Need some electrical help...

[MainePellethead]

Hey kids...just a bit of knowledge needed on electrical connections....

Ran underground line to my shed(about 25' away)...all that came out fine....right now I am inside the shed. I ran my line to a junction box and from there I am going to branch off to where I want to go. Heres is what I want to do....

**I have installed 2 outlets, one on each side of my new bench.

**I want to run a line to the upper side of my peak above my doorway for a small on at dusk off at dawn light(very low wattage).

**I also want to put a basic porcelain light in the center of the shed with a switch installed for it by the door.


Ok....heres my question... how many branches can I bring out of the junction? I was thinking on (1) coming out with a single line to the outside light at the peak of shed. (2) coming out with a single line to the porcelain light.(3) then a single line to the FIRST outlet and then branch out of that outlet to the other outlet. Does that sound right? I would have 3 branches coming out of the junction box.... thats not overdueing it is it?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[LLigetfa]

There is a max of 5 conductors per single outlet box. Gang together additional boxes as needed. Running 3 wires to a box for both switched and unswitched circuits can save a conductor.

 

[MainePellethead]

Thanks LL.... I just needed a confirmation and you answered it for me.

Thanks again...appreciate it!

There is a max of 5 conductors per single outlet box. Gang together additional boxes as needed. Running 3 wires to a box for both switched and unswitched circuits can save a conductor.

 

[seige101]

Actually it all depends on how big the junction box is. They are all labeled in cubic inch capacity, and each wire, device etc take up so much space.

Tell me how big the junction box is, or what kind it is, and what size wire you are running to it, i'll do the math.

 

[fbelec]

any metal box is not marked, only plastic boxes are marked.

4 inch square 1.5 inches deep = 21 cube
2.5 inch metal switch or outlet box = 12.5 cube
3.5 inch metal switch or outlet box = 18 cubic inch capacity

that said,
14 gauge wire is 2 cubes per wire. (black, white and red. basically insulated wires)
12 gauge wire is 2.25 cubes per wire
10 gauge wire is 2.5 cubes per wire
then all the ground wires from all the cables counts as one wire.
and switch or receptacle counts as two wires.
it all has to be a ground fault circuit. so hit a gfi receptacle first, then the rest.

 

[MainePellethead]

This all helps me a great deal.... my wire is 14 guage. Box is 4" so all this helps me alot... Thanks!

 

[LLigetfa]

use 16 guage wire for 4" Box, it will tolerate all machine load, invest one time so you can avail the benefit long lasting

No, 16 gauge is too light. 14 gauge will support up to 15 amps. 12 gauge for constant heavy loads and long runs.

 

[fbelec]

use 16 guage wire for 4" Box, it will tolerate all machine load, invest one time so you can avail the benefit long lasting

against nec electrical code. and if you wanted to buy 16/2 romex, bx, mc, uf, it's not made. because it's against code. the only time you might find 16 gauge is lighting fixtures. i would not put a motor on 16 gauge, it would make for hard starting. not to say it wouldn't start, but i'll say this, if you were to put a motor on 16 gauge and the same motor on 12 gauge running side by side you'll get more life out of the motor with 12 gauge.

 

[pybyr]

12 is so much the norm, and has so many advantages, why not stick with 12? I have used 14 for occasional purposes where it really does make a difference for the last end of a short, hard-to-pull segment, where the increased flexibility/ workability mattered, but other than that, 12 makes most sense all around. Among other things, you really should use 12 if you could ever imaginably foresee adding further runs fed from the same wire.