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jab8356 wrote:All the general lighting circuits in my house are 15 amp.

Same with my house (50 years old). 15 amps It was once the standard in the USA. I'm not about to tear walls out just to install #12 cable, so I live with the #14 and 15 amp circuits throughout most of the house. It's no big deal.

vaughnsimon wrote:

jab8356 wrote:All the general lighting circuits in my house are 15 amp.

Same with my house (50 years old). 15 amps It was once the standard in the USA. I'm not about to tear walls out just to install #12 cable, so I live with the #14 and 15 amp circuits throughout most of the house. It's no big deal.

My house is almost 60, so that explains it I guess.

JVC8230 wrote:DO IT!!!

I like this kid's moxie!

But seriously, in answer to your questions, yes my garage is attached to my house. It's about a 30 foot run to my breaker panel, and yes I have room to add circuits to it.

No, by dedicated I didn't mean hard wired directly to the cabinet. That would create an issue under the electrical code. Though really, where in the electrical code book do they cover residential traffic signal installation?
All my cabinets have three pronged plugs, though no two are ever plugged in at the same time.

And yes, the electrical code in Canada is very similar to NEC in the US. Though in some areas much stricter. I believe we're allowed a combination of 12 or 13 fixtures and or outlets on one 15 amp circuit.

As for installing a beer fridge, being Canadian, how do you know I don't already have one in my garage, eh?

jab8356 wrote:

vaughnsimon wrote:

jab8356 wrote:All the general lighting circuits in my house are 15 amp.

Same with my house (50 years old). 15 amps It was once the standard in the USA. I'm not about to tear walls out just to install #12 cable, so I live with the #14 and 15 amp circuits throughout most of the house. It's no big deal.

My house is almost 60, so that explains it I guess.

Mine is 50 years old also, still has Buss Fuses
Plan on an upgrade soon Like the "Dedicated Breaker" idea

TAFeltman wrote: Mine is 50 years old also, still has Buss Fuses

Wow! At least my house came with circuit breakers. Unfortunately, they were FPE. FPE replacement breakers became totally unavailable for a while, so that gave me kick in the butt I needed to install a modern panel.

vaughnsimon wrote:

TAFeltman wrote: Mine is 50 years old also, still has Buss Fuses

Wow! At least my house came with circuit breakers. Unfortunately, they were FPE. FPE replacement breakers became totally unavailable for a while, so that gave me kick in the butt I needed to install a modern panel.

If I bought a house with a FPE panel that thing would be kicked out of the garage the minute after I signed the closing papers! Levittown houses were advertised with FPE's when new, but it seems like it was a crapshoot between breakers and fuses (mixed on the same block!).

To clear things up- the standard for lighting/general receptacle circuits is 15 amp with 14AWG wire. Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms etc are 20 amp/12AWG. There's more to it but that's in its simplest form.

Macsignals wrote:

vaughnsimon wrote:

TAFeltman wrote: Mine is 50 years old also, still has Buss Fuses

Wow! At least my house came with circuit breakers. Unfortunately, they were FPE. FPE replacement breakers became totally unavailable for a while, so that gave me kick in the butt I needed to install a modern panel.

If I bought a house with a FPE panel that thing would be kicked out of the garage the minute after I signed the closing papers! Levittown houses were advertised with FPE's when new, but it seems like it was a crapshoot between breakers and fuses (mixed on the same block!).

To clear things up- the standard for lighting/general receptacle circuits is 15 amp with 14AWG wire. Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms etc are 20 amp/12AWG. There's more to it but that's in its simplest form.

While we're on the topic, Ian, what's the "standard" for amount of outlets/lighting fixtures on one 15A circuit here in the US?

RunsWithCrouse-Hinds wrote:While we're on the topic, Ian, what's the "standard" for amount of outlets/lighting fixtures on one 15A circuit here in the US?

I don't have a code book handy but the way the code figures it is by square footage. Usually 3 volt-amps/watts per square foot, or outside of residential 180 VA/watts per receptacle. For the math...

In the real world, depends how much money you're willing to spend! Personally I keep it under 10 to a circuit and keep the lighting and receptacles separate so you don't dim the lights with the vacuum cleaner. I'll also split the circuits so you have two separate receptacle circuits in each bedroom. At work we'll push it to 15 receptacles and a light/fan or two.

Wow, two receptacle circuits per bedroom? That sounds awesome, but how big are the panels for a multi bedroom house?!

RunsWithCrouse-Hinds wrote:Wow, two receptacle circuits per bedroom? That sounds awesome, but how big are the panels for a multi bedroom house?!

Think of it this way, in a four bedroom house Imight have three receptacle circuits. Each room will have receptacles on two of those circuits, and pick up a hall or living room outlet etc. I'll try to find a circuit layout I have drawn up and post it for ya. As for panels typical now is 30 spaces/expandable to 40 with mini breakers (30/40). Last three custom (2500-3000 square foot) houses we did filled that and a 12 space subpanel, the last cheapos we did didn't even take half of a 30/40.