I can buy a device at Radio Shack/Lowe's/whatever for maybe $14.95
that I hook up to the wire and get back the gauge size, right?

I've never heard of this. What do you mean here? Why do you need to get
back the gauge size in this fashion and how will this help


I want to go up to a 30-amp breaker so my Christmas lights don't trip
it, but my wiring needs to be upgraded to all the bathrooms and outdoor
receptacles to safely do so, right?

That's one way, though an expensive one to achieve your goals.


One of the outdoor receptacles is near the circuit breaker box. I
could hire an electrician to add a circuit on the box just for that
receptacle, and perhaps have him convert the receptacle into a
four-plug or eight-plug one, and he would bill me for approximately
$500, right?

I can't tell you what electricians charge in your area. Have you had an
electrician look at the problem? I think you should have another GFCI
breaker installed in the service panel. Then remove the wire that connects
the bathroom circuits from the old breaker and attach it to the new breaker.
Viola, you now have 2 different circuits on 2 different breakers. I'm
guessing that any new wire if needed can be run in the basement or crawl
space without any fishing within walls. No need to change wire gauge either.


I'm going to have to cut down on my Christmas lights or have my wife
cut her hair short, because $500 is too much to pay just to have as
many Christmas lights as I want each year, right?


If your wife showered in the morning you might not have the problem with
the Christmas lights.


Dave M.