Greetings from sunny "it's a dry heat" Phoenix, AZ.
Now, on to business. I recently bought an older house (1973) and I am looking to add some wall sconces in the kitchen. The wall I'm working on has the rock removed for easy access to the wiring. I've discovered that the only things on the circuit I want to add the sconces onto are two outlets (I've checked the breakers and traced the wires in the attic). I also discovered that they were run with 10/2 nm wire and attached to a 20 amp breaker. My thought was to replace the entire circuit with 12/2, which is more appropriate for the load and for the breaker.
When I went to check out the electrical panel, though, I noticed that all the grounds from all the cables entering the box seem to be twisted together and grounded under two lugs. It also looks like the box was designed this way, but there's not mention of this set-up in any DIY wiring book I've read. Due to the age of the panel, the wiring diagrams and other info have mostly faded or have fallen off the panel, and I can't get any clear info from the panel itself (GE model, 150 amp).
So if changed out the 10/3 with 12/2, would I have to take all the neutrals out from under the appropriate lug, remove the one wire from the 10/3 and bundle the 12/2 with the rest and reattach? I've never heard of it done this way but seems like the most likely scenario to me. But I could be way off...hence my plea for advice before I touch anything.
I'm trying to attach an image of the panel, if it helps.
Thanks!
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Now, on to business. I recently bought an older house (1973) and I am looking to add some wall sconces in the kitchen. The wall I'm working on has the rock removed for easy access to the wiring. I've discovered that the only things on the circuit I want to add the sconces onto are two outlets (I've checked the breakers and traced the wires in the attic). I also discovered that they were run with 10/2 nm wire and attached to a 20 amp breaker. My thought was to replace the entire circuit with 12/2, which is more appropriate for the load and for the breaker.
When I went to check out the electrical panel, though, I noticed that all the grounds from all the cables entering the box seem to be twisted together and grounded under two lugs. It also looks like the box was designed this way, but there's not mention of this set-up in any DIY wiring book I've read. Due to the age of the panel, the wiring diagrams and other info have mostly faded or have fallen off the panel, and I can't get any clear info from the panel itself (GE model, 150 amp).
So if changed out the 10/3 with 12/2, would I have to take all the neutrals out from under the appropriate lug, remove the one wire from the 10/3 and bundle the 12/2 with the rest and reattach? I've never heard of it done this way but seems like the most likely scenario to me. But I could be way off...hence my plea for advice before I touch anything.
I'm trying to attach an image of the panel, if it helps.
Thanks!
