Adding Electrical Outlet

RC

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
237
I am in the process of remodeling a wet bar area into a desk area. I need to add an outlet. My initial thought was to tap into the existing power by inserting the wires into the back of the existing outlet and then running the romex to the new location. However there are already 4 wires inserted into the back of the outlet. Can I just tap into one of the romex wires before they reach the outlet?
 

Jerryh3

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
325
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

No, all connections must be made inside a box and be accessible. Just run a pigtail off of the two existing wires and put the new wires to the screws you freed up.
 

RC

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
237
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Good link, thanks. I know I need to keep the connections in the box, just wanted to be sure it was proper to pigtail off one of the two existing lines.
 

j_martin

Admiral
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
7,474
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Good link, thanks. I know I need to keep the connections in the box, just wanted to be sure it was proper to pigtail off one of the two existing lines.

Wire nut and pigtail is a whole lot better than using the push in connectors for pass though. If there's only 2 cables, using the screws is fine.
 

jlinder

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
1,086
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

BTW - assume you are putting in a GFI protected outlet since it will be in a wet bar area.

Also, to make sure there is no confusion, if your connection to the outlet is screw type you do not put more than one wire under a screw. The wire nut pigtail arrangement is the best way to go.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,900
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Also count how many things are on the run {circuit] each counts as one {switch,receptecble,light'} and don;t go over 13
 

jlinder

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
1,086
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

dolluper,

Good advice on not putting too many devices on one run, but I had never heard the 13 number before. (I would have pegged the upper limit as something lower).

Where does the 13 number come from?
 

RC

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
237
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Thanks again for the tips. It was a wet bar, now a desk area so GFI is not needed. And yes I am going to count today the number of switches/plugs on the circuit. I'm pretty sure I am nowhere near 13.
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

dolluper,

Good advice on not putting too many devices on one run, but I had never heard the 13 number before. (I would have pegged the upper limit as something lower).

Where does the 13 number come from?

When ever I wire circuits, I try and make sure I will stay 10% below max capacity of the circuit, in this case I would assume it is a 15 amp circuit, so 10% would be 1.5 amps round up to the next whole number subtracted from the total circuit capacity, hence the 13 number..

This is what my next door neighbor told me to do, and he is a master electrician, he double checks all of my wiring before I close up walls..

13 switches or outlets would be a heck of a lot on one circuit! I can't imagine where you would ever have 13 plugs or switches on a circuit, plugs and switches don't draw amps, but having that many on one circuit, would be asking for trouble due to the fact you would most likely overload the circuit if something was plugged into every outlet or every switch was turned on for lights...
 

Tim Frank

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
5,333
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

There is also a cap on the number of wires that can be ion a box...if it is a regular switch box i think it is too small to have that many wires....you might have to change to a deep box.
If you can access the panel readily, do a home run back to it....and use a GFI. Then you won't have to worry about a vaccum cleaner and a blender popping the breaker.
 

Bigprairie1

Commander
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
2,568
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Only Canada has the 13 device rule.

Nope.
Canadian code is maximum (12) devices allowed per 15 amp circuit, wherein:
P(watts)=VI or P=(120Volts)(15amps)....= 1800 watts theoretical max, hence the typical 1500 watt max. capacity on any 120 volt device (hair dryers, microwaves or skilsaws).
BP;):):cool:
 

RC

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
237
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Finished today, everything worked out great. I did use a deeper box to accommodate the additional wires. Also added a line off the new outlet that will give power to an under cabinet light. Walls are all patched up just waiting for texture and paint. Total number of outlets/switches on this 15amp circuit is now 7.
Thanks for the tips.
 

Jerryh3

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
325
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Nope.
Canadian code is maximum (12) devices allowed per 15 amp circuit, wherein:
P(watts)=VI or P=(120Volts)(15amps)....= 1800 watts theoretical max, hence the typical 1500 watt max. capacity on any 120 volt device (hair dryers, microwaves or skilsaws).
BP;):):cool:
12, 13. Close enough. I was just saying that there is no limit in the NEC, just the CEC.
 

Brewman61

Ensign
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
996
Re: Adding Electrical Outlet

Yeah, outlets are for convenience. You have to add them to comply with NEC minimums, but you can install more than the minimum. The assumption is that you're not going to plug in any more stuff, in fact it's safer to add more so you're not running cords everywhere. That's why the requirements for kitchen counter wiring are so exacting.
When I wired my basement, I knew I'd be having considerable AV equipment, so I used 12 ga romex with 20 amp breakers- for typical living area demands, that's probably overkill. Most high demand circuits are in the kitchen, laundry, etc.....
 
Top