On Sep 17, 1:29*am, Kevin Ricks wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:40:01 -0400, "RBM" wrote:

"Mikepier" wrote in message
....
I know that you cannot use 14 gauge wire in a 20amp circuit because 14
gauge can only handle 15 amps, but I ran into a problem with my
bathroom remodel.
I have a huge mirror on one wall that also has a vanity bar *light on
it that was stuck on the mirror with adhesive. The idiot who put the
mirror on did not cut out the box opening, but rather just cut out a
1" hole. The wire feeding behind the mirror is a 14 gauge wire. There
is no way I can get a 12 gauge wire inside the box because of the
small opening in the mirror. And I can't even use the 14 gauge as a
drag line to pull because its clamped in the box, and plus it's fed
from the bottom.
So *my question is being that since the vanity light is the only load
that the 14 gauge wire is feeding, any problem with tapping off the
new 20A circuit that I ran? I figure the thin wiring inside the vanity
would fry first anyway before the 14 gauge would if there was a
problem.
Otherwise I would have to tear down the mirrored wall to get to the
box.
Holy cow, I've run into that same mirror guy... several times. I doubt you'd
fry the #14, but why not just connect it to the existing 15 amp circuit that
is feeding the bathroom now. Only the outlets are required to be 20 amp

Good advice, the real answer.

And if the GFCI trips he will still have lights powered on which is a plus.

Kevin- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The way this thread reads is that the previous wiring for the light is
still there.
The one inch hole is not code compliant; but anyway, why not just
leave the light hooked up as before! Separate circuit.

If that is not possible, hook up the 14AWG wiring to the mirror light
fixture to the 20 amp circuit wired with 12 AWG and change the circuit
breaker for the bathroom circuit to 15 amps.

Surely 15 amp at 115 volts, a total of 1700 to 1800 watts is
sufficient for whole bathroom?

Even a hair dryer (plugged into the GFCI of course) will take say a
maximum of 1300 watts leaving at least 400 watts for everything else!

Everything in our bathroom uses no more than 500 watts at most, even
if all the lights are on including one over the shower and one is
electric shaving at the same time.