I would maybe pull a second circuit, Maybe for a heater in winter. Does it get cold there?
Tripping 15A circuit could Possibly leave you in the dark.

hbuilder · Jun 4, 2007, 10:02 AM

My service entrance panel has vacant spaces only for two more new breakers. I am planning to use them for baseboard heating (for the basement) as a future project. Since I do not want to mess with the service entrance panel wiring I will get someone to do that later -- may be next year. I will be pulling AWG-12 wires for this purpose (one each for the family room and the bedroom) from the utility room, where all the wires get into the basement from the service panel. As the family room and bedroom are separated only by a single wall I can use AWG-12/3 and terminate them in a gang box on either side with blank covers.

That means the existing wiring will never be used for heating (yes it does get pretty cold in Minnesota :)). My estimate was even if some one uses 50-65W bulbs for all the 6 recessed lighting and the other two. Still the total consumption would be about 500-700 W. More than that would be too much for such a room. If you guys think it is something not really recommended then I will consider alternatives before inspection. The room in fact is 16' x 14' with stairs running into the room couple of feet.

I am wondering if 6 recessed lights would be too much for this room size.

Thanks

Stratmando · Jun 4, 2007, 12:51 PM

It doesn't get any easier, cheaper, or less destructive than now, to run wiring for future heaters now, just cap off at box and don't connect to breaker until ready.
Why not pull #12 and a 20 amp breaker.
%80 of 20 Amps is 16 Amps(@120 Volts).
16 X120=1920 Watts.
50-65 watt bulbs is 3250 watts. 3250/120=27.0833 Amps
More recessed would not be bad.
6-65 watt bulbs =390 watts.
Don't forget TV/Tel, Alarm wiring.
If fans are even remote possibility, Run wiring and 4x4 now.
They also make wafer type breakers(2 breakers fit in 1 spot, or are 1 breaker/2 switches)

hbuilder · Jun 4, 2007, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Stratmando

It doesn't get any easier, cheaper, or less destructive than now, to run wiring for future heaters now, just cap off at box and don't connect to breaker til ready.

I am doing most of the wiring for the future heaters now itself. I will do all the required indoor wiring -- except that it won't be hooked up to the service panel.

Originally Posted by Stratmando

If fans are even remote possibility, Run wiring and 4x4 now.

Did that already!

Since the wiring is almost done with 14AWG I do not want to go for 12 AWG unless it is absolutely necessary.

Whole basement is being finished as:

one 13x10 bed-room,
one 16x14 family room,
a 12x6 nook adjacent to the utility room
and a 9x5 bath room.

There are three different 15A circuits plus a 20A bathroom line shared with that in the upper level. All these circuits were wired by the builder and capped off in the basement to be used later while finishing the basement. The circuits are being used as following:

1. one 15A circuit for bed-room
2. one 15A circuit for family room.
3. The third 15A circuit will be common to the nook (three outlets and a light), the sump pump, the bath room lighting and exhaust.
4. 20A shared line will go to one GFCI outlet in the bath room.

After reading the comments I am thinking of hooking up the corridor and stairwell lights also to this nook circuit for better balancing.

Any comments on that?

Thank you

Stratmando · Jun 4, 2007, 02:01 PM

On the stairwell, and corridor? I would wire for three way switching.
Maybe recpticle for convience in the corridor,(Recpticle night light?).