Electrical Wiring Question?

Question

Two part question:

1. I am upgrading the last three circuits in my house that use aluminum wire. One of the circuits is the gas furnace. I know that most homes have a dedicated 15A circuit for the blower motor. I want to replace the 12/2 alum. wire with 12/2 copper and replace what the idiot before me did (20A breaker for 12/2 alum). I will replace the 20A breaker w/ 15A. Is this ok?

2. For lighting I am planning to use 12/2 copper everywhere, just because its easier for me than buying 12 and 14 AWG wire. Is it ok to wire lighting and outlets with 12/2 on 15A breakers (knowing that 12/2 is rated for 20A). I ask this because most lighting wires are stranded 14 AWG and I have always been taught that you can go smaller to larger gauge wire but not the other way around.

The strand 14 gauge wire are those coming off of the light fixture, not actual wiring. As for three way lighting from the second question, its a bathroom that will not require that.

Typo

Not smaller gauge to larger gauge, larger AWG to smaller AWG, i.e. 14 to 12 or 12 to 10 NOT 10 to 14 etc.

Answer 1

For your first question, are you replacing the aluminum wire? I'd use 14/2 with a 15amp breaker or 12/2 with a 15 amp breaker.
For your second question, yes its fine to run 12/2 on a 15 or 20 amp breaker. You will be fine running a 20 amp breaker and will need it depending on number or lights. You may be just as well to use 14/2 with 15 amp breaker. You cannot use a larger breaker than the wire is intended for..ie 14/2 with 20 amp breaker. I have never seen anyone wire their house with strand wire, only the 8, 10, 12, and 14 gauge romex.

Answer 2

you can always change 14 gauge wire to 12 gauge because it is a better conductor, but it is more expensive. Check and see how many amps the furnace draws, it may need a 20 amp dedicated circuit. Save yourself some money if you can keep it with 14 gauge wire. Another thing to think about is that electricians always assume that 12 gauge wire should go to a 20 amp breaker, and 14 gauge should go to a 15 amp breaker. To avoid confusion in the future, it may be best to stick with the correct size wire for the ampacity of the circuit

Answer 3

It sounds good to me, if, I understand correct. If, the Heater Trip the 15A then you can go back to 20A. I think my Heater on a 15A with no problem. On the Lights, just be sure you never want to go to a Three-Way Switch setup or you may need more wires. It can be wired with a 12/2 but more wires make it a whole lot easier.

Answer 4

First question, yes but the 12/2 is not necessary, 14/2 is plenty.

Second question, yes but again it isn't necessary. Your thought about most lighting is correct however usually the wiring that is going to the light is14 and it's romex (solid wire) and not thhn (stranded) and last you were told correctly about not going to a higher number (smaller wire) BUT the circuit breaker size has to be taken in to consideration when going to a lower number wire (Bigger wire) hope this helps you> My answers assume that you are talking about a home (residence)

Answer 5

in many situations, in an older living house, you do not ought to improve all the wiring to make certain it truly is as a lot as cutting-edge criteria. known's are continuously convalescing and for this reason, for sensible causes, resources proprietors are literally not required to regulate each thing at the same time as criteria replace. there are more than a number of, many older houses that still have knob and tube wiring; (Knob and tube is a wiring approach that hasn't been used for decades now.) in simple terms because you've older wiring on your position would not recommend it truly is risky. If it replaced into put in genuine on the starting up and if it has remained threat-free genuine if in case you've not something to be bothered about. the precedence frequently comes at the same time as certain situations reason the insulation to become worse or at the same time as those who're not experienced in electric powered artwork attempt to regulate the wiring. commonly, truly with knob and tube, wires can develop into crossed and linked improperly by technique of those who do not truly recognize a thanks to position in electric powered wiring genuine. yet another difficulty in an older living house will be at the same time as receptacles develop into very free and they not carry your plugs or cords genuine. (operating example, once you plug in a lamp or vacuum purifier and the plug in simple terms falls out of the wall or is in simple terms too free.) free plugs, (called receptacles), will be risky because connections that are literally not tight have a tendency to arc. This arcing led to extra warmth and ought to at times burn. There are some belongings you, as a tenant, can seem for, or questions you are able to ask your self, to assist ascertain if there are issues that ought to wish some better interest. a million) Are the receptacles interior the living house free? 2) Do your lights flicker, or do you've shops that artwork in effortless words at times? Are there black marks, or signs and indicators of smoking, close on your outlet containers or any electric powered kit interior the living house? Do you commonly vacation circuit breakers? (Tripping circuit breakers received't inevitably be a connect up an electric powered difficulty. - you attempt to run too a lot on one circuit. they are designed to administration in effortless words a lot. in spite of everything, you truly could not in simple terms save resetting the circuit breaker. it truly is tripping for a reason. discover out why and sparkling up the precedence. Resetting a circuit breaker that keeps tripping can deliver about a hearth at times.) At any fee, i desire this facilitates.

Answer 6

Going bigger on the wire is a good thing.Bigger wire = less resistance

Answer 7

I have to agree with Hyster get rid of all the aluminum wire you can it is nothing but trouble.

Answer 8

I don't see any problem with either proposal. Going to a heavier wire shouldn't cause any trouble.

Answer 9

If your smart enough to call the man before you an idiot then I suppose you are smart enough to do this alone ... you are fine with what you propposed ... your bigger problem is calling people idiots ... the big shots at GE like to do that too and the ones calling "idiot" are usually the idiots!