Samar

I am new into designing residential electrical systems. I am an Electrical Engineer with a Professional Engineering License in California. My questions are:
1) Can I wire room switches, exhaust switches etc along with the receptacles all in the same circuit (120V)?
2) Is there any specific power distribution requirement to wire receptacles in the family room, bed rooms etc? In other words, can I wire all receptacles in a room in one circuit as long as I maintain the conservative total load connected to one circuit breaker (typically I go up to 1440W per circuit)?
3) Do I have to run a separate ground wire for all the wiring? I believe, the residential wiring is done with PVC pipes and therefore a separate ground wire would be required.
4) What is a typical voltage for a hard wired smoke detector? Can I wire them together with other receptacles also if they are 120V?
5) For an additional panel for an extension of a residence, do I have to show the utility connection for the new panel and specify and design the wiring schematics of the new panel with the existing panel? If so, what would the drawing look like if the existing panel is 100A and the new panel is also 100A?
Thank you so much for your help.

yanici

With all those type questions, I find your qualifications difficult to believe.

Samar

You are right. If I knew, I wouldn't ask you all those questions. I have done mostly Industrial Electrical Design and some Commercial Design. I am new in the residential arena. That is the reason for all those questions. Some of the answers, I am expecting, would be in terms of "yes" or "no". Anyhow, if you can help, that will be appreciated.
Thanks again.

yanici

IMO you are not qualified to design residential electrical systems, even with your PE stamp.

raider1

What kind of commercial and industrial electrical design have you done in the past? Are you an electronics engineer?

I would start with a serious study of the NEC, as some of your questions seem very odd for an electrical PE.

Chris

Speedy Petey

Some folks feel a PE and/or EE are somehow related to the electrical trade. Maybe 2-3% related IMO.

Construction electric, be it residential or commercial/industrial is VERY far removed from the "engineering" part of the field.

Samar, I really must agree with the others replying. All your questions are VERY basic. They are along the lines or many DIY posts I see from folks who have no experience. Sorry, this is the plain truth.

I would start with some good books on residential wiring.
Asking questions on the internet is all well and good, but this is NOT the way to gain broad knowledge. You will eventually get the answers you are looking for but there will be much you still don't know.

I'll let the other mods and admin decide if this thread is too "DIY" for them. In a basic sense, this original post really does not conform with the TOS of this forum.

MDShunk

I think the original post is hillarious, and somewhat shameful, but I'll answer it the best way I know how to entertain myself.


That's a design issue that the NEC would't prohibit. Is is traditional to keep lighting circuits and receptacle circuits seperate for the most part. Exhaust fans that are typically present in dewllings are sufficiently low loads that they often tag along on a lighting circuit. The over the range exhaust fan often gets a dedicated circuit nowadays, in the event that there's a last minute or later change to an over the range microwave/hood combination.

There is no limit in the NEC with regard to the number of receptacles on a circuit. No such thing as 180 va per yoke like commercial. You could compliantly wire 1000 receptalces on one circuit if you wanted to in a dwelling, but it would be a bad idea. Since the AFCI requirements came to be, it is traditional to keep the bedroom receptacle circuits seperate from other rooms, so that only the bedroom (and maybe the odd hallway receptacle) are AFCI protected.

Resi is done with Romex cable, typically, and MC cable in the more strict jurisdictions. You get a ground whether you want one or not. Yes, all circuits need a grounding (EGC) by some means or another.

Smokes are 120V, and they're typically wired off one of the bedroom circuits, since they are also required to be AFCI protected. If you need more than 12 smokes for the home, then you need to use a low-voltage "fire alarm system" such as you may be used to using in commercial work.

Beats me. You'd have to ask your senior engineer what's required in your area.

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JamesINla

HHaaa, if that.....

To the OP, I have an EE and it will serve you very little for what you are wanting to know about. Go get a copy of the 2005 NEC and start reading, once you finish it, read it again.

Why in Gods name is an EE attempting to do resi layouts? They are two COMPLETELY different things. Even industrial/comm, still hardly any relation to construction electrical. Go read the NEC it has your answers....mostly...kinda...sorta

macmikeman

I wonder is this for your own residence you are designing? If so may I suggest you hire a competent electrical contractor, show them where you want your lights to go and then leave them alone so they can get the work done properly

nickemaxey

Samar, I think it would be very beneficial to you to simply go look at a few houses in your area that have recently been wired.