Receptacles

[osb]

I am slowly semi-finishing my basement. It will be one big open space. The process will involve putting up steel studs around the perimeter (almost done), install basic electrics, drywall, lighting, a drop ceiling and flooring in that order.

My framing is up and I am about to install receptacles on new circuits (AFCI, I think for this), 12 inches off the floor and no more than 12 feet apart. Would putting them at 6 feet apart around the perimeter be overkill or sensible?

Couple other things come to mind.

6' from any door
not over baseboard heaters
the concept or intent is to prevent cords being laid across walk ways and of course heat sources.

Hot tip: If you have a long wall that is a likely location for a couch or your favorite easy chair? You might consider placing a wall switch or two on a "Three Way" to the ceiling / track lights/ switched wall outlets. It is handy when you sit down with the bowl of pop corn and wish you had turned the lights out. Doesn't cost much and is very handy. Below the height of a normal light switch, maybe 32" , but just above the back of your couch/chair.

 

[Speedy Petey]

Don't cut the wire to less than 6 inches outside the box !!!!!!! I don't know how many times I have gone to make a repair or trouble shoot and find the wires are so short that you can barely clear the outlet from the box. I swear that they make up the receptacle then pull the wire back out of the box and staple it! Min. is 6" free. FYI

This is a bit off.
The actual code is 6" of free conductor from the point where the wire ENTERS the box, not "outside" the box.
IMO 6" outside the box is too much and can very easily create and overcrowded box when there are several cables involved.



300.14 Length of Free Conductors at Outlets, Junctions, and Switch Points.
At least 150 mm (6 in.) of free conductor, measured from the point in the box where it emerges from its raceway or cable sheath, .......

 

[Sponsor]

 

[osb]

This is a bit off.
The actual code is 6" of free conductor from the point where the wire ENTERS the box, not "outside" the box.
IMO 6" outside the box is too much and can very easily create and overcrowded box when there are several cables involved.



300.14 Length of Free Conductors at Outlets, Junctions, and Switch Points.
At least 150 mm (6 in.) of free conductor, measured from the point in the box where it emerges from its raceway or cable sheath, .......

Thanks Petey for the correction!

 

[Ian Gills]

Thanks everyone. I always go about 8 inches on the wire and use big boxes too.

I have been caught a few times using boxes that were too small and had to replace them. It can be deceiving just how much room you need.

I am really bad at cutting the right amount of cable from box-to-box though. I always seem to go to short and have to do it again.

The most annoying thing I am doing at the moment is flattening the four spikes used on nail protectors for wooden studs so that they can be screwed to metal studs.

 

[Rmelo99]

I've too learned use the deeper boxes to be on the safe side, more room is always better and once you learn how to fold the wires "acordian style" they will fit everytime. When I first started I did the DIY'er jam and cram them in however I could.

Then I was shown how to fold them. Just need to alternate the folds up/ down/up. If you come in from the bottom first fold is at the top and vice versa.

 

[Chris75]

How big is the house? 800 sq/ft?

I do enough "typical" houses, with 200A services, with all the regular stuff, wire pretty conservatively (as in 6-10 rec on a circuit, 2-3 in kitchens), and I have a hard time not filling a 200A panel.
I think there is more to the story.

Yep, every house I do has about 2 spares left, if i'm lucky, Of course I always try to sell a generator panel setup before hand.

 

[Billy_Bob]

As to how many outlets...

Go look around your house in various rooms and notice the outlets are evenly spaced, but there are "concentrations" of electrical use in some areas and not enough outlets.

So in some areas, it might actually be best to install 4 plex outlets 1 or 2 ft. apart!

My thinking lately is this "one outlet every so many feet" does not cut it.

I think a better design would be to think about what things will be where, and if a concentration of "gizmos" will be in a certain spot, then install 8 outlets there if necessary!

People laughed at me when they saw my newly remodeled living room because there were electrical boxes every 2 ft. almost. (also TV, stereo, phone, etc,). But I must admit it did look ridiculous.

However with the furniture in there, you don't notice it because all the outlets are hidden but just a couple.

 

[nickdel]

This is a bit off.
The actual code is 6" of free conductor from the point where the wire ENTERS the box, not "outside" the box.
IMO 6" outside the box is too much and can very easily create and overcrowded box when there are several cables involved.



300.14 Length of Free Conductors at Outlets, Junctions, and Switch Points.
At least 150 mm (6 in.) of free conductor, measured from the point in the box where it emerges from its raceway or cable sheath, .......

Doesn't the code also require 3" outside the box? At least 6" of conductor from the point it enters the box, and extending at least 3" past the edge of the box?

 

[Speedy Petey]

Doesn't the code also require 3" outside the box? At least 6" of conductor from the point it enters the box, and extending at least 3" past the edge of the box?

Yes, for boxes with any opening dimension of less than 8", such as any switch box.

 

[Agu]

I had a professional electrician rewire one home and he did minimal code for available outlets. That meant I had to move a bed, dresser or some other large piece of furniture just to access an outlet box to plug something in.

Did my own basement family room with 6' spacing and no outlets in the middle of a wall where furniture might go. Made life a lot easier to be able to actually reach an outlet without getting a hernia.