I Wired My Entire 3 Bedroom House and Failed Inspection. Here’s What I Learned
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2023
- I’m not a licensed electrician but I wired my entire 3 bedroom house. Including installing the meter socket and 200 amp Sq D panel. The inspection didn’t pass due to a few minor things that were missed. I’ll explain what I learned and how I fixed the issues
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When the inspector mentions draft, they're talking about in the wall. The idea is to minimize cavities that fire can spread in, especially when hidden in a wall. Sealing those holes also helps minimize the amount of air a fire can get from adjacent cavities.
I've been pulling wires for 26 years and I saw a lot of things that were not right
Yeah, if you've ever used a charcoal chimney you see the power of what a fire inside a wall can look like.
Not only that but you should really seal off any potential areas where conditioned(heated or cooled) air can get into your attic as much as ppssible for the efficiency of your home and to prevent ice dams on your roof in cold climates like im sure they have in detroit winters.
Just to add context to Joshua's comment: preventing a chimney effect in a wall cavity (i.e. spray foaming your penetrations) is important because an electrical fire would start most likely inside a wall cavity, and less likely in your stairwell, as the video describes. Essentially, the code is trying to address where an electrical fire is most likely to start and keep it from spreading.
That is not a NEC requirement but a building Code requirement that the building inspector looks for not the electrical inspector but being a former electrical inspector I'd point it out, just like the proper way to vent a bath vent or where the detectors should be.
You didn't have a nice inspector, he was just doing his job as they are suppose to tell you the faults that need correction. But good for you, you gave it a shot, took care of errors and got the job done. Now take pride in a home build by your own hands as that makes this truly your home.
To clarify the issue about firestopping holes in a basement with an open stairway:
It's not about the access a fire has to spread. There will always be access somewhere. It's about buying time in the event of a fire. If you have a fire start in a part of the basement that away from the stairway, it would normally take a little while for the fire to spread to the stairway and make its way upstairs. If the fire can get upstairs through a hole in the floor you created to run romex, the stairway is now irrelevant, the fire is upstairs before even the stairs themselves get hit. Firestopping holes is all about containing the fire to the area it started for as long as possible, to ensure inhabitants the opportunity to get out safely - firestopping is NOT about protecting the house or the wiring. To repeat, FIRESTOPPING IS NOT ABOUT PROTECTING THE HOUSE. Leaving holes open allows a fire free reign to expand anywhere it wants very quickly. Your job as an electrician (or a homeowner doing his own work as an electrician) is to prevent that, to protect the inhabitants of the house, be it your family, your tenants, or future homeowners who buy the house from you. You can't help what anyone else does. The inspector can't control that either, he/she can't justify earlier owners/contractors' mistakes or code violations, they can only address what they see YOU'VE worked on, and only cares about what YOU do - or don't do, as the case may be.
Excellent comment! Hot air rises!
Which is to say *you don't want ot be rendered unconcious or outright killed in your bedroom, by the fumes and fire that started in your basement!*
@@wojtek-33
A couple of reasons:
1. Generally speaking, walls have fireblocking (horizontal studs between the verticals, about half-way up the wall) in multi-story homes. So sealing off vents and receptacle/switch holes isn't usually a critical issue.
2. Even if they DIDN'T have fireblocking, a receptacle hole may allow fire into a wall, but the fire still can't get past the top plate (double-stud that runs the length of the top of the wall that an upper floor attaches to), so the fire still would take a while to penetrate to the next floor. What this guy has are direct penetrations to the floor above, and THAT'S what the firestopping codes are aimed at preventing - direct airflow to floors above or below. This is also why holes in a drywall ceiling for lighting fixture boxes don't need firestopping - they're mounted to the ceiling joists, so the ceiling above the drywall is the firestop, as long as there are no holes in the ceiling.
@@wojtek-33 It's actually not OK for giant gaps around the outlet covers or even the gangbox itself. Though not enforced as strictly as it could be, NEC calls no more than 1/8 of an inch, which isn't much. And some AHJs will even want those filled with something like spray foam.
@@wojtek-33 It's actually not inconsistent, if you truly understand what's going on. As was said, it's about getting inhabitants to safety. You may already know this, but fire stopping is all about time. All materials used in construction have a certain fire rating that is based on how many hours they can hold up fire before being penetrated. So, even one level, you actually have fire stop from room to room in the form of your wall covering (usually sheetrock), which is on both sides of the wall, any insulation that may be present, and electrical boxes even have a certain amount of fire rating, depending on the type of box. Firestop is also usually required between 2 vertical studs where there are penetrations on both sides of the wall in the same space (for example a receptacle on both sides of the wall). There is also a requirement to fill any gaps/holes horizontally that also have any holes vertically in the same space. It all goes to keeping fire from spreading to other rooms/floors where you can't see it that would prevent escape/rescue. For an example, imagine you are asleep in an upstairs bedroom when you are alerted to a fire. You don't know where it started, but let's say it started directly below you, but by the time you realize there is a fire, your exit down the steps is blocked. Chances are you are not able to escape through the windows without help, but if the firestop was done correctly, you will have a longer time before the fire can get to the room you're in, giving you a greater chance of rescue.
Thanks for explaining.
Electrical code for kitchens is to the point that they might as well just require a sub panel in every kitchen to accommodate all the extra circuits it's going to take.
I finished my basement. Failing inspection is not the end of the world. It’s informative and the good inspectors walk you through what you need to do to pass. They are really big on fire prevention. I had the same thing. It’s between the walls. Good work!
That's one of the major problems with the NEC in the USA: They are so obsessed with preventing fires in unlikely situations that they neglect fundamental electrical engineering knowledge. I know what they're trying to do, and I appreciate the intent, but reading through recent changes to the NEC just made me want to scream in some cases because they were so detached from reality and any understanding of how those changes make complying with actual engineering standards for some products difficult if not impossible.
EG: Stacking GFCIs, as required by the letter of the code-both in a breaker box, which many landlords make inaccessible, and either inside of the equipment in use, like EVSEs, or at the delivery point-will lead to situations where the protection ends up being intentionally defeated just to actually use the circuit.
This is something taught to watch for in many engineering ethics courses for a reason: incoherent requirements lead to increased danger as normalization of deviance become ingrained.
Nowadays, the NEC is written by anal retentive engineers, insurance companies and the NEMA. I was an electrician for over 40 years and I'm glad I retired.
@@timmarkowicz779 Its published by the NFPA... yeah, our electrical code is literally published by a fire prevention organization. Thats all they really care about. I'm surprised they don't just ban electricity and any combustion sources/appliances and tell us to huddle together under blankets to stay warm and eat raw veggies. Maybe we can bring back ice boxes and ice deliveries, store river ice in ice houses. Would also save the climate!
it doesn't sound like a failure to me. at least you had it inspected.
@@mukmuk775 yeah it’s not failure, you correct the work and reinspect. The Inspectors were actually glad to see a homeowner DIY instead of commercial work.
I recommend you replace those small 1.5" deep Utility boxes with 1.5" deep 4x4 boxes w/side mount brackets and a 1/2" device ring, this will give you the room needed for dimmer switches in the future...even if you are legal by code, having more than one RX in those boxes is never good.
The fire stops in the wall prevent the fire spreading in a hidden manner to upper floors, if the fire is in your hallway, the fire stops in the walls are a moot point, your whole house would be on fire. They're there to contain the fire to the room affected by the fire so you don't have a whole house fire. The conduits of electricity ie wires run through the walls, fires are frequently caused by faulty wiring. Hope this helps. You do great work man, nothing but good vibes and hardworking! You're bright like a star and intellect! Wishing nothing but the best for you, keep shining! 🎉
Yep. The deadliest fires are the ones that start in the walls, most often from wiring faults. The overriding principle is to prevent and minimize the fuel, oxygen, spark, and spread of those from ever happening. Even in the house I grew up in, an outlet in my bedroom arced and caught fire internally but went out because of other safety measures and building standards enforced by code. It was mis-wired by the original tract home builders. The IEC and fire codes are written in blood. Remember: larger breakers = bigger wires + more insulation + more cost + bigger arcs and bigger fires before breaker trips.
It's pretty cool to see to see you fixing up a place in Detroit i lived in Ecorse for a while and loved the city . I went to school for electrical and it can be tricky for someone who has never done it . Its pretty impressive that you have done all that you have !
Thanks for sharing - I always learn more when people share their mistakes and how they fixed them than if everything is perfect all the time. You must have a great feeling of accomplishment!
I have a balloon framed house. We had a small fire in the downstairs wall it got into the attic within a minute or two from when it started hollow wall cavities are just the perfect environment for a fire to spread fast.
Usually stairways are drywall and have many other obstacles for a fire as well as being larger and not creating a chimney effect which further feeds the fire.
Yikes. I hope everyone was okay. Ideally, I would prefer adding thick rockwool insulation to interior walls for noise, insulation, and fire limiting properties. (And VCL to enclose wet areas.)
Your videos are great and it inspires me a lot to work on my house. I hope you keep being honest and genuine as you are. Super fan here!
Something that I didn’t see was a ground screw in your metal boxes. Even if the inspector didn’t flag it, (it is required) I’d highly recommend bonding your ground wires to the metal boxes as a precaution. Even though most devices will effectively bond the ground to the box, in the event someone removes the device to service it, that bonding will provide additional protection if the lugs on the device accidentally contact the side of the box while pulling it out or if there’s another issue - e.g. broken wire insulation.
Also make sure you wrap the device with tape to protect the terminals from accidentally making contact with the metal box.
There is one thing that I have always insisted on, or done myself if doing my own wiring. I always insist on having Lighting circuits SEPARATE from receptacle circuits! I have been in too many situations where something tripped the receptacles and everyone is Suddenly in the DARK! To me, that is one of the most dangerous situations to be in! Note that nobody has ever told me I cannot do it. But contractors do charge more, because it is more work and sometimes more wire.
@@GraemePayne1967Marine I did this with my 100 year old home. Put all the fixed ceiling and wall lighting on two circuits. Receptcacles on their own 20 amp circuits.
The inspector clearly didn’t care much. There isn’t any hiding a lack of code knowledge so having two minor points is worrisome.
Let's start with... I am NOT a licensed electrician! HOWEVER, I have more than 50 years' experience working with electrical and electronics Around the US as well as around the world. I also wired my entire 4100+sf home as a new build with NO EXCEPTIONS! (failed inspections) This video shows the home in a "rough electrical" state. EVERY metal box MUST be grounded for the "final" inspection! There is no exception to this anywhere in the world I have ever worked. However, for the rough inspection the grounds would NOT be connected to the metal boxes. SOME locations require that all ground pigtails be made but FEW if any would require the termination to the box at the point this video was made.
You're absolutely killing it, this channel is super under-rated for homeowners
Congratulations on your sweat equity paying-off and thanks for showing the issues we need to be aware of when doing the wiring.
Stumbled across your videos researching for a basement reno. Thanks for making them, very informative, and really appreciated.👍
Thanks for watching
I got to give it to you! You're learning and sometimes saving! Some things are better left to the experts!
My home was built 20 years ago, I’m in the Chicago area, we do everything in conduit. Some of your boxes are tight, others made comments that you should use the larger boxes. In my home all boxes are 4x4 (called 1900 boxes) metal boxes. I was successful in adding switches to all of the bedrooms and other rooms for adding things that I knew I wanted later. For example I added 3 ceiling fans, one in each bedroom. I added switches in these boxes that weren’t used, but the plaster ring was for two spaces, when I added something I didn’t need to fix the drywall to do it. In all I added 10 switches and I used them all. After the home was built, I had some help doing these upgrades with one of my new workers (he was a licensed electrician in his last job) where I worked. I paid him for his time and he saved me $3000 from what the builder wanted. We got rid of the closet pull down strings, etc. Ran a 50 amp panel to the garage. In all we spent 12 hours doing these upgrades. in the next few months I upgraded and added some 3 way switches that made life easier, like separating the garage lights, adding a extra attic light, adding garage lights and garage circuits, adding 2 extra outlets for Christmas outdoor lights, deck outlets including a grill outlet for a rotisserie. When I finished my basement I used 10 circuits for 19 outlets and 28 switches. I put the outlets 8’ apart on the walls and switches to control everything. Even the furnace/workshop has 6 switches and 8 outlets. I rarely used the small boxes (called handy boxes, or single gang boxes) you have in place. Thanks and good luck.
Electrical code in the Chicago area is VERY different from anywhere else in the US I have ever worked... You understand that, right?
@@TheTlagnhoj we have thin wall conduit, etc. In my area home runs also! In Libertyville, where I lived before, you need to separelt connect a green lead from box to each outlet. All boxes had to have a white (neutral) passing through. This last one helped me a lot in my current home.
@@TheTlagnhoj Indeed. All of Cook County for tha matter. The biggest differences are w.r.t. EMT vs. MC (BX) and no Romex, and using RMC (Ridgid) for service entrance vs. SER or PVC. I'm just talking about single (double?) occupancy. I'm not a huge fan of Romex, anyway. And MC is fine for short runs. If one is doing their own work (which your not 'really' supposed to do), start with the NEC (2018 I's the latest w.r.t. Chicago I think) and then look up the relvant parts in Chicago Muni. code. (or vice versa). I don't work on new construction. More fixing old homes, 2 and 3 flats. The amount of crazyness is always fun.
I would like a separate 20A circuit (2 in total) for the countertops because of all the stuff we tend to have, like toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, etc. I have 2 - 20A circuit in my 14 year old kitchen (plus a separate one for the fridge) and have tripped one because of heating appliance loads. Keeping the fridge on its own dedicated
breaker is a good thing because you won't be tripping it from some heating appliance load.
Fridge these days don't take alot of power to operate so dedicated 20 amp circuit is overkill. 15 amp would have been more than enough.
I fully agree. My point was that only the fridge should be on that circuit. Same goes for a freezer. That way, nothing can kill the fridge or freezer from working, other than itself.
Refrigerator on own circuit is code in my state.
Yeah, I think it is that way here in NC. My house, built 13 years ago, has a separate circuit for the fridge in the kitchen and for a freezer in the utility room. @@anxiousappliance
I would put 2 twenty amp circuits in the kitchen with 12/2 wire and a 30 amp circuit with 10/2 wire. I would stagger the outlets and use 20 amp outlets between the circuits!
That’s some clean work. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Subscribed.
Good job passing inspection! That has to be incredibly satisfying to do this yourself.
Multiple circuits for the kitchen counter will allow you to use several high-power appliances at the same time, such as coffee pot, hot water kettle, air fryer, etc.
Slowing the spread of fire in a wall can quite literally save lives by either preventing the fire from reaching the floor above or just buying time to get out of the house. It can also greatly slow down the spread of the fire by depriving the fire of oxygen in the wall cavity.
Nice to see him sharing his experience and very grateful he isn’t recording an instructional on wiring.
Question for electricians/inspectors: is there any way to know if a “homeowner” is just flipping a property so the inspector can be stricter? Certain CZcams channels glamorize house flipping which makes me concerned about the quality of work behind the walls for the next buyer. Any tips for how home buyers can tell?
I suppose a lax inspection like this is better than nothing.
In Michigan, all electrical work is required to be done by a licensed electrician unless you live in the house.
@@Jeff-xy7fv You do NOT have to "live" in the house. You can buy a house and do any and all wiring without a license and flip it the day after "final" inspection! I know may people who do it in Michigan! OCUPIED rental properties vary by county! MOST require a license.
I moved into one of these, but I knew what I was getting into up front. The neat thing is that the house did pass inspection thanks to some grandfathering. So what I HAVE is on the books. What I HAVE was built on a Friday afternoon or Monday morning with a hangover. So I get to make it right on my own without messing with permits. House credited with 2 bathrooms. The basement bathroom was a shitter installed in the same room as the electrical panel which is against code. The shower was a piece of wood U-bolted to the main sewer stack where a shower head was attached. Previous owner found some spot on the wall to put the shower valve and then put a little backsplash material on the makeshift plywood wall. Sink is just one of those basic plastic deep sinks used for washer drainage. They just ran a horizontal length of 1.5" pipe and made a cut to fit a metal trap onto PVC... Concrete job was botched as well as the shitter sat cocked a bit. So yeah. Near all of that is torn out now and being shifted to what used to be a pantry and a makeshift mini shop where the water will be safely away from the electrical panel. Will have a shower and a corner jet tub. Even the outside spigot line was directly over the electrical panel. I mean this is the most zero engineered house ever, but I get to make it all right and I get to reap the profits.
While a dedicated circuit for the fridge is not required by the national code, it is by some local codes. In any event it is certainly considered best practice. (50 year journeyman)
Not sure if still true but it was code permitted to run a 15 amp circuit if dedicated only to the refrigerator.
The NEC always said that any "motor" needed it's own circuit, but for a long time in CA, common sense didn't force us have dedicated circuits for dishwashers, disposals and frigs. Those days are gone. Add arc-faults and GFCI and the cost to wire a house is through roof. And before you lecture me on "just one life", when I see motorists wearing racing helmets in their car, I will agree.
Technically your 13 cu in shallow boxes are only supposed to have a max of two 14/2 cables coming into them, but if you keep your pigtails as short as possible (which is ignoring a different code) and go with as small of wire nuts as you can and don't use the push-in type back-wired outlets then you should be fine. I've never seen cable run through turned 2x4s like that; looks like you had to keep those holes pretty small to minimize the structural impact - good thing it's just a closet. I think you did a pretty good job overall. Oh, and the foam around the wires is to force a fire to get oxygen from elsewhere, usually causing it to surface to where you can see it (and alarms can detect it) rather than letting it spread to other parts of the house while hidden in the walls.
Yes - the handi-box is overfilled. The count is nine (9) wires (2x3 current carrying conductors =6. Then (6) + (1) equipment ground + 2-count for the wiring device=9). The #14 wires are worth 2 in³ each, so (9 x 2 in³)=18cu³. Overfilled by 6 cubic inches.
I'm more surprised the inspector is ok with the wires being staples on the sides of those 2x4s. You miss a 1 1/4" drywall screw on that stud and it will hit that wire.
If you are going to run wires and think you are going to avoid a Sheetrock screw or a possible mishap good luck, 35 years running wires there’s no way you can run them unless you use MC cable and I have seen that blasted. That’s the real world, most of the time you do the best you can, and the breakers will do the rest.
@@MyDadCanFixAnything If he uses 1/2 drywall and 1 1/4' dw screws he will still only protrude out of the back of the drywall 3/4" if he misses. Since wires have to be stapled a minimum of 1 1/4"back from the face of the stud, it will be ok. Even if he uses 5/8" drywall and 1 5/8" screws he is covered.
Can't wait to see the final inspection report after trimout. That's where reality will set in!
I wired my entire house and told nobody!.....I passed!
Nice work!
In my kitchen I have each of my 6 countertop GFCI duplex receptacles on dedicated 20A breakers. Dishwasher, gas stove, microwave, fridge, and lights also all on their own dedicated 20A breakers. All of that is coming from a sub panel that I installed in the kitchen and fed with #3 copper and a 100A breaker at the main panel. 250’ spool of romex completely used up.
Previous wiring job was a total abortion so I ripped it all out when we reno’d the kitchen. $1,200 (roughly) on all the electrical materials, labor was me so no charge there.
Outside of an actual fault, I highly doubt I will ever trip a kitchen breaker, and that thought is extremely satisfying to me.
The spray foam is to keep air out of the enclosed cavities, not the occupied spaces, so that fire is not burning in a cavity where the water from sprinklers or fire fighters’ water cannot penetrate to put it out. It is not for draft between floors. For horizontal cavities, a fire can spread across the building surprisingly quickly within that cavity when there is venting at the end away from the ignition source. In a vertical cavity, fire can quickly move between floors if the top of the cavity is vented. It is amazing how much just that little bit of foam does to help contain the spread of a fire in a house.
Many people are under the misconception that the foam blocks the fire itself. It does not. It blocks the air from feeding a fire. A fire at one end of a cavity consumes the oxygen in the cavity and then cannot burn anything in that cavity without oxygen. If the foam is in the flame, it is already too late for the foam to do anything. In fact, foams are themselves flammable. Any foam also should be sealed; no foam should be left uncovered. In a modern wall cavity, the fire stop foam or insulating foam is covered by drywall or other fire resistant membrane. The only way flames can get to it is from within the wall or floor cavity. A fire in a room must penetrate that membrane to attack the foam. So, the wall and ceiling membranes along with the cavities properly sealed from air infiltration provide a thick barrier to attempt to minimize the spread of a fire from room-to-room and floor-to-floor.
Also, it was not his idea that you need two 20A circuits in a kitchen. That is code. You could have pulled another feed. His suggestion to just tap the fridge outlet was just a suggestion to save you some wire. You should have pulled a second feed, and made sure to replan how the outlets connect to that second feed.
210.52(B)(1) says “all wall and floor receptacle outlets” in a dining room. He could have been a heavy and said that now _all_ the outlets in both rooms needed to be 20A circuits, based on your peninsula being in both rooms. He let you slide on that, for sure!
I learned from my time doing fire remediation, the small holes where electrical and plumbing runs through are excellent corridors for fire to spread. What happens is, when fire has breached the drywall, the draft from the open room through the holes essentially turns the holes into blowtorches. It can be the difference between a 90 minute full loss, and a 15 minute one. It can easily save lives.
nicely done for a do it yourselfer. thank you for the walk through
To add to the comments about sealing holes, as mentioned it has to specifically be fire caulk or rockwool insulation, or similar fire rated material. The idea is stopping the draft that can spread fire where you can't see it. Sure, fire can spread through an open staircase, but you can visibly see the fire there. As far as your two small appliance circuits in the kitchen, that is just the minimum required, I always put the refrigerator on it's own dedicated circuit as well as a circuit for a hood microwave, if you have one and dishwasher. Also, just a side note, I have seen many times the refrigerator receptacle placed lower than countertop receptacles, but there really is no practical reason to do so. In fact, I learned many years ago from doing remodel work that it makes more sense to put it the same height because if you or anyone else were to remodel down the road and relocate the refrigerator (happens more often than you might think), you don't have to fix any boxes that are too low. You should also look into some Arlington boxes for your outside receptacles. They have different options depending on what kind of siding you use. The boxes go on before the siding and give you an in-use ratedbox/cover that is low profile.
It’s good to have two countertop circuits because it’s easy to exceed the capacity of one. All you need is something like a coffee maker and an air fryer on at the same time. I would have given the frig, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave (if built in) and at least two countertop separate breakers. The countertop, disposal and washer circuits would be on whatever GFI is required by your local code.
In my kitchen I have only one long counter. I used two quad outlets for that. The left receptacles of the quad on one circuit, the right ones on another. Knowing I have both circuits available all along the counter, I can balance the loads better that way. Refridgerator went on it's own circuit. I have a large toaster oven I use all the time that uses 15 amps so I put it on it's own circuit, disposer and microwave also got their own. I use a window A/C unit in my kitchen that also got it's own circuit.
@@Progrocker70 Thumbs up on the quad outlets idea. I did the same in mine. Most refrigerators are fine on one of the 20a SABC's (small applaince branch circuits) which can also power the 20a dining room outlets. Some inspectors even insist both required 20a SABC's appear in the dining areas as well, others don't. This video's inspector gave the homeowner a pass on 15 amps in the dining room but that was a pass, code requires kitchen counters, eat-in areas, nooks, pantrys and dining rooms have 20 amp receptacle circuits only. (They can all share the same 2 20 amp SABC's, so the inspector is figuring the dining room is getting another un-loaded 15a circuit so, no harm no foul. Not to mention rarely do people cook waffles or brew coffee in their dining rooms anymore anyway.)
@@darrendolphdragos9752 Exactly, most people don't have high wattage in their dining rooms. I never have! Lol. My dining room isn't used much, and the only thing ever plugged in there is a vacuum or phone chargers. My dining room is together with living room separated by an arched opening, and is not directly connected to kitchen. Dining and living room receptacles on one 20 amp circuit together never had an issue.
@@Progrocker70 Wow, dining & living on a 20 amp would never fly when I wired houses. This just goes to show that other sensible arrangements are workable but hey... they just had to put something in writing to be certain some minimum standards were met, and so everything had to be codified.
@@darrendolphdragos9752 Nothing was said about it, he was just happy all receptacle circuits were 20 amp throughout the house. In my case, no big issues the lights are on separate circuits and other than vacuum and chargers nothing else higher wattage ever gets plugged in there.
Your inspector was too kind! The 13 cu in box can only have one 14-2 and a device in it, your fridge should be a dedicated circuit and I'd split those countertop circuits evenly. Way too many outlets on the second circuit. The idea about the fire stopping between floors is that fire should not spread because of the wire you installed. If the fire is in the area of your wire going through the floors it would spread faster without the firestop. Overal you did good for a do-it-yourselfer, but I'd recommend always using a professional, so that when you use your kitchen counter receptacles the lights in your fridge doesn't flicker. Thats why it needs a separate circuit.
A refrigerator pulls so little power it does not need a dedicated 20 amp circuit.
Also where are all the AFCI and dual function breakers??
Where are all the afcl breakers lol where they should b non existent
Fridges need dedicated? I missed that this last cycle, what article and section please? Seems little silly to require a design element on a 500w appliance when the nec specifically says it is not a electric design handbook…. I’ll save ya some time and don’t bother looking for a fridge plug requirement because it doesn’t exist
@@dustina6261 Us professionals have been putting fridges on dedicated circuits for decades. Just go to Home Depot and you'll see most fridges nowadays pull 15 amps. Dedicated circuit is best practice, but not the code. Anything less than dedicated circuit is a hack job.
Great video. I wish I had your courage. That is the full time job! Keep up the good work. If I had done that where I live all the copper wire would be gone in a day!
Seeing this video after 4 months... I rewired 2 floors of a house (basement / 1st floor), and just went with 20 amp (12 AWG) circuits everywhere. It didn't cost that much more, and it's nice to have the capacity/versatility
Sounds like you did a great job over all.
For a diyer, I think you did an excellent job. Seems like you did a lot of research before.
Of course you saved a hell of a lot of money doing it yourself and you can't beat the satisfaction of feeling and saying that you did it all by yourself.
Thank you!
Nice content bro, love it
Run the 20 amp you will not regret it!
For what?
@@coreyfranco7060yeah like I know I'm young and whatev but I've never used a single 20A appliance in my life
You are so lucky to live in an area where you are allowed to do this. I don't mind having to meet code and having the work inspected but I do not appreciate limiting the getting of a permit or doing the work to state licensed electricians.
Good job! Electrical is surprisingly doable.
Please create a blueprint of how you wired things. You can also take pictures and videos of how you ran everything. This will help in the future, when you need to change something.
Excellent point. I always snap a picture of all wiring and plumbing in a wall before closing with drywall. It's so easy to do and you can store the images on a PC, Mac, or in the Cloud for future reference. I imagine a lot of wires or pipes have been punctured by screws or nails over the years. I know of one situation where a drywall screw went through a cold water copper pipe and sat there for years, keeping the hole sealed. When the owner removed the screw for a reno, the place flooded (slowly). Take pictures!
Underrated advice. I made a drawing of all wires through my attic before blowin insulation, and it saved me a lot of time a year later.
You did a nice job for a dyi situation. Skipping all the small stuff if definitely would incorporate the two appliance circuits around your kitchen counter top outlets.
I'm not sure if it's standard in NA but in europe, smoke detectors have battery backup (or are battery only - not ideally and not in new installs). In the event of mains failure (or batteries running out) they will chirp every so often, so you know something needs addressing.
If this is the case for you I'd say it's better to give them their own circuit, as it minimizes points of failure, and allows you to service other circuits without affecting them and vice versa. It also allows you to use lower amperage breakers (which is safer) and even save some money with thinner gauge wire - obviously leave some margin above the rated wattage/current, which should be quite low as-is. Ultimately though whatever works as long as you're prioritising safety.
Not sure if it was clear in his explanation, but "best practice" is to have the 120V smoke detectors share a circuit with a nearby lighting circuit as a means to supervise the power serving the smoke detector. If the lights do not work, the homeowner will be quick to resolve the issue, whereas the homeowner may not realize that a dedicated 120V circuit serving the smoke detector is de-energized. The 120V smoke detectors sold in North America do typically have a battery as a backup in the case of a power outage so that the protection is maintained. Minimum size wire in dwelling units is currently no smaller than #14, so even with the new 10A circuits allowable, there is no savings in materials.
having a good inspector makes a world of difference. If they are having a bad day it can make everything a huge pain.
Super. Check the code for how many outlets on your new island. I have to put three or four on the bigger islands now, usually with Arc Fault breakers and GFCI outlets, because the GFCI protection usually dies before Arc fault does, and this could save money by only requiring you to buy a GFCI outlet, not another Arc Fault breaker down the road. Also, make sure that you install at least one 20 ampere rated outlet on its own 20 amp circuit. The washer is a good place to install that type of GFCI receptacle, (One with a "T" for the neutral terminal.) I usually also put one by each door, partly for lawn mowing and such, but mostly to allow the future contractors to be able to plug in a heavy duty 20 amp machine cord or extension cord and not trip the breaker. Most homeowners dont even know about these 120 volt, 20 amp plugs, (Oops, forgot the NEMA number.) and even apprentice electricians that I know have never seen this plug, but it is usually installed on things like floor buffers and prevents you from plugging it in to a 15 amp outlet thereby saving the outlet, and maybe a trip tp the breaker box. 💙 T.E.N.
Interesting set up in your town, typically fire blocking and electrical rough-in are two different inspections.
I will very soon wire an old house, thanks for the information.
This is great to see. You did your research as best you could, its not a hack job I see all too often. I've seen "professional" sparkys fail and panicking all the time on jobsites Im on. Good for you, you should feel accomplished.
Here in new york state it is ok to have a single outlet on a deciated circult, as long as your outlet is rated for the breaker you are using. So a 20 amp decicated circuilt must use 12awg wire and on a 20amp outlet.
The way to get around not using a 20amp outlet on a 20amp circult, is to add more then one outlet. This technicially symbolizing you have devices plugged in the other outlets sharing the load. This was taken out of the national electric code.
I don't see any AFCI breakers in the panel. Also, you need to state that it is not just any spray foam. It has to be fire block foam or caulk.
Michigan does not require AFCI on new build for 1 and 2 family homes. If this was an apartment building, he might have an issue.
I believe it was a recent change on that requirement, depending upon what year code they are currently using but it would be a good item to have based on the most recent codes.
It has been in the NEC since 1999@@JSH1
Michigan is using the 2019 NEC, so they are required for bedrooms.@@hoodedgood
Wow I didn’t realize it was that long ago, thanks for the info!
Subscribed brother. From Norwich UK here 😊
I still agree with your putting the refrigerator on its own circuit. Sometimes, if they even share a neutral, some lights may dim when the refrigerator starts!
In both my apartments i installed 2 20a counter top home runs. Run a microwave and coffee maker may be alright but add a 3rd appliance and it can go right out. Also i dedicated a line just for the dishwasher and another for the fridg.
Awesome video! Thanks!
I like extra countertop circuits, I can run the microwave, toaster and coffee maker all at the same time. I also just use 12 gauge wire minimum for the option of bumping up to 20 amps, it’s also more convenient to just buy a large roll of one type of cable instead of having multiple different rolls for different sizes.
I have heard other people having 2 lines to a kitchen, with every odd-numbered receptacle on the first line and even-numbered receptacles on the second line. This way 2 appliances plugged into neighboring outlets would be on separate lines and if they're both in use, they would not pop a single breaker. I did not explain this well, but having appliances split evenly between 2 breakers is what they're going for.
You kinda want every other because kitchen appliances use a lot. having it every other reduces that chance.
Go pro and run a 12/3 wire to the countertop.
@@KingSobieski Split wired 12-3 circuits are now illegal where I live.
One of the things I love about living out of any city is zero "inspector" approvals.
Just read the NEC book and work to it.
Firestopping holes got me too. The inspector described the point being to slow down a fire if possible. I used fire retardant caulk instead of foam.
Kitchens are pretty exacting about circuits now. All 20 amp, GFCI, AFCI breakers and dedicated circuits for Dishwasher, Micro Wave, Garbage Disposal,, couple receptacle circuits, fridge circuit. and lights on another circuit. You can see why and it's partly nuisance factor if an appliance trips off a breaker, you don't want to loose all the other things too. I wired up 2 homes, outbuildings, my onw house and shed and to me it is certainly a money saver to DIY, plus a learning experience. Done three distribution panels, one was 400 amp with a massive 200 amp disconnect. And the outside meter bases.
On the dishwasher+disposal issue. They can be on the same circuit, but now the DW needs GFCI. If I had known I would have put in a 2-gang box under the sink with switched plain power for disposer on one side and GFCI for DW.
As a retired electrical inspector its not what I wanted but what the NEC requires, the biggest issues I saw day in and day out with what I called weekend electricians is they could make a light or receptacle work but didn't know Code. Always told them it was my job to enforce the Code not to teach it but I did anyway and "most" were very appreciative, I worked 24 years as a licensed electrician and IBEW journeyman electrician before a back injury forced me to become an electrical inspector for the last 31 years that didn't pay that much with no benefits.
Good on ya for following through.
-3 watts per square foot
-calarado Jims for the flat Studs
There was a revision to the code that allows for the frige to be on a dedicated 15 A circuit
1 outlet per point of egress
Get a Milwaukee romex staple gun
Use wafer brackets when you can
When I remodelled my 90 year old house back in 2010, all the kitchen receptacles had to be split. I could tie two uppers together and two lowers together, but not on the same circuit. This is in Canada though. I paid the electrician to move the main panel from the kitchen to the basement, then rewired the entire house myself. I had to open up every wall in the house to replace the sawdust insulation, sweet jeebus... what a mess (lath and plaster). The house was a mix of romex and knob and tube wiring before I started.
Just subscribed. I love the openness and sharing your lessons learned. As someone who has never (and probably never will) wired a house, but have lived through delays due to code inspection failures, aren't these codes documented where it takes the guesswork out? For example, a dedicated circuit for your refrigerator. Aren't all those requirements spelled out in the actual code? I'm not saying it's in easily digestible language or perhaps even easy to find. Also, I understand inspectors may focus on different things, but I'm just trying to understand if you can take out the guesswork and build your home 100% to code and be guaranteed to pass as long as the inspector is competent.
I'm surprised at the lack of outside emergency disconnect & arc fault breakers.
for all we know, the area is still on 10 - 20 year old code. Have seen that several times in recent videos.
Outside emergency disconnect is ridiculous. Pull the meter. Arc fault breakers are idiotic. How many lives have they saved? Zero.
not sure on the arc fault, but I was told today that the outside disconnect was only required on new construction, not retrofit. As for pulling the meter, in the fire service we were taught to pull meters, but that was back around 1980 or so. Now they claim too much liability to allow us to do that.
@maddierosemusic Your opinion is irrelevant - they are code in many places. But glad you know exactly how many fires etc.. they have prevented. Must have done a lot of research....
They've caused as many fires as children have died in the strings of those window blinds. Stringed window blinds are banned now, feel safer? Code schmode :)@@anxiousappliance
When I rewired I spit the lighting and receptacles. All receptacles where on 20a circuits lighting on15a. Guess it's from my industrial days. Hate to lose the lights if an appliance trips a breaker
That's how I did. I also upgraded the wiring from the pole to the house to 200 amp even though the electrician kept saying I could run the whole house on 125 amp service. Nope! Not the way I want to do it! :)
No problem with that. Lights a mostly led and they draw very little amperage. But id agree all outlets should be 20.amps. and even the 15 amp lights I would still run #12 wire
@@recordsgeek yea 200a would barely cost any more than 125a
Was going ti say the same. Receptacles should be on 20a breakers with lightning on 15a
Boy, you're just getting started with this.....😆
The draft inside walls protects you most, from a fire that starts inside the walls, and slows the spread of smoke and fire from floor to floor, inside the walls. This can also slow the spread of fire from a lower floor to an upper floor even for fires that start within a living space…
Good work!
I ran as many separate 20 amp wires as I could do. Even for a 15 amp circuit.
Only ran one 15 amp wire for a refrigerator. Everything else yellow wire.
Each wire was labeled in and out of the panel and along various runs.
No one likes having to unplug one thing to plug in another.
Even kitchen countertop had 4 separate circuits.
About 2/3 of a mile of wire.
Overkill - yes, but exceeded the requirements by a long shot.
No outlets shared a line.
I did have to fix a house ground that went through the water meter. Ground rods through concrete flooring are a pain.
Apparently they don't like electrifying the water meter lol
Existing OLD house too.
The stairway is the living space which has its own compliance standards, the between-floor firestops must be in response to oxygen feeding an electrical overload in that hidden unnoticed space creating a burn. Without the fresh air supply an electrical overload can probably complete melting itself into an open circuit without creating as much risk of ignition. Its statistically significant probably and you are happy your house is not going to burst into flames quite as much now.
I sure like that double door!
When the fire starts in the wall, the stairway acts as a chimney, and it FEEDS the fire, it allows it to PULL the air to the lowest point of the fire, and blast it UP any cavity it is in, and when you have a small penetration, you increase pressure, which also increases temperature, which helps the fire spread much quicker.
You can go watch some videos, without the firestop it can be as little as a minute to move to another floor, vs 15-30-60 minutes.
Seems like you are interested in learning and overall did good job. Lucky guy though. I can say you absolutely would not have passed in the several areas I have worked. Won't bemoan the firestop. Some inspectors worry it more than others. The few things I saw that would have failed here-- were no service loops at boxes. Maybe your area doesn't require them but always good idea. If you or dry wallers you hire accidently cut a wire while cutting box openings you are going to have issue. Yes those metal boxes are over filled and not bonded. They make a plastic narrow face box that has a curved side storage giving you volume of a 2 gang box. Better to change out. You were correct most places require dedicated for frig. 2 alternating small appliance circuits have been required for decades . lastly the exterior front receptacle you added, if I am not misunderstanding you tied it into the lighting circuit. If so not allowed. Those exterior receptacles have to be on 20 amp dedicated gfci protected circuit. In my area requires it be on a gfci breaker in box. Have been a couple places allowed gfci receptacles to be installed instead but most don't . gfci receptacles do.not fare well outside usually. Hope you keep at it. If you are doing this long term. Fine homebuilding published a set summarized code books for different trades. They are pretty helpful.
I always put the smoke detector circuit in on the master bedroom circuit always run two circuits in the kitchen stove or sink been Centerpoint depending on layout but I always do a kitchen right in the kitchen left I always run a dedicated circuit for microwave and refrigerator
Did you do your own framing work too?
I saw your roofing video and you did amazing work all by yourself. Your strong and talented
Good job, that was a big project. When I rewired our house ~20 years ago I had a good book that called out many of the common mistakes people make and also had a lot of useful information such as the rules around how to calculate box volume and how many wires you can have in a box of a certain volume. It also had a lot of tips and suggestions on things that weren't required to meet code but that were useful. (Remember, code only specifies the minimum required, it doesn't say that is ideal or even sufficient for modern lifestyles). For anyone thinking of doing some wiring finding such a book is well worth the money. Just be aware that every state/city may have tweaks to their code that won't be covered in a book meant for national distribution.
You need a recptacle on the end of the peninsula up towards the top to meet code for the finish. Put in on the counter top circuit behind the GFI so its protected.
that advice will be a Code violation once the 2023 code is adopted, believe it or not.
2023 makes it optional if im not mistaken
@@montgomeryfortenberry you are correct- optional. But the “option” does not include serving the space with receptacles below the counter surface any longer. Foolish change by the CMP. Spaces where no receptacles get provided will get served by extension cords instead - and the injuries and burns will get worse, not better.
Kinda random, and I'm in Tennessee so code might be different, but i think you need another jack stud supporting that header/beam that was in frame for the last few moments of the video. I just replaced a header in my house and we had on stud that went to the top plate and two jack studs on either side. Might be ok, I'm no pro, just a DIY guy too, but that's what an a buddy of mine that used to frame houses told me. Might be worth a look into though before drywall goes up just in case. Thanks for the video! It was encouraging as I'm wiring my house presently.
The header you can see at 12:09
Yeah, keep questioning the inspector, that always works well…if it’s required then you just do it. Ask a fire fighter about drafts and a hidden fire in a wall and they can tell you personal experience on why it’s needed. 2 circuits required in kitchen…not sure why you didn’t purchase a code book to help you understand all the requirements before starting a project. “Black & Decker codes for homeowners” if what I used, easy to read and understand and didn’t have any issues with my inspections.
In our area, you must use listed fire caulk for all holes between floors. Expanding foam is not acceptable. Also, we always run 20 amp circuits for all receptacles, and usually for lighting circuits. The cost difference is minimal and you have fewer nuisance trips. We wire lighting circuits such that no two adjacent rooms are on the same circuit.
Not even the fire rated foam?
@@Adr1an110 yes, they do make fire rated foam these days and it should be acceptable to the inspector.
@@rupe53How do you prove it's fire rated rather than standard foam (or standard caulk)?
@@user-go8oj4dl4w save the can. It will say it's fire rated! Btw, most fire rated stuff will be red in color. (Caulk or foam)
@@user-go8oj4dl4w Fire rated is red in color.
Ironically, as you’re talking about fire stops, I see an open hole approximately 4“ x 12 between one floor and the next over your shoulder. 😊
Dining room requires a 20a appliance branch circuit because in the past, it was common for people to have a toaster in the dining room.
Man one day I want to get a house built with exactly the layout I want. There's so many things I've picked up from videos like this that I've gone "man that's a great idea" but implementing them is either a massive pain or basically impossible once drywall is in.
Number 1, I want a utility room where everything comes in to, and have Cat6 throughout my house, a manifold for hot and cold water so different rooms can be shut off from the one location. That sort of thing.
Half inch plywood is standard for subfloors. Don't forget to add 1/8" luan before laying vinyl or tile. Great electrical work! Insulate next (paper facing inside). If you replace the pressed board, newer homes are insulated under the floor, so you might consider that too.🙂
Great video. Good to see what you learned. Saw some A/C pipes for your mini splits. Do you have any videos on the Mini Splits?
I’m hoping to do a video on that soon.
Just changed the main panel in my house and one of the requirements to pass was labeling the separate circuits on the panel face
In my area: dedicated 15 or 20 amp to the fridge, 2 GFCI kitchen plugs altenating the plugs. A 15 amp breaker can handle 8 plugs in a room, 20 amp can handle 12 plugs using the 80% rule.
The idea behind sealing those holes is compartmentalization. The hope is that if a fire begins in that stud bay that it will snuff itself out due to lack of fresh oxygen before it spreads to the next floor or attic or stud bay.
You will have lots of problems with your kitchen receptacles… circuit fittings the fridge should be solely for fridge because you don’t want to trip the breaker… also as electricians we usually put a minimum of 3 circuits in the kitchen plus the fridge and 50 amp circuit if needed. Also your panel needs to be balanced. Another point about inspection is the minimum for electrical as electricians we usually go above the and beyond so we don’t have to come back unless you want to add more… also inspector should of known that the reason we put foam on wires going from floor to floor is primarily for electrical fires… that means the foam is to stop fire in the electrical passing directly above or below… it will not give you a lot of time but it will give you a couple of minutes… once again is to stop electrical fire from going floor to floor… is understood that fire will still go from floor to floor but you are only getting the electrical inspection. I also noticed how you pass your rough in inspection we usually have a final inspection to make sure everything works properly and we balanced the panel and we test the grounding and we check for wires over heating so I wish you luck because you will need it
I feel like it's hard to get a single phase panel out of balance. Maybe if someone skipped ever other row? Most all your high load items will be 240v balanced.
Your comment assures me that you don’t understand electrical work…. Of course I’m not talking about your double pole circuits… just because you have the same amount of breakers on each phase doesn’t mean it’s balanced…. You can’t count on your circuit for your bathroom receptacles equally to lighting circuit? And this is only one example, there are plenty of factors…
@@Irving1203 I wouldn't sweat a bath circuit in particular, because heavy load will usually be for only 10 minutes... unless you have multiple baths, then maybe consider having them on opposing circuits. These days the lighting load is next to nothing, unlike 25 years ago when it was common to have a few thousand watts of floods on the outside, with rooms full of high-hats scattered around at 100 watts each. OTOH, that kitchen with an armload of appliances is worthy of consideration. A toaster and coffee maker is near max load on a single circuit. Add a microwave and a fridge to fill up the next one. It's no wonder they want 2 circuits just for the counter.
Irving! you overthink a lot of this, in over 40 years in the trade I NEVER SEEN a residential panel out of balance...NEVER!
I've been to 2 rodeos and a goat mating, I've seen everything
@@UncleFjester depends on how you want to slice & dice it. 20 amps off is not a big deal in my mind. I have seen residential with too many pool / spa pumps and a few air handlers on the same leg. Balance was about 50 amps heavy on one leg. Was causing an issue with the generator when power was out.
Good job doing this yourself. I only hope you have no problems when you start to trim out. If you’re new and never done it before might end up biting you in the butt. Thought it was code to have exterior receptacle on all 4 sides of the house.
Edit: also didn’t see a breaker for the washer, dryer or stove. If you’re going to have a gas stove it would be ok to jump off a countertop circuit for it but if not you will need to run a 6-3 wire for range. Also didn’t see any arc fault breakers. Just a little advice but make sure to not tie neutral wires that are from different circuits together. (Will cause breaker to trip) In addition, try not to have more than 10 receptacles on any circuits. Good luck bud
@saundersryan20 Brakers for the washer and dryer would be in the load center (breaker box). Although Arc Faults are in the National Electrical Code (NEC), Michigan has not full adopted this YET. When I built my house arc fault breaker were JUST adopted as part of the NEC. I put them in as required by NEC but they were NOT required.
As for your "little advice"... What are you talking about? ALL neutral wires tie to a buss in the load center. The neutrals from any 2 or more branch circuits should never be tied together anywhere BUT the bus in the load center. But that would NOT cause breakers to trip. It could cause a FIRE HAZARD!
The fire blocking even with open walls is in case someone in the future finishes the space. Especially if done without a permit.
Back in the day they used 15A split circuits in the kitchen. You had 15amps available for each appliance. Since these can not be GFI protected they changed to 20 Amp circuits usually 2 receptacles on one circuit leaving only 10 Amps per appliance. I have overload issues in my place because of this. You need to know what you are running for appliances and location to have adequate power available.
@11:10 They make shallow boxes that are wide for that situation. Carlton part # SNO-18-M will give you an 18 cu/in box that has room to the side instead of room behind the switch or receptacle.
Would be curious to see inside the panel.
Not sure about your location but you might need to install Arc fault breakers and/or combo AFCI/GFCI
Just knowing what is where is well worth it. Had to relabel/color code our electrical panel. Some things were mislabeled by the installer etc. Became intimately familiar with the electrical and what every breaker controls in the process. Still don't know the locations of all the wires behind the walls though. That'd just be an added bonus.
way late now but I'd highly recommend viewing the national electric code online. They hide it but there is a free viewer version. Because homes are notdesigned by engineers typically residential requirements are very perscriptive. Receptacles every xx ft number of circuits in kitchen ect
breakers are there to protect the wire only. Find out the max current for the size of wire you are using.. Then break up your rooms as desired while keeping distance to a minimum.. The longer the wire the more resitance and that can limit the current on that circuit. As long as the breaker is rated for the wire size then even if your devices draws more current than the break is rated, then it will flip. Just make sure the wire will carry more than the breaker. Better to flip a breaker than to burn up a wire. So, always pick a breaker size that will flip below the amount of current the wire is rated for. You can scientifically have as many recepticles as you want. Its not the recepticles that draws power, it is only the devices that are plugged into the recepticles. So you have to prejudge how much current is expected on each circuit, then pic a wire size that is rate to carry that amount of current for that distance, then pick a breaker size to protect the wire... So if the current draw goes over, it wont burn the wires. But no inspector is going to know how the house is wired or how many feet each circuit is, unless you ahve a labeled diagram of everything
Very nice job! Your receptacle box rough ins wouldn't pass in Ontario. It's amazing the differences in the codes. I believe pulling power from a fridge circuit is not legal here either. The bedroom circuits all need to be wired to arc fault breakers. Perhaps you did that? The foam around wires is the dumbest thing I've heard of. A fire would burn through that in a second or two. Your argument about the stair well is perfect! Nice work!!
Where I live it’s law that any bedroom that has an outlet must have a AFCI. Fridges, dishwashers, washing machines, & microwaves must have their own breaker. Kitchen outlets must be 20 Amp.