Electrical question

[Joe D'Attilio]

Background - my house is 55 years ols and the electrical leaves something to be desired.

THere are no open breakers, and I wanted to add a receptacle on a wall in my basement for my transition to a workshop. After familiarizing my self with most of the breakers and remarking them I found that many of them encompass multiple floors (i.e. the main lighting in the basement is on the same breaker as the dining room?? don't ask..) ANyway I found a breaker going to a lonely receptacle in an area between the garage and finished sction of the basement. I did not have an extra receptcle so I shut the breaker off and proceeded to disconnect the "lonely" receptacle, freeing up 1 - 15 amp breaker.

I then ran some wire to the junction box which feeds the overhead lighting and is controlled by a switch at the top of the steps. Ran the wire to a storage area underneath the steps and connected the receptacle. This being my first box electical box install I cut the hole a "smidge" to big - easy fix: I'm gonig to add a 2nd receptacle for a total of 4 outelts. 1 for a bench grinder and 1 for a Delta DP 200.

Couple questions.

1. Can I run electric from the 1st receptacle to the 2nd(daisy chained)?

2. Will a 15 amp breaker be enough for 2 overhead lights flourescents, the grinder and the DP 200 considering neither the grinder nor the DP will ever be run simultaneously?

3. Since the 15 amp breaker has been freed up and is now powering nothing can I remove the dead wire and just leave the breaker off?

[Chris Padilla]

Familiarize yourself with Ohm's Law: Power = Voltage * Current

You'll always get/know the power rating of your devices (measured in Watts or Horspower, 746 Watts = 1 Horsepower) and you'll always know your outlet voltage (usually between 110 - 120 V or 220 - 240 V) so from that, you can calculate the current you will be drawing.

Let's assume the two fluorescents are 100 W, the grinder is 1/4 hp, and your DP is also a 1/4 hp. 100 W + 1/2 hp * 746 W/hp = 473 W. To get your current, take the power and divide by your outlet voltage: 473 W / 120 V = 3.94 A or call it 4 A. Most likely, I've rated everything higher than it will actually draw (due to guessing and inefficiencies in the motor and there will also be loss in the wire in the wall).

So in a long-winded way, you can run all this simultaneaously on a 15 A circuit.

Yes, you can daisy chain one receptacle to another but in a unfinished basement, I believe you need to have the circuit GFCI protected. It is a good idea to do it anyway.

I don't see a problem leaving a breaker in your circuit panel off with nothing attached to it. I think I would remove the unused wire if it is accessible--especially if it is rather old wire that has served its purpose and is ready to be retired. If you can't remove it all, do your best to mark it as "DEAD" so that the next guy behind you knows what is going on.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'd suggest not running your only lighting in an area on the same breaker as a piece of machinery. Your machine trips a breaker...you're standing in the dark.

I would also check local electrical code concerning this too.

[Jerome Hanby]

Not that this really matters, but that's the Basic Power Formula, sometimes (incorrectly) called Watt's Law. The watt was named in honor of James Watt, but he had nothing to do with calculating electrical power. He did coin the term Horsepower, which is often associated with power expressed as watts, so it's not completely off the mark to honor him. Ohm's Law is useful for redefining elements of the Basic Power formula to make it more useful, for instance voltage could be expressed as I * R, which would make power equal to I^2 * R

The Basic Power Formula is actually a combination of Joule's first law (which described heat generated by current flowing through a resistor over time) and Ohm's law. Just fyi Joule's first law:

Q = I^2 * R * t

Which using Ohm's law could convert to:

Q = V * I * t

Pretty close to the Basic Power Formula...

Familiarize yourself with Ohm's Law: Power = Voltage * Current

[Chris Padilla]

Not that this really matters, but that's the Basic Power Formula, sometimes (incorrectly) called Watt's Law. The watt was named in honor of James Watt, but he had nothing to do with calculating electrical power. He did coin the term Horsepower, which is often associated with power expressed as watts, so it's not completely off the mark to honor him. Ohm's Law is useful for redefining elements of the Basic Power formula to make it more useful, for instance voltage could be expressed as I * R, which would make power equal to I^2 * R

The Basic Power Formula is actually a combination of Joule's first law (which described heat generated by current flowing through a resistor over time) and Ohm's law. Just fyi Joule's first law:

Q = I^2 * R * t

Which using Ohm's law could convert to:

Q = V * I * t

Pretty close to the Basic Power Formula...

Well, if you want to get rigorous about this, Joule's Law is actually:

P = § E · J dv

For a conductor with uniform cross-section, dv = dSdL so that the above equation becomes:

P = § E dL * § J dS which is V * i or i²*R

P = i²*R is the more commom form of Joule's Law in electric circuit theory.

§ is an integral sign

[Tim Thomas]

I highly recommend the Black & Decker electrical guide that you can pick up just about anywhere (Home Depot, Borders, even Wal-Mart) for less than $15. Lots of pictures and diagrams with simple, clear instructions and it covers everything I have ever needed to do, plus a lot of advanced stuff that I don't have a use for. I used mine last weekend when adding an electrical sub panel to my workshop and it was a great resource. Everything works and I didn't get shocked. What more could I ask for?

Good luck, and remember to work safe!

[Joe D'Attilio]

Well, if you want to get rigorous about this, Joule's Law is actually:

P = § E · J dv

For a conductor with uniform cross-section, dv = dSdL so that the above equation becomes:

P = § E dL * § J dS which is V * i or i²*R

P = i²*R is the more commom form of Joule's Law in electric circuit theory.

§ is an integral sign.

This seems a little involved fo my likes - give me a 12 volt dc (car audio) and I can run circles but the formulas above is a little out of my reach.

[Chris Padilla]

Sorry, Joe, took off on a little calculus tangent there. Just stick with good ol Ohm's Law:

V = i*R

and for power:

P = i*V = i²*R = V²/R

[Rod Sheridan]

The problem with using P=EI is that it only works in AC circuits for resistive loads.

A 1 HP motor will produce 746 watts output, it's input power, will be greater.

The next hurdle is that the current and voltage will not be in phase, this is called the power factor and is the cosine of the angle between the current and voltage.

So for an AC motor, to calculate input current given power output and input voltage, you would need to know the motor power factor and efficiency.

The easier method is to read the motor nameplate to obtain full load current.

Motor efficiency and power factor vary widely for motors, resulting in full load currents that can vary as much as 30 to 40% for the same power rating.

Regards, Rod.

[Chris Padilla]

Even if I'm off by 50% on the actual current drawn by both motors (the drill press and grinder), the 15 A circuit should suffice...agree?

[Rod Sheridan]

Chris, I would expect that either the grinder or the drill press could be used along with the two fluorescent fixtures on a 15 Ampere circuit.

regards, Rod.

[Rob Russell]

Background - my house is 55 years ols and the electrical leaves something to be desired ... After familiarizing my self with most of the breakers and remarking them I found that many of them encompass multiple floors.

That doesn't surprise me. We've got some crazy wiring in our house and it was done in 1979.

ANyway I found a breaker going to a lonely receptacle in an area between the garage and finished sction of the basement. I did not have an extra receptcle so I shut the breaker off and proceeded to disconnect the "lonely" receptacle, freeing up 1 - 15 amp breaker.

I then ran some wire to the junction box which feeds the overhead lighting and is controlled by a switch at the top of the steps. Ran the wire to a storage area underneath the steps and connected the receptacle. This being my first box electical box install I cut the hole a "smidge" to big - easy fix: I'm gonig to add a 2nd receptacle for a total of 4 outelts. 1 for a bench grinder and 1 for a Delta DP 200.

Couple questions.

1. Can I run electric from the 1st receptacle to the 2nd(daisy chained)?

Running power through a series of devices (receptacles, switches, lights, etc.) is done all the time.

There are box fill requirements. How big is the "junction box" and what does it have going into it for cables?

By cut the hole too big, do you mean a sloppy hole in the sheetrock so there is space around the box? If so, it's fine to replace the single-gang box with a 2-gang box and give yourself the extra receptacles. If you cut holes in the boxes for the conductors to go through, that could be a different story.

2. Will a 15 amp breaker be enough for 2 overhead lights flourescents, the grinder and the DP 200 considering neither the grinder nor the DP will ever be run simultaneously?

As has already been engineered to death , yep.

I do agree with the perspective that running machinery on lighting circuits is best avoided, especially if there is a chance that you'll overload the circuit.

3. Since the 15 amp breaker has been freed up and is now powering nothing can I remove the dead wire and just leave the breaker off?

Yep. You could also pull the breaker and put a cover plate on the panelboard where the breaker was. Make sure you don't leave open holes in the panelboard where the cables went in.

Rob
Addy protocol: unlicensed, homeowner electrician

[Joe D'Attilio]

I highly recommend the Black & Decker electrical guide that you can pick up just about anywhere (Home Depot, Borders, even Wal-Mart) for less than $15. Lots of pictures and diagrams with simple, clear instructions and it covers everything I have ever needed to do, plus a lot of advanced stuff that I don't have a use for. I used mine last weekend when adding an electrical sub panel to my workshop and it was a great resource. Everything works and I didn't get shocked. What more could I ask for?

Good luck, and remember to work safe!

Just picked 'er up - B & D Complete home wiring

[Joe D'Attilio]

Thanks Chris even though it went over my head it's not your fault it took me 32 years to take an interst into a mechanically inclined hobby

After a little reasearch ...NOT!!

Actually after reading all your answers; I have figured out wha ti need to do.

Seperate the lighting into one breaker/Dining room - don't ask

and the open breaker I freed up I'll use for the receptacles.

Bigger hole "than planned" problem - I kind of beat Rob to the point and just got back from the blue "borg". 4 receptacles and a sinlge pole switch for 2 new shop fluorescents.

Picked up a well-needed shop vac a step ladder/stool, B & D COmplete guide to wiring(def an investment in the LOML's future, since I think I can do everything) and a extra gift of the COmplete guide to woodworking complete with some yokie-doke projects fit for the newbie- forgot the dust pan, broom and garbage can - had to beat the LOML home, she has been on me a bit about spending since I started this hobby but I need to get my "necessities"

You guys are def an asset to me and the whole forum as far as that goes

That's all for now till I run into another "Situation"

[Mike Seals]

Background - my house is 55 years ols and the electrical leaves something to be desired.

THere are no open breakers, and I wanted to add a receptacle on a wall in my basement for my transition to a workshop. After familiarizing my self with most of the breakers and remarking them I found that many of them encompass multiple floors (i.e. the main lighting in the basement is on the same breaker as the dining room?? don't ask..) ANyway I found a breaker going to a lonely receptacle in an area between the garage and finished sction of the basement. I did not have an extra receptcle so I shut the breaker off and proceeded to disconnect the "lonely" receptacle, freeing up 1 - 15 amp breaker.

I then ran some wire to the junction box which feeds the overhead lighting and is controlled by a switch at the top of the steps. Ran the wire to a storage area underneath the steps and connected the receptacle. This being my first box electical box install I cut the hole a "smidge" to big - easy fix: I'm gonig to add a 2nd receptacle for a total of 4 outelts. 1 for a bench grinder and 1 for a Delta DP 200.

Couple questions.

1. Can I run electric from the 1st receptacle to the 2nd(daisy chained)?

2. Will a 15 amp breaker be enough for 2 overhead lights flourescents, the grinder and the DP 200 considering neither the grinder nor the DP will ever be run simultaneously?

3. Since the 15 amp breaker has been freed up and is now powering nothing can I remove the dead wire and just leave the breaker off?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

But!!!!
Never feed the lights from the same breaker as machinery, not a good practice.

Flourescents need to be by theirselves. They act like a distributor when the power is turn off, arc across contacts.

And always, when a breaker is cleared, pull the wire off. The next guy that moves in might just turn them all back on.