[ahuangsolo]

What happens when I use 12/2 at home for adding outlets? Does mixing white and yellow wire make it less efficient, affect amperage, etc?

 

[seharper]

What do you mean by "yellow wire"? Do you think the manufacturer intended it to be a bright yellow? Or do you think it might be white wire that has discolored with age?

In what context are you finding this yellow wire? Another NM-B cable (that's the proper word for Romex)? Is it in conduit pipes?

Also are you in Chicago, NYC or other particular location that might do things differently?

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

There is noting wrong from an electrical standpoint in adding yellow (12) to white (14) NOT VISA_VERSA assuming the breaker remains at 15A.

BUT...I'm not quite sure as to code in that instance, as code also often guards against misidentificatiion for future work.

Do you just have some extra 12 around and no 14 to extend a circuit....???

(I don't like to do it, just does not seem "clean" and neat to me...plus I always have both around.)

 

[CodeMatters]

white often indicates 14/2
yellow often indicates 12/2

circuits fed 15A breakers must have min of 14/2
circuits fed 20A breakers must have min of 12/2

Most common reason to use 12/2 on a 15A circuit is to reduce
voltage drop. The CEC requires this increase when total circuit
length exceeds 38m.
Code ref T68


EDIT: Note that these colours are industry convention, not code
requirements. Therefore, they need not be followed and other
colours (particularly blue) exist here where I am.

 

[Oso954]

When was the house built ?
Prior to abt 2000, both #12 and #14 Romex were usually white sheath.

You need to measure the “white” romex and determine what size it is.

 

[ahuangsolo]

Thanks all for your replies. Sorry for the confusion. I’m in CA and the white I’m referring to is 14/2 and yellow is 12/2. So i have 12/2 left over from a contractor. So I’m adding 12/2 to 14/2. After reading the replies I’m assuming it doesn’t affect anything electrical? And someone else may be confused in the future if I use 12/2 yellow?

 

[Missouri Bound]

And someone else may be confused in the future if I use 12/2 yellow?

Correct. if someone should open up an electrical box and see the 12 ga they may think that the 15 amp breaker could be switched out for a 20 amp.
That could create an issue of overloading because of that mis-use of wire.
It is always best to keep the same gauge wire on a circuit to eliminate confusion.
Code prohibits it.

 

[seharper]

Yes, Oso has figured it out. Sorry when you said yellow WIRE, I thought you meant yellow individual wires, which could imply all sorts of things. Because an individual wire is called a wire, and multiple wires inside a sheath are a cable.

You know. Deadpool's friend. You can call him "wire" if you really want to...

But anyway you chose well. A plain old receptacle circuit is either 15A or 20A ... and #12 works on both. It's the universal donor for that kind of job.

The only hitch is "backstabs" - where you jab a wire into a hole. Can't use them with #12. But those are unreliable anyway, so best avoided. Either learn the fine art of J-hooking the wire around the screw, or use the $3 "screw-and-clamp" type of outlet.

 

[seharper]

Correct. if someone should open up an electrical box and see the 12 ga they may think that the 15 amp breaker could be switched out for a 20 amp.

All due respect I can't agree. You're always allowed to upsize wire. Running out to buy #14 simply to match what was there is OCD even by my standards!

Your theory is someone will see #12 at the far end of an extension, then go back into the panel and ignore the obvious #14 going to the breaker. Anyone that hasty and careless is gonna do that breaker swap anyway because they want to. If you're doing otherwise-silly things just to "stay one step ahead of fools", you end up making a fool out of yourself.

You can't fix stupid.

But hey, OP if you want to give this concept some credence, wire it so the jacket continues for about 2" inside the junction box, and wrap that jacket with white tape (or even black tape) in an obvious way. That will provide the necessary clue to those who are willing to search for clues.

It is always best to keep the same gauge wire on a circuit to eliminate confusion.
Code prohibits it.

I don't see it as "always best"; there are lots of reasons to use larger wire than is required. And you're always allowed to. (provided, of course, that you respect terminal size ranges, conduit fill, yada yada).

I don't think you mean to say Code prohibits upsizing. (If you do, cite please).

 

[Mystriss]

Just as a note: Our 1977-1978 house has white 12/2 in the walls. The 12/2 romex we're putting in right now is yellow.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Just as a note: Our 1977-1978 house has white 12/2 in the walls. The 12/2 romex we're putting in right now is yellow.

Yes...Down here in the states, in the early 2000, manufacturers changed 12/2 to a yellow jacket. Pretty universal now...at least I haven't seen any white 12/2 for sale for 15-20? years.

 

[JLawrence08648]

To me, wire is cheap, to avoid confusion and a problem by the next buyer, I'd just would go out and buy 14-2.

 

[Oldmaster]

Really no reason to change to #12 but it is NEC compliant. #12 is a little harder to work with and box fill may be an issue.

 

[ktownskier]

for what it's worth, I just bought a roll of 14/2 250' for $39.19 and as long I spent more than $45 the shipping was free. I bought 14/3 250' and 14/2 100' MC so it was more than $45. And it didn't take all that long to get here.

 

[rjniles]

for what it's worth, I just bought a roll of 14/2 250' for $39.19 and as long I spent more than $45 the shipping was free. I bought 14/3 250' and 14/2 100' MC so it was more than $45. And it didn't take all that long to get here.

$36.17 for 14-2 at Home Depot.

Sent from my RCT6A03W13E using Tapatalk

 

[ktownskier]

Yes, your prices may vary