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flyboy68 · Jan 5, 2010, 07:30 PM

Hello all! Great site!

I'm trying to finish our basement, and I'm a little confused on getting the bathroom wired.

I'm going to run a 3 gang switch box (sink light, fan, another light in fan combo) and I'd like to put two receptacles... one by the sink counter top (like normal) and one behind you (if you were looking in the mirror) down low.

Can someone give me a basic layout beginning w/ the feed from a 20amp circuit in the panel to the bathroom? I know you have to use 12awg... but is that for all lighting/fan too? Can I just go from the panel to the first GFI outlet to the next GFI (2nd outlet) then into the switch box to feed the lights and fan? And if I can, could I use 14-2 from the swtich box to the lights/fan or not because I'm using a 20apm breaker?

Appreciate any help! Hopefully this makes sense?

Josh

Missouri Bound · Jan 5, 2010, 07:45 PM

You can do the wiring as you wish, from GFCI to the next outlet and then into the into the switch box for the fan and light. But if you use a 20 amp breaker, you must use 12ga wire. And why are you using a 20 amp circuit?

flyboy68 · Jan 5, 2010, 07:52 PM

I though the code here in the US is 20 amp for bathrooms, so you'd use 12awg wire?

Missouri Bound · Jan 5, 2010, 07:55 PM

No, I'd use a 15 amp breaker, and 14 ga wire. What code are you referring to?

flyboy68 · Jan 5, 2010, 07:58 PM

Well I guess I'm not sure. I've been browsing online for a couple days now... and I thought I've been reading that bathrooms have to be 12awg.

Stratmando · Jan 5, 2010, 08:10 PM

First get power to your 3 gang, I prefer conduit, many use romex.
Then a 12-2 from the 3 gang to the light, a 12-3 to the light/fan combo.
Then a 12-2 from 3 gang to first receptacle, from that receptacle to receptacle behind you(regular recepticle), first receptacle will be GFI and will be wire to protect 2nd receptacle.
20 Amps for sure. I would use 20 Amps even if it wasn't code, Same a Kitchen.

Missouri Bound · Jan 5, 2010, 08:14 PM

The receptacles are supposed to be 20 amp circuits. I would run a separate 15 amp circuit for the lighting. But if you want to run only one circuit, then it will need to be 20 amp with 12ga wire all the way. I personally like to separate outlets and lighting wherever I can, to eliminate lights out whenever a receptacle gfci trips out or when a breaker trips. Sorry if I confused you.

Stratmando · Jan 5, 2010, 08:16 PM

Scared me for a minute.

flyboy68 · Jan 5, 2010, 08:18 PM

Okay got you... no problem. Thanks for the clarification.

How about a wet bar... does the outlets need to be on a GFI?

flyboy68 · Jan 5, 2010, 08:25 PM

Sorry to be switching back and forth...

I have three outlets that need power that are just on the other side of the bathroom wall. If I put power for the lights in the bathroom on its own circuit, could I used the receptacle power from the bathroom to power the recepticle's outside the bathroom?

tkrussell · Jan 6, 2010, 06:30 AM

Any outlet within 6 foot of any sink must be GFI protected.

Bathroom outlets must be dedicated, no other outlets allowed, other than outlets in any other bathroom.

The exception is, If one 20 amp circuit is for one bathroom, then lights and fan in THAT bathroom can use the outlet circuit.

Better that your using a separate circuit for the lights, much better plan.