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Bob Vila Monkey: Electrical Wiring

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
I've finally hit a snag in my construction knowledge.

Does anybody know of any GOOD online websites I can learn how to wire up switches, lights and outlets?

I'm mainly looking for schematics.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
stosh you fail at teh google

click
I actually saw that one.

I don't have to wire any 3-ways or 4-ways. I'm interested in wiring outlets off the same circuit as lights and I also want to see how to wire 4 lights off one switch.
 

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
Buy one of the basic wiring books from Home Depot. They actually work.

Check local permit requirements too. Some states let you do your own wiring but it must be inspected. Other states require a licensed electrician do the work if it passes a certain point. There is a reason for this - potentially it protects your neighbors houses from burning down because of your fvck ups.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Buy one of the basic wiring books from Home Depot. They actually work.

Check local permit requirements too. Some states let you do your own wiring but it must be inspected. Other states require a licensed electrician do the work if it passes a certain point. There is a reason for this - potentially it protects your neighbors houses from burning down because of your fvck ups.
Locally you need to pay an independent inspection firm to come out and do it.
My neighbor's house is far enough away.
 

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
Nobody is gonna bust your balls for wiring your own 120v outlets. This is the kind of thing that if they don't know, they don't really care. Ironically, it is illegal for me to wire my one outlets, but I do wiring 480v machines regularly at work. The laws are weird.

The only thing you really need to get right is to match the wire size to the breaker. ie, 20a breaker, gets 20a rated outlets and a 12ga wire. 14ga wire is fine, as long as it is protected by a 15a breaker. Don't get cheap on the outlets, I bought some of those super cheap ones at HD a few years ago. Over the summer, I had a chop saw on it and melted the thing. I went around the house and redid all of them with the super burly $6 ones.
But yes, a cheap basic book for HD will teach you some basics. I did this for plumbing last year. Even though I new most of it, it is still good to get some ideas and tips from another source.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Nobody is gonna bust your balls for wiring your own 120v outlets. This is the kind of thing that if they don't know, they don't really care. Ironically, it is illegal for me to wire my one outlets, but I do wiring 480v machines regularly at work. The laws are weird.

The only thing you really need to get right is to match the wire size to the breaker. ie, 20a breaker, gets 20a rated outlets and a 12ga wire. 14ga wire is fine, as long as it is protected by a 15a breaker. Don't get cheap on the outlets, I bought some of those super cheap ones at HD a few years ago. Over the summer, I had a chop saw on it and melted the thing. I went around the house and redid all of them with the super burly $6 ones.
But yes, a cheap basic book for HD will teach you some basics. I did this for plumbing last year. Even though I new most of it, it is still good to get some ideas and tips from another source.
I'm only running 15amp outlets/ breakers except for the one that is a GFI outlet in the bathroom for the occasional hair drier use. Where I will be using a computer I ran a home run circuit. I'm running all 12ga wire.

I'm pretty good with code issues since I deal with them daily at the architecture firm I work for.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Just keep Aubrey close with a 2x4 waiting to smack you just incase
Honestly I've only ever made one mistake with wiring and cut a hot wire and it was the ONLY time Aubrey was near me when I was doing work. She will forever be scared when I'm doing wiring. :)
 
This really is one of those activities in which if you don't really know what you're doing, it's best to stay away from it. It's just too easy to get hurt, hurt someone else or start a fire.

I wired my whole house, but I'm an EE and I got a bunch of training from licensed electricians and spent hours immersed in code.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
This really is one of those activities in which if you don't really know what you're doing, it's best to stay away from it. It's just too easy to get hurt, hurt someone else or start a fire.
you trying to take all the fun out of a house fire?