Electrical House Wiring 101

In this article you ll learn how to identify different electrical cable types and their use and how to determine the size of individual wires and their purpose.

Electrical house wiring 101.

The black wire line and white neutral connect to the receptacle terminals and another 2 wire nm that travels to the next receptacle. The lower the gauge the larger the wire and the more current it can handle. The boxes connectors and conduit form a wire enclosure system called a raceway. Electrical wire and circuit breakers are designed to work in tandem with one another and each must be of a proper corresponding size.

In the diagram below a 2 wire nm cable supplies line voltage from the electrical panel to the first receptacle outlet box. In order to ensure your home wiring is done correctly there are a few basics that you need to be aware of. Review your plan with the inspector and ask. Wires running inside nm cable bx cable or conduit are sized according to each circuit s amperage.

This repeats until the end of the chain. Boxes come in many different sizes and several different shapes. Special connectors are used to secure conduit to boxes and to join lengths of conduit together to form long straight runs or bends. The key to safe basic house wiring is always keeping in mind that electricity packs a big and deadly punch.

Even the most qualified electricians risk their lives if they don t follow basic safety procedure. Electrical house wiring mistakes can be deadly so make sure you obtain a permit from your local building department and have an electrical rough in inspection scheduled with a building official when you re finished. An electrical box is a plastic or metal box used to connect wires and install devices such as switches receptacles outlets and fixtures. No power no trouble.

The wire and cable aisle at your home center can be a pretty confusing place. Wire size is given in its gauge number. For example 14 2 gauge electrical wire is rated to a maximum of 15 amps and should not be used with any circuit breaker larger than 15 amps 12 2 gauge wiring is rated to a maximum of 20 amps. For example wiring for 20 amp circuits is 12 gauge which is heavier than the 14 gauge wiring used for 15 amp circuits.

Draw a sketch of your room that shows lighting switch and outlet locations.