wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello

I just finished wiring my basement with 12/3 wire. I was planning on
using a double pole breaker with two circuits and a shared neutral
(alternating circuits between outlets). My run is around the
perimeter of my basement inside wood framing studs. After all was said
and done with the requried routing, I've used about 250ft of wire.

I'm concerned that I may have too long of a run and that, instead of
creating one big 250ft run with alternating circuits on a double pole
20A breaker, I should just have two 125ft circuits on separate 20A
breakers. I guess now's the time to make my decision before I go into
my panel. I've already run the 12-3 wire but I don't mind using only
2 of the 3 wires if that will make these circuits better performing and
safer.

The reading I have done so far and the 13.6% voltage drop at 20A
calculated using this website:

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

has me leaning heavily toward two separate 125ft circuits.

Any feedback is apprecaited. Thanks!

Kevin


Kevin, stop worrying about the voltage drop in your basement. It won't be a
problem with the intermittent loads that you will have on your outlets. You
can have 2- 20amp circuits or 4-20 amp circuits. That decision is up to
you. Don't double up any hot wires. If you have 12/3 going to each box you
can alternate circuits in every other box. For instance box one will be fed
from the black wire, box two will be fed from the red wire, box three will
be fed from the black wire and so on. That way you will have more even use
of the circuits, but balancing them should not be a major concern of yours
either.

Now get to work. I want to see pictures of the finished product. :-)