Electrician In the House?

[BSVLY]

I am having the crew that is putting up our steel garage also frame-out a 8X14 storm porch addition to the back door of the house. I will finish it off inside myself to stay on budget.

Trouble is-I am not an electrician. My needs in the porch are simple:

1) Extend the wire run from the old porch light (which ended up inside the new porch) 14 feet along the wall inside the porch to the new door.

2) Add an overhead Florou light fixture; or perhaps a wall socket that I can plug a light into.

Is it possible to splice into the porch lite wiring and extend that wiring AND splice into that (a "t") to provide the power to another light? pretty sure the porch light circuit is 15 amps and shared by a few recepticals that are not often used.

I would appreciate any and all tips, and a "Get List".

Thanks,
Rich

 

[dooleysm]

I assume your existing light is switched and not a fixture with a chain hanging down to turn the light on/off.

Assuming your existing light is switched, do you want that existing switch to remain where it is now? Do you want your 2 new lights to be on the same switch or different switches? Do you want outlets that are switched or always on?

It sounds as though you are just wanting to add 1 additional light to the circuit, which should be fine, unless the circuit is already full, which it doesn't sound like it is. But, I would think that you'd want some outlets in a 8x14 room?

Answers to these questions will probably get you some better feedback.

 

[mikim]

from your questions .... the best "get list" I can think of has just one entry ......"electrician". If you've never done wiring and don't know how -- don't do it. An old saying "If you don't know how it works, DON'T MESS WIT' IT!" you'll just make it worse than whatever you started with, and you most certainly don't want to burn your house down with faulty wiring you did your self.

 

[dooleysm]

I wouldn't be so quick to get an electrician. It doesn't sound like he wants to do anything major. Adding a couple lights and outlets is well within the scope of something a do-it-yourselfer can handle, with a little more information he can get all the advice he needs right here.

 

[Kendall69]

The answer is yes no problem to do what you are seeking. Some options, try and find out what size wire the circuit is on, perhaps you can get rid of the 15 amp and do a 20 amp breaker, that would give you a little breathing room.

With the florescent light and porch light ( low wattage florescent bulb I hope).

with both lights on your looking at probably a total of 50 Watts, your 15 amp circuit can handle aprox 150 watts.

 

[EarPlug]

with both lights on your looking at probably a total of 50 Watts, your 15 amp circuit can handle aprox 150 watts.

I can handle more like 1440 watts

 

[GaryM]

perhaps you can get rid of the 15 amp and do a 20 amp breaker, that would give you a little breathing room.

Breaker size is determined by wire size, not by your desires for a little more power.

 

[dooleysm]

Read the whole sentence, "...try and find out what size wire the circuit is on, perhaps you can get rid of the 15 amp and do a 20 amp breaker, that would give you a little breathing room."

 

[Highbeam]

I believe Kendall said that if the wire is capable of handling the load then the 15 amp circuit may be replaced with a 20 amp circuit. I agree, 12 gauge for 20 amps and 14 gauge for 15 amps here in my area. My old 60s house was built with 12 gauge wire whether on a 15 or 20 amp circuit but my last modern home used the light gaguge wire to save money on the 15 amp circuits.

I have found it very difficult to overload a circuit with lights. It seems to be the plug in devices such as toasters and hair dryers that flip the breakers for me.

A few general rules: Always make connections in a box with a lid. Always match colors of wire when splicing. Always match wire size with spliced in pieces of wire.

You can certainly "tee" off of a wire for another light, just tee off in a box and with the same size wire.

 

[GaryM]

Read the whole sentence, "...try and find out what size wire the circuit is on, perhaps you can get rid of the 15 amp and do a 20 amp breaker, that would give you a little breathing room."

I guess I need to clean my glasses!

 

[BSVLY]

Thanks for the responses so far. To answer some of the questions:

1) Yes the exsisting porch light is mounted externally on the wall next to the back door (box in the wall) and there is a wall mounted light switch that controls it. Just fine if that same ole' switch inside of the backdoor runs the new porch light!

1.1) I will not go with a fluorescent porch light for this location because I want to utilize a dusk to dawn motion sensor unit I bought for it. But I can set this light so that when it activates by the photosensor-it can be adjusted to be very dim until it gets activated by motion. Then it comes on full blast.

BTW-I did just put a fluorescent flood light on the pump house. It is great & it replaces a Mercury Vapor yard light.This fluorescent is dusk to dawn; and the manufacturer specifically states that it is not compatable with motion detector circuits.

2) I won't be able to tell what gage wire is out there (property is remote and 400 miles away) until I get back out in a few weeks time. But I assume I look at the coding on the wire jacketing to determine the gage? It is a manufactured home-so hopefully something suitable for extending.

3) I will be putting in a fluorescent light inside the porch on the ceiling. prefer that this light is switched independantly.

4) Yes-would also like at least a wall outlet inside the new porch too, and located opposite from the wall that the entry door and porch light will be on. Therefore,the "T" splice will have to come up the new porch light's wall, across the eight foot wide ceiling and down the opposite wall for the outlet. This still possible?

Comments: Yes I will wire everything with high grade components, wire everything box-to-box and follow all instructions given to the max. I'll know if it is over my head and if it is I will consult an electrician. Remote location makes it hard to get service men out there for a reasonalbe price.

The Porch pad is poured and the framing is about 2 weeks out. So I have some time to discuss this. I can take some pictures too.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Shimon]

Make sure to not bury any boxes for splices behind walls. They need to be accessible.

Not to dump on anyone's posts here but I've seen wrong information given on this and other forums in regards to electrical work...so beware.

If something goes wrong and your insurance company determines that electrical work was performed by owner without a permit than they may refuse a claim.

Always a good idea to pull a permit to cover your butt and so that someone who knows the code can check your work (assuming the inspector knows his stuff and actually checks all the work...not always the case).

 

[450EXC]

You will have to find the hot feed to the existing light. It probably comes to the switch but it could go to the light, then the switch.

Run switched hot from existing switch to new outside light. Could leave original light there or remove it and install a blank box cover.

New inside porch light should be a three-way. Run 3-wire from new switch to light, then to second switch at new door.

For plug outlet run wire from hot source to new plug outlet.

One of those electrical books from Home Depot would work good here. They show how to do most of this stuff, have good pictures, etc.

Larry

 

[BobRip]

I suggest buying a book on simple house wiring. Look at Lowes or maybe Home Depot. This is much better than us trying to explain it to you.

 

[firemanpat2910]

I will 3rd the suggestion for the home depot book, I bought one on tiling and it gave great hints and had good pictures. I also agree that any reasonably handy man can wire a light or 2. Safety wise if you dont have a volt meter, buy one or at the very least a circuit tester. Always presume wires are live, ground wires are there for a reason, please use them. Good luck let us know how it turns out.

 

[Inspector507]

BSVLY,
Check your PM's, I'll be glad to help. Just e-mail me.

 

[BSVLY]

BSVLY,
Check your PM's, I'll be glad to help. Just e-mail me.

Thanks Inspector507. I appreciate the offer to help. PM responded to.

The suggestion to get a wiring book is a good one. I will definately be doing my homework on this wiring project. Safety is a big concern. Note: Where we are building, there are no permits and no codes. Yes there are still places like this in the lower 48! However, everything I am having built is "per code" or better and everything being built has an engineering package with it.

Anyway-was not looking for exact "how to" per say-just curious if the addition of an extra light and outlet could be done safely by a layman.

Thanks again all

 

[hockeypuck]

Read the whole sentence, "...try and find out what size wire the circuit is on, perhaps you can get rid of the 15 amp and do a 20 amp breaker, that would give you a little breathing room."

The problem with doing that is the 15 amp breaker may be their for a reason, especially if the circuit started out with 14 gauge wire then someone did a renovation and only had 12 guage and added that to the exisiting 14 guage wire. Check to see the wire size in your panel as well as the light. I would still be hesitant to up size the breaker.

Puck