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Studying Residential Lighting Wiring Practices

9209 Views 62 Replies 27 Participants Last post by  janagyjr, 
janagyjr
I'm studying residential lighting wiring practices at the moment (it's chapter 8 in Electrical Wiring Residential, 16th Edition, Ray C. Mullins) and the author is speaking of some Rules of Thumb (caps and emphasis his, not mine) and I'm wondering if he's just pulling words out of his backside.

Some of the methods he's speaking of he titles "Outlets per Circuit Method" and the "per square foot method" (basically using load calculations as per the NEC). Are there really any such Rules of Thumb methods, or is it just the NEC "per square foot method"?

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M

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#2 ·
The per square foot method is real and used as a minimum number of general circuits in a home.

There are also rules of thumb, they are not in the NEC and vary by place and electrician. For example a rule of thumb for me is 10- 12 outlets per circuit, lights seperate from outlets ect but nowhere is this specific in the code, its simply a preference to make it easier.
 
janagyjr

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It's 600 sq ft for 15A receptacles, 800 sq ft for 20A (according to my textbook).

Thanks, keeping that in mind. One of the tasks in the chapter is to draw in receptacle and lighting outlets on a set of example drawings that are included with the book. So far so good according to my instructor (though I kind of went nuts in the garage, the instructions say to put whatever I want within the rules set by the NEC).
 
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janagyjr said:
I'm studying residential lighting wiring practices at the moment (it's chapter 8 in Electrical Wiring Residential, 16th Edition, Ray C. Mullins) and the author is speaking of some Rules of Thumb (caps and emphasis his, not mine) and I'm wondering if he's just pulling words out of his backside.

Some of the methods he's speaking of he titles "Outlets per Circuit Method" and the "per square foot method" (basically using load calculations as per the NEC). Are there really any such Rules of Thumb methods, or is it just the NEC "per square foot method"?

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I am not aware of any "rules of thumb" in the industry. The NEC IS the code, even if it is the "minimum" required. "Rules of thumb" won't hack it...in a court of law... if a problem occurs as a result of your work.
 
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