Am I wiring my electricity right?

Question

Ok, so I need to run electricity into a spare room in my house... I checked my breaker box, I have two empty 15amp breakers... If i go out, buy 12g electrical wiring, turn the power off. Hook the positive wire to the breaker, the neg to the breaker box with the larger white cord going to it. And the ground to the green screws. Then run the electric through the support beams in the basement to my spare room. Then when it reaches the room can i hook those wires straight up to an electrical outlet i had installed but didnt hook electric up to?
By doing this is the electric hooked up right? or am i missing a step?

any advice would help... I'd rather do this myself, but do it right, and not die.... I will be checking the wires with a voltage meter to make sure everything is off...

Answer 1

You can use 12 gauge wire on a 15A circuit, but you can use 14 gauge as well, it is cheaper and easier to work with, being smaller. 14 gauge is also what professional electricians use for 15A circuits.

Leave the power on while you run your cable through the joists. The cable needs to be supported at regular intervals; the distance varies with the jurisdiction. Look at what is there and do the same. Leave 2–2 ½ feet of cable near the breaker box (don’t connect it yet) and leave about 18 inches near the receptacle.

Run your cable into the outlet box, you’ll need 10–12 inches inside the box. Secure the cable to the box using whatever method is provided by the box (built-in clamps, or you may need to buy a connector if there are none). Skin your cable. Loop the bare ground wire around the ground screw (go clockwise) on the box and connect it to the green screw on the outlet (clockwise). Some outlets have a quick connect feature, it is a small hole near the screws that you just push the wire into and the connection is made—a real time-saver. If you use the quick-connect, screw in the screws. Skin the white wire (there is a length guide on the back of the outlet) and connect it to one of the NEUTRAL screws (they’re both silver-coloured and located on the larger slot side). Skin the black wire and connect it to one of the HOT screws (they’re both brass-coloured and located on the smaller slot side). Screw in any unused screws. Screw your outlet onto the box.

Turn off the main breaker. Run your wire into the breaker box with a connector (see how the others are done). Secure your cable near the outside of the breaker box. Skin all the cable Inside the breaker box. Run the bare ground wire along the perimeter of the box to the ground wire connection strip, where all the other bare wires are connected. Secure the ground wire to the ground wire connection strip. Cut off any excess. Run the white wire along the perimeter of the box to the NEUTRAL wire connection strip, where all the other white wires are connected. Cut to length, skin ¾–1 inch and connect the white wire to the NEUTRAL wire connection strip. Run the black wire along the perimeter of the box to your spare breaker. Cut the black wire leaving an extra 12 inches. Skin ¾–1 inch and connect the black wire to the breaker. Tuck the excess black wire along the perimeter of the breaker box.

Close the breaker box and turn on the main breaker, leaving yours OFF. Turn on your breaker and test your outlet.

Answer 2

Electricity will only flow between two points is there is some electric potential between the two. For instance, a rock will fall off a cliff, but you wont ever see a rock fall off a field. If the bird is sitting on the wire, the bird is at the same electric potential as the wire, so there is no reason for electricity to show through the bird. If, however, the bird would to extend its fictionlly long legs down and touch the ground, then its foot would be "Grounded" and have an electrical potential of zero whereas the rest of its body would be at the same potential as the wire....an electric current would flow.

Answer 3

Basically yes.
The wire should be plastic sheathed cable,
"Romex" or armored cable 'AC` and #14 awg.
is acceptable with a 15A. breaker.
(Easier to run & install + cheaper).
The code requires that the be supported every
4 Ft. when not run through the joists, and within
6" of each termination, (the outlet box and the
panel). Staples are sold for the purpose.
In your outlet box the phase, (black) wire goes
to the brass screw, the neutral, (white), goes
to the 'silver` screw, the bare ground to the
green screw, (must be bonded to the box if
a metallic box is used).

Answer 4

OK sounds like you have the connections correct. when you connect to the receptacle, make sure you hook up the hot to the brass screw, White to the silver screw and green to the green screw. You will not need 12 g wire for a 15 amp circuit and will find that if you use the receptacle with the push in connections, a 12 g will not fit. 14 GA. is adequate for a 15 A circuit, especially if you are only running one duplex plug.

Answer 5

Yes! you are doing it the right way but be sure that you secure the cables to the beams and to any surface they are running on, in the UK the should be attached at every 12". and make sure the ground wire is grounded at both ends, it's good to answer someone who seems to know what they are doing, but check the regulations that allow you to do it yourself.

Answer 6

number 2 and 4 have it right. rule is 14 guage wire holds 15 amps, 12 guage holds 20 amps. if you arn't using a welder in that room, 15 amps is fine, thats a general circuit for a whole room in a house.

Answer 7

Fine, but protect the wiring all the way by running it inside proper conduits.

Answer 8

sorry, but home wiring is so dangerous, get a electrician in to do it, we had a guy who was a electricians offsider (so he knew a bit) anyway nearly burnt the house down