I'm thinking about wiring my basement, and my panel is out in my garage. Im just wondering if I would have any ill affects with runs of 130-140 feet long on 14-2? My basement will have 2 bedrooms and a family room with all the usual components, tv's, stereos, etc. I will have to run 35-40 ft. just to get into basement. Im no math wizzard, nor an electrician, if this is too far, what is an acceptable run length on 14-2? I just don't want to do it twice, or spend $100 dollars more for 12-2. thank you in advance.

For runs this length,#12 will be well worth the expense. If you want two circuits, look for 4 wire cable with a ground, may be black, red,white, and blue, or white with a tracer.

Use the black and white for one circuit, use the red and the remaining wire for another circuit. This will give two circuits each with their own neutral.

Also, the bedroom circuits will need a Arc Fault circuit breaker, check with local codes, the smoke detector may or may not need to be Arc Fault protected. Each bedroom needs it's own smoke detector, and there needs to be one other smoke in the remaining general area of the basement, and interconnect all the detectors.

Thank you for the information. You have been very helpful. I guess ill go find some #12 and get started.


Thanks again,

Scott

Using a 3 conductor cable at 240V and ballancing the two 120V loads, you can go twice as far with the same the same size conductor!

So with a 3C (14-3) you get two circuits, one less conductor (because the neutral is shared) and go twice as far as with 4C. That's pretty simply math and the beauty of multiple circuits (remember though that the bonding wire is not a conductor and is not counted in a cable). So a 3C has 3 insulated conductors (Black and Red for hot and White for neutral) and a bare bond wire.

And, in case you need 240V, you have it!

14-2 at 12A is good for about 80'. 14-3 at 12A is good for 160'. 12-4 at 12A is good for 128'. 14-3 cable is common and cheap like dirt. 12-4 is rarely used and prepare to sell your organs!