Electrician help needed

[INP8riot]

My house was built by the homeowner. Almost the entire house was wired with 12 gauge wire, but I did find some 14 gauge snuck in here and there. Those were on 15 amp circuits, so its fine.

Recently I removed a jet tub and I'm wiring up a couple outlets on that leg. It was dedicated to the jet tub. He had a 15 amp breaker on that circuit. If I can trace the wire all the way to the bathroom from the box and it is all 12 gauge, is there anything to stop me from putting a 20 amp breaker on that circuit?

Also, for the wiring I can't trace (behind walls) is there any way to test the resistance at the outlet or the box to determine if it is 100% 12 gauge on that circuit?

The garage is on 15 amp breakers and it would be nice to have 20. It is 12 gauge at the outlets. I fear if he threw 14 gauge wiring somewhere I can't see, I would unknowingly create a hazard. Assumptions in electrical work is not something I do. But if I could test the resistance and be sure, I would do it.

 

[edwea]

If you can verify #12 all the way to the panel, you're good for a 20a circuit.

 

[ZurokSlayer7X9]

I'm not an official electrician, but I have wired my house up myself and know a little about it.

Recently I removed a jet tub and I'm wiring up a couple outlets on that leg. It was dedicated to the jet tub. He had a 15 amp breaker on that circuit. If I can trace the wire all the way to the bathroom from the box and it is all 12 gauge, is there anything to stop me from putting a 20 amp breaker on that circuit?

If it's all 12 gauge, then yeah. No problem.

Also, for the wiring I can't trace (behind walls) is there any way to test the resistance at the outlet or the box to determine if it is 100% 12 gauge on that circuit?

The garage is on 15 amp breakers and it would be nice to have 20. It is 12 gauge at the outlets. I fear if he threw 14 gauge wiring somewhere I can't see, I would unknowingly create a hazard. Assumptions in electrical work is not something I do. But if I could test the resistance and be sure, I would do it.

I'm not sure if there is a way to determine gauge through resistance with a simple tester or not, I'll leave that to those more experienced. However, in theory 14 gauge could be used with a 20 amp circuit if you KNOW that the amperage will NOT go over 15 amps. It's not advised, but you're house won't burn down if all you ever have is a 5 amp light or something on the circuit. Electricity is drawn, not supplied. All the thicker wire does is allow more current through without failing and overheating. It's why you can use 14 gauge travelers on a 12 gauge 20 amp homerun if the fixture requires 15 amps (12 gauge can handle 15 amps, vice versa not so much).

 

[INP8riot]

My wife has a dual motor blower for grooming dogs. She pops a 15 amp if she turns them both on. So I definitely need to be 100% on that garage circuit. May be safer to just run a wire myself.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Recently I removed a jet tub and I'm wiring up a couple outlets on that leg. It was dedicated to the jet tub. He had a 15 amp breaker on that circuit. If I can trace the wire all the way to the bathroom from the box and it is all 12 gauge, is there anything to stop me from putting a 20 amp breaker on that circuit?

Why the need to raise the breaker rating to 20amps? Are you tripping breakers?

You can turn everything on in a circuit and take an amp reading at the breaker to determine if the circuit is nearing it’s maximum allowance.

You are allowed to use 80% of a breakers rating. For 20 amps that is 16 amps. For a 15 amp breaker that is 12 amps.

 

[INP8riot]

Why the need to raise the breaker rating to 20amps? Are you tripping breakers?

Not at all. Just that garage circuit with the dryer. But its at the farthest point from the box, so there's a lot of distance for some 14 gauge wire in there. I've seen enough in this house to question everything and anything.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Not knowing the age of the house, you may just need a new 15 amp breaker. Cheap enough to try it. They do wear out if repeatedly tripped.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Not at all. Just that garage circuit with the dryer. But its at the farthest point from the box, so there's a lot of distance for some 14 gauge wire in there. I've seen enough in this house to question everything and anything.

Hard for anyone to give you a perfect answer without visual. With that your last sentence states, I think I would choose to run a dedicated line. People do questionable stuff with doing things themselves and thats what leads to small fires. Sounds like you know better.

If a 15 amp breaker is tripping from the blow dryers running, you need to look at the dryer full load amp rating. Then trace what else in that circuit is using up amps all at the same time. For example: is there a microwave/coffee pot on the same circuit?

Like I said, I would amp meter the wire leaving that breaker and then have you wife turn on the blowers. See what the amperage jumps to.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Also bad connections lead to overheating and arc faults. Bad wirenut joints, cheap stab in connection to receptacles and switches.

 

[Leo]

My wife has a dual motor blower for grooming dogs. She pops a 15 amp if she turns them both on. So I definitely need to be 100% on that garage circuit. May be safer to just run a wire myself.

This is good thinking.

Once a circuit disappears behind drywall, you are never sure. That is why I mostly turned down residential add/move/change work. The last man to work on it is who gets sued even if the fire started at the other end of the house.

I sure would not risk burning down my house over $50 of wire and an afternoon of labor. You cannot beat a dedicated home run circuit from the breaker to the device.

 

[Michigan Slim]

When I moved in I tightened all the connections in my breaker box. Some took a full turn or more.

 

[INP8riot]

House was built in 92. I had an electrician come and replace all of my breakers. They were rusty and horrible looking.

That drier is 17 amps with both motors. So I know I need a 20 amp for that.

I have made my way through the house and replaced all outlets and switches. Wires barely making contact, some termianls were pretty dark With ground wires that had some signs of melting. Light fixtures have been replaced as well. Apparently the old owner thought the bare wires were just for decoration. Lol. Funny, but scary. So I have been going around and inspecting every electrical thing here.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

That drier is 17 amps with both motors. So I know I need a 20 amp for that.

Dang those are heavy duty. They require dedicated outlets to start with.

 

[INP8riot]

Dang those are heavy duty. They require dedicated outlets to start with.

Yeah its no joke. It will blow your nips off! And it blows heated air!

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

One way to determine if all the wiring is 14 or 12 gauge is to pull each receptacle and check it. Theoretically no joint should be made unless it’s in an accessible box. So, if you know each receptacle that is fed from that breaker, trip the breaker, pull the covers, remove the receptacle from the box and check the wiring diameter.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Max out the 20 amp breaker circuit and feel the wall where the hidden wire is periodically. Also keep smelling for smoke. If it catches fire or you feel heat, its 14ga.

(Dont really do that)
But seriously. are you good with drywall repair? Maybe cut an inspection hole and find the hidden wire and get eyes on it?

 

[***Ironhead***]

Curious why the need for 20’s in the garage if the 15’s have been working up to this point?

As Hoosier carry said you really need a dedicated circuit for the hairy driers, imo.

 

[JettaKnight]

Dang those are heavy duty. They require dedicated outlets to start with.

Indeed, you'll need a NEMA 6-20 outlet. That dyer probably should be a 220V model...

Max out the 20 amp breaker circuit and feel the wall where the hidden wire is periodically. Also keep smelling for smoke. If it catches fire or you feel heat, its 14ga.

(Dont really do that)
But seriously. are you good with drywall repair? Maybe cut an inspection hole and find the hidden wire and get eyes on it?

It's not changing mid stream in any way hidden (that'd be a clear code violation), so you can simply look at all the or some of the outlets in the chain; it'd be painless to pop the covers off an inspect them.

If it's 12ga at the panel, 12ga at an any outlet, then you're GTG.

 

[LtScott14]

If you have the know how, check and record amp draw on each circuit. You will find out when things are on and running the nameplate info isn't even close. Amp draw with a digital meter goes a long way. Good luck.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Indeed, you'll need a NEMA 6-20 outlet. That dyer probably should be a 220V model...


It's not changing mid stream in any way hidden (that'd be a clear code violation), so you can simply look at all the or some of the outlets in the chain; it'd be painless to pop the covers off an inspect them.

If it's 12ga at the panel, 12ga at an any outlet, then you're GTG.

Code violations work just as well at preventing jackwagons from doing bad stuff as gun laws prevent murder.

You obviously havent seen some of the work Ive seen. I've actually encountered totally hidden repairs inside walls twice. So since the OP said it was wired up sometimes oddly by the homeowner, I wouldnt put it past the builder to do something shady.