Basement wiring diagram for 60A service/ 600sf

renoman

Continuing on my project to finish 600sf of my basement. Would appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions. All work to be done in northern Virginia.

Have determined that a 70ft run of 4/3 NM-B to a new panelboard in basement will likely fit my needs. Plan to feed it off a 60A breaker in my main. Bought a 20-circuit Square-D panel with 100-A main breaker (for cutoff convenience only) to serve as my subpanel in the basement.

Designed 6 electrical circuits for the basement as follows (see attached diagram):

1: AFCI 15Amp for lighting (22 recessed cans - 50Watts each + 2 sfc mount incandescent, 75W each nominal)
2: AFCI 20Amp for ~10 outlets (including AV center - TV, amp, cable box, Wii, etc)
3: AFCI 20Amp for ~7 outlets (including treadmill) and smokes
4: GFCI 20Amp for fridge
5: GFCI 20Amp for workbench (e.g. table saw)
6: GFCI 15Amp for future half-bath

My questions....

A) I was worried about the treadmill and AV center sucking up 1000+Watts each. Thus put them on separate 20A circuits (1920Watts) vs 15A (1440Watts). Am I overspec'ing this a bit?

B) Should I be worried about overloading my 60Amp feed from main? I can imagine using treadmill, stereo, lights, with the fridge and a few other things running...drawing say 40A max (probably an overestimate). I don't anticipate plugging in power-intensive "stuff" in the basement (the basement will mainly serve as a getaway), but would appreciate a more experienced perspective.

Thanks again for the help!

Attached Thumbnails

 

joed

Half bath needs to be 20 amp for the receptacle. Receptacle must be GFCI. Receptacle circuit can not leave the bathroom except to serve other receptacles in other bathrooms.
Where is the bath on the drawing?
What is the maximum wattage rating of the fixtures being installed? That is what determines how many can be on the circuit, not the wattage you intend to use in them.

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Scuba_Dave

If you know where the treadmill will be located I'd run a dedicated 20a circuit to that spot
---or to (2) locations if you have another spot where you may move it
And I'd split the #2 circuit into (2) 20a circuits
I'd also run (2) 20a circuits to the work bench
Once the walls are closed in its much harder to add circuits

And dehumidifier needed down there ?
They can pull 7a or more

Speedy Petey

renoman, no one draws circuit diagrams like that except engineers, architects and DIY'ers. lol

That said, that is a nice diagram. What program did you use?

renoman

Joed:
Check - 20A GFCI for exclusive use in half-bath (which in diagram will go behind the door to the right of the soffit). Only fixtures I have planned at moment are the 50W cans on the lighting circuit. Of course I've mentioned the tv, treadmill, and other big draws. In bath figure a few lights.

Unfinished basement is to the right of this diagram.

renoman

Thanks for suggestions. Won't adding more circuits just give the inspector more cause to ask how I'm going to constrain my usage to 60A?

Basement is really dry - no need for dehumid.

renoman

DIYer - guilty. Add nerdy "scientist" to your list!

Adobe Illustrator - which I use to edit scientific diagrams/figures for publication. Way overkill I know...what can I say!

Scuba_Dave

Your estimated load is your estimated load
Doesn't matter how many circuits that load is spread across

oleguy74

did a quick load calc.total load should be about 30-40 amps so the 60 amp will be fine.also sd's need to be tied to all other sd's in the house.that means they will have to tie into existing sd ckt.and not in your new remod.

darren

Thats 30 to 40A at 120V which will probably be split over the two hots so you should have lots of room of expansion.

frenchelectrican

That is a nice drawing there .,,

Ok let me write up couple items you may have to change the drawing a little.

1] what type of recessed cans are you plan to use and what the max wattage of each recessed luminaires I know you say 50 watters but I always go with max rating of recessed luminaires that how I sized the circuit properly.

2] Try to rearrange the three way switch so you have power at first switch and netural there then go to the next three way switch from there go to the luminaires with standard 14-2 NM cable instead of 14-3 the reason why I suggest that due it make it easier to wire this way and also will have netural at the switch boxes due in case you use the electrioic timer or motion sensor or multi location dimmers { master / slave unit } which most case they will required a netural there anyway. { The 2011 NEC code will required a netural conductor in the switch box anyway }

3] as other mention about threadmill get them on seperated circuit they will draw a bit of current there I know they can run much as 15 amps easy {I heard 12 is pretty common amprage number }

4] Do you have bathroom and kitchette in there ? if so please post it in the drawing and be aware about the kitchette code required minum of 2 - 20 amp circuits for it. as bathroom goes Joed allready addressed this one.

5] For your AV it will be wise to run it own circuit and run them in quadplex receptales { you will need two quads for sure }

I think that cover most of it what I know of ATM.

Merci.
Marc

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renoman

frenchelectrican,

1) Recessed cans allow up to 75W depending on trim piece, thus this circuit would draw max 1650W...probably need to use 20A circuit breaker and 12/2 instead of a 15A circuit.

2) Great suggestion...redesigned the 3-way circuits.

3 and 5) OK - treadmill and AV on separate circuits

4) No kitchen. Bathroom is future project, but have 2 possible locations. Easy access to one wall no matter which location, so it will be easy to add a dedicated GFCI circuit.

Thanks for the help.... I'm going to have a bunch of circuits (8 or 9). Good thing I bought 20-slot panelboard. Unfortunately, every additional AFCI circuit is costing me around $42 (cost of a 20A breaker).