[tjbingha]

I am re-wiring my house and am just wondering if there is any decent way to predict how much wiring will be used for my four square house. It is a two story house, about 1750 square feet. We are also adding tons (about 45) recessd lights and celing fans, etc, so an estimate on the high end is prob. appropriate. I have my circuits drawn out and everything, I am just hoping that someone here has a "technique" that they use for general estimates.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[jbfan]

Experience.
When I first started, I ran out of wire all the time.

 

[Dierte]

Figure what you need. Then add 30% Figure a foot at each junction.

 

[tjbingha]

Ha

That is what I was afraid of...

 

[jbfan]

15, or 20 amp circuits?
Bathrooms, laundry rooms, and 2 kitchen circuit need to be 12 gauge and 20 amp circuits.
All other receptacle and lighting circuits can be 14 gauge.

Are you doing the wiring?

 

[gregzoll]

There is no way to predict how much wire you are going to use. That is why professionals walk in with spools of 1000' of each type of wire. Also by looking at blue prints, they can determine aprox. how much is going to be used, by knowing the length and height for the runs.

I have probably over 1500' of 10/2, 14/2, 14/3, 12/2, 12/3 in my place. And will still use another 500' to finish up what I am in the middle of doing for my ongoing re-wiring of my 75+ year old home.

 

[Speedy Petey]

I am re-wiring my house and am just wondering if there is any decent way to predict how much wiring will be used for my four square house. It is a two story house, about 1750 square feet. We are also adding tons (about 45) recessd lights and celing fans, etc, so an estimate on the high end is prob. appropriate. I have my circuits drawn out and everything, I am just hoping that someone here has a "technique" that they use for general estimates.

Thanks,

Tom

Can I ask why it matters?
If you get too much, return what you don't use.
If you don't get enough, buy more.

Do you live in the middle of nowhere or something?

 

[joecaption]

I always need 3 ft. more then I bought.

 

[tjbingha]

It matters b/c I get the wiring at cost and tax free in Delaware which is not close to me, so i want to be as accuracte as possible.

 

[rrolleston]

Better to have too much that not enough and it never goes bad.

 

[gregzoll]

You can always store the remainder on a shelf for when you may need it sometime down the road. Wire does not go bad, as long as you keep it in a dry place like a basement or insulated garage. I remember walking into one of the fan rooms on board the ship I was on, and we probably had miles of various grades & types of wire that were just thrown on the floor.

If we ever took it to be recycled, vs tossing into a recycling dumpster that got placed on our pier, or tossed overboard, we could have walked away with some cash that could have been used for a good party for our shop.

 

[TTW]

Only way to really figure it is to do a drawing. Don't forget to figure all of the vertical distances too.

Are you planning to do it up to current code?

Will it be inspected?

 

[gregzoll]

And of course the oh wholly AFCI. Found out that Leviton finally released their AFCI Receptacle outlets into the wild. Anyone want to venture the cost of them before clicking on the link? http://www.onestopbuy.com/mm/electrical-products/receptacles/afci-receptacles-r1030.asp This is the only place that I have been able to find them, even though this is the response I got from an "application engineer" at Leviton:

" The AFCI’s have been released and can be purchased. The actual model number is AFTR1-00W (W for white, although other colors are available).
Please check with the local stores like HomeDepot and Loewe’s"


Miss Spellings left in place.

 

[TTW]

They're gonna sell like beanie babies in the 80's for sure.:turned:

 

[Speedy Petey]

They're gonna sell like beanie babies in the 80's for sure.:turned:

Only for retrofit work. For new work they're still not complaint. Not unless you run MC or pipe to the first box.

 

[TTW]

Do they protect downstream like GFCI's? line and load terminals? Didn't say in the detailed description...

 

[electures]

I am re-wiring my house and am just wondering if there is any decent way to predict how much wiring will be used for my four square house. It is a two story house, about 1750 square feet. We are also adding tons (about 45) recessd lights and celing fans, etc, so an estimate on the high end is prob. appropriate. I have my circuits drawn out and everything, I am just hoping that someone here has a "technique" that they use for general estimates.

Thanks,

Tom

No two proffessionals will use the same amount of wire. I always carry several thousand ft of 14/2 plus 12/2 and some 14/3. I use 250' rolls or 1K reels. It makes no difference. Nobody can look at a set of plans and calculate how much wire will be needed.

 

[tjbingha]

TTW - Yes, we are bringing it up to code, yes it will be inspected. Figure I might as well do it correctly and use the free advice of the permit people along the way. I have a drawing, but it is not as technical as yours. As an accountant, I am much better with a spreadsheet, so I have all my circuits in an excel spreadsheet so I stay within my amperage. I guess I could attempt to draw something like what you have for the permit people as well. I just dont have any experience with drawings/plans.
Thanks for the help guys!

 

[jbfan]

Don't forget to ask questions before you get to far into a hole.
We can guarantee 2 or 3 conflicting answers!:laughing: