I have been rewiring a dining room in a 1930's home. In new
construction outlets are linked together by wires running horizontally
through the studs. I haven't been able to find any guidelines for how
to run wires when rewiring. The most logical way seems to be running
wire through floor joists underneath the room in the unfinished
basement. I have a couple of choices. I can run wire from outlet to
outlet, passing the wire under the floor, or I can wire to junction
boxes under each outelt with a wire extending to each outlet. The
latter would allow me to use less wire and fewer holes through the
joists. The first way would mean that I would use fewer junction
boxes. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to either way? Anyone
know of any guidlines for rewiring? Most of the info I have found is
on wiring new construction.

Thanks

According to jimbob :
I have been rewiring a dining room in a 1930's home. In new
construction outlets are linked together by wires running horizontally
through the studs. I haven't been able to find any guidelines for how
to run wires when rewiring. The most logical way seems to be running
wire through floor joists underneath the room in the unfinished
basement. I have a couple of choices. I can run wire from outlet to
outlet, passing the wire under the floor, or I can wire to junction
boxes under each outelt with a wire extending to each outlet. The
latter would allow me to use less wire and fewer holes through the
joists. The first way would mean that I would use fewer junction
boxes. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to either way? Anyone
know of any guidlines for rewiring? Most of the info I have found is
on wiring new construction.

I've done the j-box approach myself. The feeds to each outlet
box were AC armor, because it was thru a wall that was just
lathe over masonry. Saved a fair bit in armor cable costs.

Inspectors don't like seeing lots of unnecessary J boxes. J boxes
also may present some difficulties if you want to finish the basement.

An inspector probably wouldn't mind this.

However, for a single room you're unlikely to save enough money
to notice. Indeed, the jbox approach may be more expensive.
But quicker.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

"jimbob" wrote in message
ps.com...
or I can wire to junction
boxes under each outelt with a wire extending to each outlet. The
latter would allow me to use less wire and fewer holes through the
joists.

I don't understand the "fewer holes through the joists" point. From the
first outlet, you'd run a wire down through the floor, through any necessary
joists, to a point below the second outlet, where it would go up. You'd run
a 2nd wire from that outlet back down, through any necessary joists (which
shouldn't be the same ones as before) to the 3rd outlet, etc. The only
"extra wire" is the doubled run between the floor joists and the outlet -- a
few feet at most, which is insignficant in cost compared to junction boxes,
covers, and wire nuts you'd need for the other approach. I also think this
would be less labor intensive than the J-box approach, and more reliable
(less connections = better).

-Tim

#1. It's the same amount of connections if you pigtail the outlet like you
should.
#2. It makes the work at the outlet a lot easier especially if you're using
12ga wire like you should be.

I say go with the J-Boxes.

--
Steve Barker


"Tim Fischer" wrote in message
...
"jimbob" wrote in message
ps.com...
or I can wire to junction
boxes under each outelt with a wire extending to each outlet. The
latter would allow me to use less wire and fewer holes through the
joists.

I don't understand the "fewer holes through the joists" point. From the
first outlet, you'd run a wire down through the floor, through any
necessary joists, to a point below the second outlet, where it would go
up. You'd run a 2nd wire from that outlet back down, through any
necessary joists (which shouldn't be the same ones as before) to the 3rd
outlet, etc. The only "extra wire" is the doubled run between the floor
joists and the outlet -- a few feet at most, which is insignficant in cost
compared to junction boxes, covers, and wire nuts you'd need for the other
approach. I also think this would be less labor intensive than the J-box
approach, and more reliable (less connections = better).

-Tim

"Steve Barker LT" wrote in message
. com...
#1. It's the same amount of connections if you pigtail the outlet like
you should.
#2. It makes the work at the outlet a lot easier especially if you're
using 12ga wire like you should be.

I work with #12 almost exclusively -- it's not hard to use with the outlet
boxes. I personaly don't see anything wrong with 'daisy chaining' using the
outlet's screws -- frankly I think a screw connection is probably more
reliable than a wire nut. But I realize not everyone thinks this way...

-Tim

doing this is a #1 no no in some electricians eyes. You've created a series
circuit so to speak and if that outlet were to go bad or come loose, then
you loose the power downstream also. Pigtailing is the quality way of doing
things.

--
Steve Barker

"Tim Fischer" wrote in message
. ..

"Steve Barker LT" wrote in message
. com...
#1. It's the same amount of connections if you pigtail the outlet like
you should.
#2. It makes the work at the outlet a lot easier especially if you're
using 12ga wire like you should be.

I work with #12 almost exclusively -- it's not hard to use with the outlet
boxes. I personaly don't see anything wrong with 'daisy chaining' using
the outlet's screws -- frankly I think a screw connection is probably more
reliable than a wire nut. But I realize not everyone thinks this way...

-Tim

"Steve Barker LT" wrote in message
...
doing this is a #1 no no in some electricians eyes. You've created a
series circuit so to speak and if that outlet were to go bad or come
loose, then you loose the power downstream also. Pigtailing is the
quality way of doing things.

I understand that a lot of people like pigtailing, but I don't see why a
properly-installed screw terminal would come loose any more easily than a
properly-installed pigtail...

Or maybe I'm just lazy g. In any case, I've NEVER seen a pigtailed
circuit done in a case where they could have just done a daisy-chain. Even
the circuits that were installed by professional electricians.

-Tim

Depending upon your city's building code... here there has to be access to
j boxes. So whereever there is a jbox there is a cover. This, as mentioned
by Chris, may be an issue if you wish to finish off the basement later. I
would go with Tim's less is better. Be sure to check on the position for
drilling your holes through your joists. I am not up on these codes but I
think it is something like, no closer than two inches from the floor
upstairs. So no one later nails through and hits your wire, but the center
of the joist is better. That way if you enclose it later you can nail into
the joist from the bottom and not hit the wire either.

What I would have done differently: In my old house I wish I would have
made each improvement on its own circuit instead of connecting up to the
old run. Older homes didn't use power the way we do. If you might use a
coffee urn in the dining room and some other appliance that may draw a lot
you may want to check out what else is on this old circuit. My coffee urn
when hosting lunches can trip my breaker if the other outlets have a
number of items plugged in, like Christmas lights or whatever. Good luck.
______________

KaCe

You're right, it would be easier just running the extra cable.
Screwing junction boxes into my ironwood floor joists and splicing all
those connections is a real PITA and will cause all sorts of problems
when I refinish the basement. I will have some work to redo, but I
think it will be worth it. I will have wasted time and some wire. Oh
well.

Thanks.

glassartist wrote:
Depending upon your city's building code... here there has to be access to
j boxes. So whereever there is a jbox there is a cover. This, as mentioned
by Chris, may be an issue if you wish to finish off the basement later. I
would go with Tim's less is better. Be sure to check on the position for
drilling your holes through your joists. I am not up on these codes but I
think it is something like, no closer than two inches from the floor
upstairs. So no one later nails through and hits your wire, but the center
of the joist is better. That way if you enclose it later you can nail into
the joist from the bottom and not hit the wire either.

What I would have done differently: In my old house I wish I would have
made each improvement on its own circuit instead of connecting up to the
old run. Older homes didn't use power the way we do. If you might use a
coffee urn in the dining room and some other appliance that may draw a lot
you may want to check out what else is on this old circuit. My coffee urn
when hosting lunches can trip my breaker if the other outlets have a
number of items plugged in, like Christmas lights or whatever. Good luck.
______________

KaCe

"jimbob" wrote in message
oups.com...
You're right, it would be easier just running the extra cable.
Screwing junction boxes into my ironwood floor joists and splicing all
those connections is a real PITA and will cause all sorts of problems
when I refinish the basement. I will have some work to redo, but I
think it will be worth it. I will have wasted time and some wire. Oh
well.

Thanks.

glassartist wrote:
Depending upon your city's building code... here there has to be access
to
j boxes. So whereever there is a jbox there is a cover. This, as
mentioned
by Chris, may be an issue if you wish to finish off the basement later.
I
would go with Tim's less is better. Be sure to check on the position for
drilling your holes through your joists. I am not up on these codes but
I
think it is something like, no closer than two inches from the floor
upstairs. So no one later nails through and hits your wire, but the
center
of the joist is better. That way if you enclose it later you can nail
into
the joist from the bottom and not hit the wire either.

What I would have done differently: In my old house I wish I would have
made each improvement on its own circuit instead of connecting up to the
old run. Older homes didn't use power the way we do. If you might use a
coffee urn in the dining room and some other appliance that may draw a
lot
you may want to check out what else is on this old circuit. My coffee
urn
when hosting lunches can trip my breaker if the other outlets have a
number of items plugged in, like Christmas lights or whatever. Good
luck.
______________

KaCe



You may already know this, but receptacles in the dining room are required
to be on a 20 amp circuit. Check article 210.52(B)(1)