Steve Zerby
Remodel Contractor
Years ago I ran a 2" PVC conduit from my electrical panel on the first floor up to my unfinished second floor when I closed the wall that the panel on the first floor is recessed into because I wasn't going to get around to building out the second floor for some time.
That time is now.
the second floor specs:
1700 sf
two bedrooms
two bathrooms
about 800 sf greatroom
storage loft over the bedrooms
future plans for a darkroom
I was planning on just pulling whatever individual romex runs I needed to complete the second floor wiring, but am wondering how many romex cables I can put in a 2" conduit. The fill tables say 99 conductors for 2" conduit, but I know that is loose wires, not romex.
I was figuring on:
(2) 12/2 for the bathroom GFI circuits
(4) 12/3 wires for eight additional general purpose circuits:
(2) outlet runs for the great room (a/b)
(1) outlet run for the two bedrooms
(1) lighting run for the great room
(1) lighting run for the bedrooms and bathrooms
three extra circuits for future use
It's a straight run up of only about 6 feet in the conduit till I'm into open wall again. Most of the romex runs would exit the conduit there, but one or two of them would continue on up to the loft area through another 10 feet of conduit for future use. I could still pull wires from the panel through the conduit to the loft area if needed in the future as well.
Is this a decent plan, or should I put a subpanel upstairs instead? I hesitate on the subpanel, because I don't want to ugly up the living spaces with it. I could put it in the loft, but that is going to be accessible only by a pull-down stairs or ladder of some sort, so will be a pain when I'm old(er).
What do you think?
Thanks,
Steve
That time is now.
the second floor specs:
1700 sf
two bedrooms
two bathrooms
about 800 sf greatroom
storage loft over the bedrooms
future plans for a darkroom
I was planning on just pulling whatever individual romex runs I needed to complete the second floor wiring, but am wondering how many romex cables I can put in a 2" conduit. The fill tables say 99 conductors for 2" conduit, but I know that is loose wires, not romex.
I was figuring on:
(2) 12/2 for the bathroom GFI circuits
(4) 12/3 wires for eight additional general purpose circuits:
(2) outlet runs for the great room (a/b)
(1) outlet run for the two bedrooms
(1) lighting run for the great room
(1) lighting run for the bedrooms and bathrooms
three extra circuits for future use
It's a straight run up of only about 6 feet in the conduit till I'm into open wall again. Most of the romex runs would exit the conduit there, but one or two of them would continue on up to the loft area through another 10 feet of conduit for future use. I could still pull wires from the panel through the conduit to the loft area if needed in the future as well.
Is this a decent plan, or should I put a subpanel upstairs instead? I hesitate on the subpanel, because I don't want to ugly up the living spaces with it. I could put it in the loft, but that is going to be accessible only by a pull-down stairs or ladder of some sort, so will be a pain when I'm old(er).
What do you think?
Thanks,
Steve
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