Run 12 gauge wire and install 10 20 AMP receptacles
 

Hi,

I need to have a circuit in my house replaced with 12 gauge wire and the
existing 15 amp receptacles replaced with 20 amp ones. There is good attic
access to do the run and they can use the existing 14 gauge wire to pull the
12 gauge wire down to the receptacles(I would guess). The circuit is for 2
rooms and the rooms share a common wall. It is about 80 feet from the main
breaker box to the farthest receptacle.

What would be a reasonable price to have this done(barring any unforseen
problems)? The house is in NE Florida if that matters.

TIA,

John

The existing #14 is probably stapled to the studs and isn't going anywhere.

Why not add another 15a (or 20a if you want) circuit and put half on each?

BTW, unless you want to plug a 20a device into them there is no difference
between 15a and 20a outlets; either can go on a 20a circuit.

Unless the existing outlets were fished in after the wallboard was
installed, they'd be stapled, which would mean you probably can't pull them
at all. To be honest, with the info you give all I could give would be a
wag, which wouldn't be fair to anyone including you. Call a couple of
contractors, get prices and feel them out personally, then choose one. hth
"John Manning" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I need to have a circuit in my house replaced with 12 gauge wire and the
existing 15 amp receptacles replaced with 20 amp ones. There is good
attic access to do the run and they can use the existing 14 gauge wire to
pull the 12 gauge wire down to the receptacles(I would guess). The
circuit is for 2 rooms and the rooms share a common wall. It is about 80
feet from the main breaker box to the farthest receptacle.

What would be a reasonable price to have this done(barring any unforseen
problems)? The house is in NE Florida if that matters.

TIA,

John

Replies are in line

John Manning wrote:
Hi,

I need to have a circuit in my house replaced with 12 gauge wire and the
existing 15 amp receptacles replaced with 20 amp ones. There is good attic
access to do the run and they can use the existing 14 gauge wire to pull the
12 gauge wire down to the receptacles(I would guess).

Sorry but you guessed wrong. The original wiring is stapled or
otherwise secured to the structure within twelve or eight inches of the
box depending on whether the box has internal clamps or not. The cable
is then secured every X feet there after with "X" depending on the type
of cable. That usually works out to two staples or more per wall cavity.

If you really do need twenty ampere receptacles then you will need to
run one circuit for each such receptacle that you really need. Twenty
ampere receptacles are only required were the device to be supplied has
a twenty ampere plug on it's cord. That is only true on loads that draw
more than fifteen amperes for a short period or more than twelve amperes
for more than three hours. So do you really need to be able to plug in
multiple twenty ampere loads or not? If you have one load that you want
to be able to plug in a bunch of different outlets than your original
approach is good.


The circuit is for 2 rooms and the rooms share a common wall. It is about
80 feet from the main breaker box to the farthest receptacle.

The information is not adequate to even guess.

What would be a reasonable price to have this done(barring any unforseen
problems)? The house is in NE Florida if that matters.

TIA,

John

Additional questions: Is the local electrical inspector honest or on the
pad? Does he/she make up their own rules on the fly or stick to the US
NEC? Are the walls in your home fire blocked?

The best you will get here is a guess. Obtain three bids from local
electrical contractors and then you will know. You see the local
electrical contractors already know what the regulatory environment is
like and they are familiar with local construction practices.
--
Tom H

Thanks for all the replies. I spoke to someone today who suggested just
splitting the circuit and put each room on a different fifteen amp breaker.
That way there would not have to be any wires pulled since it would just
mean splitting it in the attic and running the new wire to the breaker box
in the garage. That should not be too expensive.

John


"HorneTD" wrote in message
ink.net...
Replies are in line

John Manning wrote:
Hi,

I need to have a circuit in my house replaced with 12 gauge wire and the
existing 15 amp receptacles replaced with 20 amp ones. There is good
attic access to do the run and they can use the existing 14 gauge wire to
pull the 12 gauge wire down to the receptacles(I would guess).

Sorry but you guessed wrong. The original wiring is stapled or otherwise
secured to the structure within twelve or eight inches of the box
depending on whether the box has internal clamps or not. The cable is
then secured every X feet there after with "X" depending on the type of
cable. That usually works out to two staples or more per wall cavity.

If you really do need twenty ampere receptacles then you will need to run
one circuit for each such receptacle that you really need. Twenty ampere
receptacles are only required were the device to be supplied has a twenty
ampere plug on it's cord. That is only true on loads that draw more than
fifteen amperes for a short period or more than twelve amperes for more
than three hours. So do you really need to be able to plug in multiple
twenty ampere loads or not? If you have one load that you want to be able
to plug in a bunch of different outlets than your original approach is
good.


The circuit is for 2 rooms and the rooms share a common wall. It is
about 80 feet from the main breaker box to the farthest receptacle.

The information is not adequate to even guess.

What would be a reasonable price to have this done(barring any unforseen
problems)? The house is in NE Florida if that matters.

TIA,

John

Additional questions: Is the local electrical inspector honest or on the
pad? Does he/she make up their own rules on the fly or stick to the US
NEC? Are the walls in your home fire blocked?

The best you will get here is a guess. Obtain three bids from local
electrical contractors and then you will know. You see the local
electrical contractors already know what the regulatory environment is
like and they are familiar with local construction practices.
--
Tom H