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The Main Electrical Panel & Subpanels  

by Don Vandervort, HomeTips © 1997-2018

February 29, 2016

A guide to how your home receives and distributes electrical current and how much it
needs

The electrical meter is mounted at the main electrical panel. From here, power is distributed
to subpanels and circuits throughout the house.

Once electricity is carried beyond your meter, it is distributed to lights, receptacles, and
appliances throughout the house by several different electrical circuits. Here we look at the
load centers—the distribution center or main panel and smaller subpanels used to hook up
and control the various electrical circuits.

©Don Vandervort, HomeTips

Main electrical panel contains primary circuit breakers and individual breakers.

Main panels come in scores of sizes and configurations. A panel might be mounted on the
outside of the house, either separate from or combined with the meter, or on an inside wall,
behind the meter. The main panel receives three incoming electrical service wires and routes
smaller cables and wires to subpanels and circuits throughout the house. Power lines connect
to the two top lugs of the meter mount. The main circuit breakers pull electricity from the two
bottom lugs when the meter is in place to complete the circuit. The main breakers deliver
electricity to the two bus bars, which in turn pass it along to the secondary circuit breakers.

For safety, all circuits should be grounded: A continuous conductor (often solid copper)
should run from the neutral connector inside the panel to a ground such as a water pipe or
metal rod driven into the ground.
The main panel also includes some type of mechanical device for disconnecting the house’s
electrical circuits from the incoming power. In most contemporary systems, this device is a
circuit breaker or simply “breaker.”

A circuit breaker is a switch that may be shut off manually or be tripped automatically by a
failure in the electrical system—usually an overload that could cause the wires to heat up or
even catch fire. Other types of disconnects utilize levers and fuses—you pull down on a lever
or pull out a fuse block to shut off the power to the house’s circuits.

Behind the main panel’s circuit breakers, power is delivered through charged bus bars. DO
NOT TOUCH!

The maximum amperage that a service panel may deliver at one time is marked on the main
breaker. For most homes, a 100-amp main is sufficient to handle all electrical needs;
however, many new-home builders now install 150-amp or 200-amp services to ensure plenty
of capacity. Electrical service panels rated at 60 amps or lower are undersized for
contemporary needs.

Every circuit breaker is rated for the type of wire and load required by its circuit. The most
typical capacities for lighting and receptacle circuits are 20-amp and 15-amp. Standard
breakers for 120-volt circuits take one slot; breakers for 240-volt circuits take two. Some
manufacturers make extra-thin breakers that take only half the space of standard breakers.

Larger-capacity circuit breakers are used for electric appliances such as ovens, water heaters,
clothes dryers, and air conditioners, which draw a lot of power. Larger breakers may also
connect to secondary panels, called subpanels, that have their own set of circuit breakers and
power specific appliances or areas of the house. The subpanels may be located in a different
part of the house.

Outdoor, kitchen, and bathroom receptacles should be protected by a special ground-fault

circuit interrupter (GFCI) circuit breaker to guard against electrocution. Because it is highly
sensitive to any short, this type of breaker may need resetting more frequently than standard
breakers and should be tested periodically.
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Basic House Wiring
Last Updated: 26 July 2016

The ability to repair basic house wiring in you home is a skill you can acquire. Electrical
wiring in a residential house is not that complicated, but it can be dangerous. A proper
understanding of how the wiring and electrical fixtures work is essential.

This article will point you to the resources that will give you the knowledge that you need. If
you are looking for information on a specific problem, see the article on 'Home Electrical
Repair', it has listings on all of the major electrical and wiring problems you are likely to
encounter in your home.

Understanding Residential Wiring

Most homes in the United States have two hot wires and one neutral coming into them.
Supplying a stated 240/120 volts. The actual voltage received is normally slightly less
230/115 volts. This type of power is commonly called single phased power. Most residential
homes have this type of basic house wiring.

The power coming into your home is also called alternating current. There are people in the
world that can explain what that means exactly, but none of them are writing this article.
Alternating current is used to allow electricity to be transported over long distances. Leave it
at that, the guys that can explain it will talk in a language you won't understand.

The first power plant using alternating current came on line in Niagara Falls, New York in
1894. Nikola Tesla is credited with the development of a system the would allow power to
sent long distances. Thus, making it practical.

When you use one hot wire and the neutral you get 115 volt power. Most small electrical
devices and lights run on this current. Heavy duty items like ranges, hot water tanks and
dryers use both hot wires and the neutral to achieve 230 volts.

You may not want to tear into replacing you electrical service, but doing some basic house
wiring may not be out of the question. The first thing you want to do is get a healthy respect
for electricity. It is dangerous and can hurt or kill you. Take precautions when working
around electricity.

Basic House Wiring Rules

The first rule to remember is that basic house wiring can be dangerous. Never attempt to do it
without a good understanding of how it works and safe work practices. This article is
intended to provide basic information and is not a comprehensive discussion of all aspects of
house wiring. See the article on 'Electrical Safety Tips for Homeowners' for more
information.

In addition local and national electrical codes apply. You will need to consult your local
building department to get information on what is acceptable for basic house wiring in your
area.
Basic House Wiring the Safe Way

You never want to work on basic house wiring in your home with the power on. See the
article 'Electrical Safety Tips' for more information. Just shutting off a switch is not enough.
On the job electricians use lock out tag out procedures to make sure circuits are not
inadvertently turned on while they are being worked on. You turned off the switch, so
everything is fine right?

It is much safer to turn the circuit off at the panel before working on the device. Someone
could accidentally turn on the switch by mistake and an accident ensues. You should
additionally tape off the breaker and mark it as being worked on. <strong>Does you teenage
son know where the electric panel is? What will he do if his stereo or video game goes off?

In addition you need to take it one step further. Have a non contact voltage tester with you
and check the box before you mess with it. It is possible for more than one circuit to run
through the same box. You may have shut one of them off, but there could still be hot wires
in the box. The number of combinations you can find in basic house wiring is staggering.
Always double check.

Circuits in panel boxes are sometimes poorly marked. It may take some experimenting to get
the right circuit. Take the time and make sure the power is off. Take a look at the article
'Electrical Safety Tips' for a more information on electrical safety.

Troubleshooting Wiring Problems

Safety First

Before you even think about fixing anything in your home that involves electricity, you want
to make sure you are doing it in a safe way. Electricity is DANGEROUS and you can be
HURT or even KILLED if you are not careful. With that said, there are some basic
precautions that will keep you from getting hurt. The article 'Electrical Safety at Home'
provides warnings and precautions that you need to follow.

Making sure the 'POWER IS OFF' before you work on any electrical device is always the
first thing you should do. Understanding how electricity works and the task you are
performing should be done before you begin. Using the proper tools and wearing the right
personal protective equipment is also very important.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International website has a wealth of information on dealing
with electricity in a safe manner. There is a page on this website that has several suggestions
for Do It Yourself Electrical Safety.

Main Service Panel

The nerve center of you home electrical system is the 'Main Service Panel'. It contains the
circuit breakers or fuses for the electrical power in your home. Most of the time it will also
have a 'Main Disconnect' for the homes power supply.

Whenever the power goes off in a section of your home, the main service panel is the first
place to go. See the article on 'Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit Problems' to determine if
you have a blown fuse or tripped breaker.

During a flood or any time the home is damaged, you will want to turn off the main breaker
at the panel.
Electrical Circuits Types

The main service panel or distribution panel as it is sometimes called, branches out into
several circuits. Some circuits are just for outlets in your home and others are for lighting.

You also have what are called 'Dedicated Circuits' for special items such as a furnace or
washer and dryer. When a specific item stops working the first thing to check is the breaker
for that item. Your panel should have labels for what each circuit breaker is assigned to.

Circuit Breaker Types

The main function of a breaker or fuse is to keep circuits from overloading. Wires and
devices are only rated for a certain amount of current. If too much electricity passes through a
wire it will overheat and can cause a fire.

Circuit breakers are designed to trip when the amount of current exceeds a certain level. This
is a safety feature that is required by code. Breakers are also used to regulate the power to
certain devices, some requiring a little power, others require a lot of power.

Newer circuit breakers can also detect shock hazards and arcing conditions. Again, safety
features to prevent fires and injury. This article provides information on how the various
types of breakers work and the issues that arise.

Electrical Wire Types

Electrical wire comes in many sizes and is made from different materials. There are certain
hazards that can arise from certain types of wire.

Additionally, the size of the wire will determine how much current can go through it. You
will want to use the correct size wire whenever you are installing or replacing electrical
devices.

Adding a Circuit to a Panel

Adding circuits in an existing home may be required for various reasons, such as remodeling
or the purchase of new appliances. There are several factors to consider before a new circuit
is added.

Residential Wiring

This article provides basic information about the types of wiring and methods that are used in
most homes. It is important to understand what the various wires do and how that are
connected to each other.

Newer wiring is color coded, to let the installer know what the wire is for. However, colors
are not an absolute indicator of how a wire is being used.

Installing Electrical Fixtures

Changing existing outlets, switches and fixtures is a common electrical task. Get tips and
tricks for performing these tasks.
Problems With Electrical Circuits

See this article for information on problems with wiring and circuits. It will help you
determine what is causing you difficulty and provide you with information on how to solve
problems.

For problems with electrical outlets see 'troubleshooting outlets' and 'wiring light switches'
for information on these two common problems.

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Electrical Basics 101

Updated 07/03/18

We depend on electricity constantly, and when the power goes out in a storm, or there's a
tripped breaker or another problem in an electrical circuit, understanding the basic
components of an electrical system can help you get things running again. It's also important
to know who is responsible for what portion of your electrical service. The utility company
handles the line portion of your service, which includes everything up to the attachment point
on your house. From there, it's called the load side, and everything on the load side is your
responsibility. 

Electrical Service Connection

Your home's electricity starts with the power service. This is where the electric company
connects their wires to your home's feeder wires that attach the meter to your house or power
pole. The meter measures the amount of electricity your home uses and is the basis for the
charges on your electric bill. 

Disconnect Switch

 A disconnect switch is mounted on the outside of your home close in proximity to the meter
on the outside of your home or power pole. The advantage of having a disconnect switch is
for safety. In the event of a fire or flash flood, you can shut the power off from the outside of
your home versus having to enter a burning home or a flooded basement.

The other instance has a transfer switch in which you can switch between live power and a
generator for backup power.

Main Breaker

The service panel contains a large main breaker that is the switch controlling the power to the
entire panel. It is sized according to your home's usage, or load, needs. A standard panel
today provides 200-amp service. Older panels were sized for 150, 100 or fewer amps. 

The main breaker of 200 amps will allow a maximum of 200 amps to flow through it without
tripping. In a tripped state, no current will flow to the panel. The main breaker is the interrupt
between the utility service and the branch circuits of the panel.

Main Service Panel

After passing through the meter, your electrical service feeds into your home's main service
panel, commonly known as the breaker box. The feeder wires connect to big screw terminals,
called lugs, inside the service panel, providing all the power to the panel. A typical home has
single-phase service consisting of an “A” phase, a “B” phase, a neutral and a ground.

Branch Circuit Breakers

The breakers for the branch circuits fill the panel (usually below) the main breaker. Each of
these breakers is a switch that controls the flow of electricity to a branch circuit. Turning off a
breaker shuts off the power to all of the devices and appliances on that circuit. If a circuit has
a problem, such as an overload or a fault, the breaker automatically trips itself off. 

The most common cause of a tripped breaker is a circuit overload. If you're running a high-
demand appliance, like a vacuum, toaster or heater, and the power goes out, you've probably
overloaded the circuit. Move the appliance to a different circuit and reset the breaker by
switching it to the ON position. If the breaker trips again—without the appliance plugged in
—you must call an electrician. There may be a dangerous fault situation in the circuit.

Devices

Devices are all the things in the house that use electricity, including switches, receptacles
(outlets), light fixtures and appliances. Devices are connected to the individual branch circuits
that start at the breakers in the main service panel.

A single circuit may contain multiple switches, receptacles, fixtures and other devices, or it
may serve only a single appliance or receptacle. The latter is called a dedicated circuit. These
are used for critical-use appliances, like refrigerators, furnaces, and water heaters. Other
appliances, such as dishwashers and microwaves, usually are on dedicated circuits, too, so
that they can be shut off at the service panel without interrupting service to other devices.
This also reduces the incidence of overloaded circuits.  

Switches

Switches are the devices that turn on and off lights and fans in your home. These switches
come in many different styles and colors to suit your design needs. There are single-pole,
three-way, four-way and dimmer switches. Their purpose is to alter the flow of current to
your lights and fans in a home.

Outlets

Electrical outlets are used to plug portable devices into. Televisions, lights, computers,
freezers, vacuums, and toasters are all good examples of devices that can be plugged into an
outlet.

Outlets consist of a hot feed, a neutral and a ground. Some outlets are used especially for wet
areas.

Wiring

Your home’s wiring consists of romex, BX cable, or wiring concealed in conduit. Romex is a
brand name for a type of plastic insulated wire. The formal name is NM that means non-
metallic sheath. This is suitable for use in dry, protected areas (inside stud walls, on the sides
of joists, etc.) that are not subject to mechanical damage or excessive heat.

Bx cable is known as armored cable. Wires are covered by aluminum or steel flexible sheath
that is somewhat resistant to damage.
Single strands of conductor wire are pulled through a conduit that is the safest method for
wiring for durability purposes.

These different types of wiring carry electrical current from the panel to the device being fed.
Wiring is sized according to the load demand required. Check the rated required load
requirements marked on each device to determine the needed size wire to carry the needed
load.

Electrical Code Requirements by Room

Updated 08/01/18

Electrical codes are in place to protect you, the homeowner. These general guidelines will
give you the basics of what electrical inspectors are looking for when they review both
remodeling projects and new installations. Most local codes are based on the National
Electrical Code (NEC), a document that lays out required practices for all aspects of
residential and commercial electrical installation. The NEC is revised every three years—
2014, 2017 and so forth—and occasionally there are important changes to the Code. So make
sure that your sources of information are based on the most recent Code. The code
requirements listed here are based on the 2017 NEC. 

Most local codes follow the National Electrical Code (NEC), but there can be variances. The
local code always takes precedence over the NEC when there are differences, so be sure to
check with your local building department for the specific code requirements for your
situation. 

Much of the NEC involves requirements for general electrical installation that apply to all
situations, but there are also specific requirements for individual rooms. 

Bathrooms

Because of the presence of water, bathrooms have very carefully defined requirements. With
their lights, vent fans, and outlets that may power hair dryers and other appliances, bathrooms
use a lot of power and may need more than one circuit.

 The outlet receptacles must be served by a 20-amp circuit. The same circuit can supply the
entire bathroom (outlets plus lighting), provided there are no heaters (including vent fans
with built-in heaters) and provided the circuit serves only a single bathroom and no other
areas. Alternatively, there should be a 20-amp circuit for the receptacles only, plus a 15- or
20-amp circuit for the lighting. 
 Vent fans with built-in heaters must be on their own dedicated 20-amp circuits.
 All receptacles in bathrooms must have ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection. 
 A bathroom requires at least one 120-volt receptacle within 3 feet of the outside edge of
each sink basin. Duel sinks can be served by a single receptacle positioned between them.
 Light fixtures in the shower or bath area must be rated for damp locations unless they are
subject to shower spray, in which case they must be rated for wet locations.

Kitchen

The kitchen uses the most electricity of any room in the house. Fifty years ago, a kitchen
might have been served by a single electrical circuit, but today, a newly installed kitchen with
standard appliances requires at least seven circuits and often more.
  Kitchens must have at least two 20-amp 120-volt  "small appliance" circuits serving the
receptacles in the countertop areas. These are for portable plug-in appliances.
 An electric range/oven requires its own dedicated 120/240-volt circuit.
 The dishwasher and garbage disposal both require their own dedicated 120-volt circuits.
These can be 15-amp or 20-amp circuits, depending on the electrical load of the appliance
(check the manufacturer's recommendations; usually 15-amps is sufficient). The dishwasher
circuit requires GFCI protection, but the garbage disposal circuit does not—unless the
manufacturer stipulates it. 
 The refrigerator and microwave each require their own dedicated 120-volt circuits. The
amperage rating should be appropriate to the electrical load of the appliance; these should
be 20-amp circuits. 
 All countertop receptacles and any receptacle within 6 feet of a sink must be GFCI-
protected. The countertop receptacles should be spaced no more than 4 feet apart. 
 Kitchen lighting must be supplied by a separate 15-amp (minimum) circuit.

Living Room, Dining Room, and Bedrooms

Standard living areas are relatively modest power users, but they have clearly defined
electrical requirements. These areas are generally served by standard 120-volt 15-amp or 20-
amp circuits that may serve more than one room. 

 These rooms require that a wall switch is placed beside the entry door of the room so that
you can light the room upon entering it. This switch can control either a ceiling light, a wall
light, or a receptacle for plugging in a lamp. The ceiling fixture must be controlled by a wall
switch rather than a pull chain.
 Wall receptacles may be placed no farther than 12 feet apart on any wall surface. Any wall
section wider than 2 feet must have a receptacle.
 Dining rooms usually require a separate 20-amp circuit for one outlet used for a microwave,
entertainment center, or window air conditioner.

Stairways

Special care is needed in stairways to ensure all of the steps are lighted properly to minimize
the hazard fo falling.

 Three-way switches are required at the top and bottom of each flight of stairs so that lights
can be turned on and off from both ends. 
 If the stairs turn at a landing, you may need to add additional lighting fixtures to make sure
all areas are illuminated. 

Hallways

These areas can be long and need adequate ceiling lighting. Be sure to place enough lighting
so shadows are not cast when walking. Remember, hallways often serve as escape routes in
the event of emergencies.

 A hallway over 10 feet long is required to have an outlet for general purpose use.
 Three-way switches are required at each end of the hallway, allowing the ceiling light to be
turned on and off from both ends. 
 If there are more doors served by a hallway, such as for a bedroom or two, you may want to
add a four-way switch near the door outside of each room.

Closets

Closets come with many rules regarding fixture type and placement.
  Fixtures with incandescent light bulbs (which get very hot) must be enclosed with a globe or
other cover and cannot be installed within 12 inches of any clothes storage areas (or 6
inches for recessed fixtures).
 Fixtures with LED bulbs must be at least 12 inches from storage areas (or 6 inches for
recessed).
 Fixtures with CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs may be within 6 inches of storage areas.
 All surface-mounted (not recessed) fixtures must be on the ceiling or the wall above the
door.

Laundry Room

The electrical needs of a laundry room will vary, depending on if the clothes dryer is electric
or gas.

 A laundry room needs at least one 20-amp circuit for receptacles serving laundry equipment;
this circuit can supply a clothes washer or a gas dryer.
 An electric dryer needs its own 30-amp, 240-volt circuit wired with four conductors (older
circuits often have three conductors).
 All receptacles must be GFCI-protected.

Garage

As of the 2017 NEC, newly constructed garages need at least one dedicated 120-volt 20-amp
circuit that serves only the garage. This circuit may also power receptacles mounted on the
exterior of the garage. 

 Inside the garage, there should be at least one switch controlling lighting. It is recommended
that three-way switches be installed for convenience between the doors.
 Garages must have at least one receptacle, including one for each car space.
 All garage receptacles must be GFCI-protected.

Additional Requirements

AFCI requirements. The NEC now requires that virtually all branch circuits for lighting and
receptacles in a home must have arc-fault circuit-interrupter (AFCI) protection. This is a form
of protection that guards against sparking (arcing) and thereby reduces the chance of fire.
Note that the AFCI requirement is in addition to whatever GFCI protection is required—an
AFCI does not replace or eliminate the need for GFCI protection. 

AFCI requirements are enforced mostly in new construction—there is no requirement that an

existing system must be updated to comply with new-construction AFCI requirements.
However, as of the 2017 NEC revision, when homeowners update or replace failing
receptacles or other devices, they are required to add the AFCI protection at that location.
This can be done in several ways: 

 A standard circuit breaker can be replaced with a special AFCI circuit breaker. This is a job for
a licensed electrician. Doing so will create AFCI protection to the entire circuit. 
 A failing receptacle can be replaced with an AFCI receptacle. This will create AFCI protection
to only the receptacle being replaced. 
 Where GFCI protection is also required (such as kitchens and bathrooms), a receptacle can
be replaced with a dual AFCI/GFCI receptacle. 

Tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles. All standard receptacles must be tamper-resistant (TR)

type. These include a built-in safety feature that prevents children from sticking items into the
receptacle slots.
Electrical Code For Outlets
Updated 07/08/17

Electrical code specifies where your outlets should go and what types to use.  Code,
fortunately, appeals to logic.  For example, one requirement--that kitchen countertop outlets
should be no farther than 48 inches from each other is hardly draconian or arbitrary.  It's
based on the average length of cord for most small kitchen appliances.  The intent is to
prevent homeowners from stretching cords too far and creating hazards.

These are the most up to date electrical code requirements for residential wall outlets.  Your
community may differ.  Be sure to check with your permitting department for particulars.

General Areas (Living Rooms, Family Rooms, Bedrooms, Hallways, etc.)

What Is the Required Outlet Spacing on Walls?

Every 12 feet.  The reasoning is that you should never have to extend an electrical cord for a
light, appliance, computer, or other personal need more than 6 feet in either direction.  

Spacing outlets more frequently than every 12 feet is your choice, not required by code.  If
the space gets heavy use--people charging phones, plugging in laptops, etc.--you may want
more outlets than code requires.

Hallways more than 10 feet long must have at least one receptacle.

Are There Exceptions?

If the wall is less than 24 inches wide, an outlet is not required.  Placing an outlet on walls
less than 24 inches wide is your choice.

What Type of Outlet Should Be Installed?

Either a 15A or 20A tamper-resistant outlet, depending on the amperage carried by the wire
servicing that outlet.  Check that circuit's breaker in the service panel to know if it is 15 or 20
amps.

15 amp circuits for general rooms are permitted to be 20 amp if you wish.

What Is a Tamper Resistant Outlet?

As a safety measure, municipalities have largely begun to adopt requirements for tamper
resistant outlets into their local electrical codes.  These are identified by the recessed letters
"TR" on the face of the outlet.

TR outlets are not required:  a).  66 inches or more above the floor; b.)  If supplying an outlet
behind a large appliance that is difficult to move (namely, a refrigerator); or c.)  If the outlet
is part of a light fixture or appliance.

The idea is that spring-loaded gate within the outlet is too strong for young children to open
by means of a knife or other flat object.
Bathrooms

What Is the Required Outlet Spacing on Walls?

There must be a receptacle at least within 3 feet of the outside edge of the sink basin.

Generally, you will want to install the outlet above the countertop.  But the code's 3-foot
designation gives you leeway in case the outlet is not directly above the countertop.

What Type of Outlet Should Be Installed?

Only install GFCI (ground fault current interrupter) receptacles in bathrooms.

No receptacles face-up on countertops.

Receptacles must be on at least one separate 20A branch circuit. The reason is because this
receptacle usually powers high-wattage devices like hair dryers.

Kitchens

What Is the Required Outlet Spacing and Positioning Over Countertops?

Outlets should be placed no farther than 48 inches from each other.  The idea is that no point
on the countertop should be more than 24 inches from an outlet.

Even 12" base cabinets (topped with a counter) will get an outlet, as any wall 12" or wider is
required to have an outlet.

Outlets should not be positioned more than 20 inches above countertops. Exceptions are for
the physically handicapped and for islands or peninsulas where this is not possible.

No face-up receptacles.

At least one receptacle for islands or peninsulas.

At least two branch circuits must supply the countertop receptacles.

What Type of Outlet Should Be Installed?

Only install GFCI (ground fault current interrupter) receptacles over countertops.

Electrical Code Resources

Electrical code--properly called the National Electrical Code, published by the U.S. National
Fire Protection Association--is one of the most important documents a home renovator can
have.

The electrical code is much more than a restrictive document telling you what not to do. It's
an instructive document that will help you learn how to do your own residential electrical
wiring.
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breaker-panels-circuits-and-more.html

Wiring The Studio, Part 1 (Electrical Basics

– Circuit Breaker Panels, Circuits + More)
May 8, 2018

The studio is finally ready to be wired for electricity! That’ll get me one step closer to having
an actual functional work space, and it’s a huge step towards getting this room completely
finished.

I’ve had quite a few people (enough to surprise me) ask me to talk about basic wiring. Let me
be clear that I’m not going to give you a tutorial on how to wire your house for electricity.
There’s too much liability involved in that, and you really need to check your local building
codes, permit requirements, etc., before tackling a job involving electricity. And if you feel
like it’s over your head, even if you have a permit in hand, please, please, for the love of
safety and life itself, hire a professional.

But I do think knowledge is power, and once the mystery of electrical wiring was explained
to me, I felt like I had a much stronger working knowledge of how my whole house works. I
love how empowered I feel each time one of these mysteries — house framing, electrical,
plumbing, window installation — becomes less mysterious to me and I actual understand
how everything works.

Understanding these things also helps when talking to contractors and subs so that you can
better understand what they’re talking about, better communicate problems with them, and
possibly know more about what’s involved in fixing problems so that you won’t be easily
ripped off.

Knowledge is power, my friends. So let’s start with some electrical basics, shall we?

First of all, somewhere your house has a circuit breaker panel (also called a load center, or a
breaker box panel, or “that big metal wall box with the power flippy thingamajigs”. If your
house is old and the electrical wiring hasn’t been updated, then you might have a fuse box (or
boxes). But if you have a relatively new house, you’ll have a circuit breaker panel. Mine is
located inside the closet in the guest bedroom, and it looks like this…

Totally scary and intimidating, right? That’s only until you know what you’re looking at. At
the top, you’ll notice two super thick black wires coming down and attaching to two rather
large connector nut thingies. (I’m pretty sure that’s the technical term.) Those big wires are
coming in from outside and supplying electricity to my entire house. My house has 200 amp
service, which means that at any given time, I can be using 200 amps of power, which would
never happen.

Let’s think about that practically. A vacuum cleaner probably uses 10-12 amps. A hair dryer
is somewhere around 12-15 amps. A clothes dryer might use around 30 amps. A single-bulb
table lamp with an LED light bulb uses around .17 amps. (Amps x Volts = Watts)

So my 200 amp service to my house could supply electricity for almost 1200 table lamps all
turned on at the same time.  Or I could use my hair dryer, clothes dryer, and vacuum cleaner
at the same time, and still have enough amps left to power over 800 single-bulb table lamps
with LED bulbs.
So you might be asking, “If I have all of that power in my house, then why do some things
flip the circuit breaker and make me lose power?”

Well, that’s because not all of those 200 amps of electricity are available to all areas of your
house. And that’s where “circuits” come in.

What is an electrical circuit?

If you look at my circuit breaker once again, you’ll see two columns of thin black things with
wires running to them, and each of them is labeled with 15amp, or 20amp, or 30amp, or
50amp, etc.

Those are the circuit breakers, and each circuit breaker provides a specific amount of amps to
a specific room or a specific area of your home. The most common circuit breakers used are
15 amps and 20 amps, although things like clothes dryers and HVAC systems require
dedicated circuit breakers that are much bigger (around 30-60 amps each, depending on the
what the circuit is supplying electricity for).

So while my 200 amp service could certainly power a clothes dryer, a hair dryer, a vacuum
cleaner, and 800 table lamps at once, I wouldn’t be able to do that all in my living room since
my living room only has 20 amps available to it via one circuit breaker. So I’d have to use the
hair dryer in the bathroom, the vacuum cleaner in the living room, the clothes dryer in the
sunroom, and the lamps spread out evenly throughout the house.

So in a nutshell, an electrical circuit is simply a series of outlets and/or switches that are all
powered via one circuit breaker. And even if you never do any electrical work in your own
house, it’s still good to have a general idea of the circuits in your home so that you’ll know if
you can plug in your table saw and your air compressor and be using those things while your
someone else is running the shop vac.

Planning the electrical circuits

Now that we understand circuits, I’ll show you how I planned my circuits for the studio, half
bath, mudroom, and carport.

The first step was to draw out the room. I used both a floor plan and elevation drawings to get
an idea of where I wanted everything. I used my floor plan drawing to plan out the ceiling
lights, ceiling fan, and pendant lights, and to determine where all of those things will be
switched. I personally hate three-way lighting (i.e., a light that can be controlled by two
different switches, generally on opposite sides of the room), but code also requires that you
be able to step into a room and flip a switch for lighting before you actually have to walk
through the room. So I made my recessed lights switched at the breakfast room doorway, and
the ceiling fan with light switched at the portico door. The other pendant lights are just
additional task lighting. And then I used my elevation drawings of each wall to determine
where I wanted my electrical outlets.

Some of these things are determined by code requirements. For example, on a long stretch of
wall, you need to have an outlet at least every 12 feet. And if you have a wall space at least
two feet wide, you’re supposed to have an outlet.

Other placements are determined by how I’ll use the room. For example, I might want to
keep chargeable tools inside the cabinets, so I’ll need an outlet. I might want to put a printer
in a lower cabinet in my “office” area, so I’ll need an outlet for that.
It’s important to really take time to think through all of the ways that you’ll use a room, and
even plan for possibilities that might not be relevant right now. I don’t actually have any
rechargeable tools right now, but I might in the future. Or I might use those outlets to install
some in-cabinet LED tape lighting in the future. We’ll see. But at least I know those outlets
will be available to me if/when I need them.

After I had my drawings all marked up, I then made an exhaustive list, room by room, and
section by section, of all of the outlets, and lights I would need. Mine looked something like:

Half Bathroom:

 Exhaust fan with ceiling light

 Wall light above mirror
 Regular outlet
 Outlet for toilet (yes, my toilet has to be plugged in )

Carport:

 Lights
 Outlets

Mudroom:

 Ceiling light centered on doors

 Wall sconces
 Outlet
 Closet light

Studio:

 8 recessed lights
 ceiling outlet
 ceiling fan with light

My studio list was quite long, so I’ll spare you the rest. But after I had my very exhaustive
list written, sectioned out by rooms, and I also had my drawings in front of me, I was then
ready to plan out my circuits.

Some circuits are determined by code. I found this article to be very helpful. Beyond that, it’s
just a matter of determining how the room will be used, and how many things you think
might be plugged in and used at the same time. For example, a workshop that is filled with
power tools, and that is used by more than one person at a time might require several circuits
just for that one shop. But your home library that’s filled with books, where you go to read
and get away from it all, and where the most powerful thing used might be a vacuum cleaner
once a week, would probably be fine with one 20-amp circuit powering the whole room,
including lights and outlets. So circuits are determined in part by code, but also by how the
room will be used.

Using my exhaustive list and my drawings, I determined that my carport, half bath,
mudroom, and studio, as well as the portico light and the four outlets I want to put on the
exterior of the studio, will take a total of five 20-amp circuits. Since I already have one circuit
breaker in my breaker box labeled “garage receptacles” and another labeled “garage lights”
and neither of those is currently being used (and haven’t since the garage-to-studio
conversion started), I can reuse those. So I’ll have to add 3 new circuit breakers to my box.
That means that each one of those circuit breakers will have a long electrical wire (called
conductors) going from the circuit breaker in the guest bedroom closet, up into the attic,
across the whole width of the attic, and down into the studio (or half bath, or carport) to
power the specific circuit (or series of outlets and/or switches).

My electrical circuit plan

Circuit 1:

 1 Bathroom ceiling exhaust fan w/light

 1 Bathroom wall light above mirror
 1 Bathroom outlet
 1 Bathroom toilet outlet

Circuit 2:

 8 Carport lights (LED recessed on dimmer) (.92 amps total)

 4 Carport outlets

Circuit 3:

 8 Ceiling lights (LED recessed on dimmer) (.92 amps total)

 3 Pendant lights above project desk
 1 Ceiling fan w/light
 1 Portico light
 1 Desk pendant light
 1 Mudroom light
 2 Mudroom sconces
 1 Closet light

Circuit 4:

 2 Exterior outlets, courtyard side

 2 Low outlets on workroom table wall
 2 Under desk outlets on project desk wall
 2 In-cabinet outlets on project desk wall
 2 Above-desk outlets on project desk wall

Circuit 5:

 2 Exterior outlets, portico wall

 1 Ceiling outlet
 1 TV outlet, workroom table wall
 2  Mudroom outlets
 1 Office wall outlet by door
 2 Office wall outlets, upper cabinets
 2 Office wall outlets, lower cabinets
 2 Office wall outlets, above built-in credenza
 1 Outlet to right of cased opening to mudroom
 1 Outlet in cabinet to left of cased opening

The general rule of thumb is to have around 10 outlets on a circuit (again, depending on how
they’ll be used). You’ll notice I have more than that on Circuit 5, but I’m okay with that
because, quite frankly, some of those outlets probably will never be used, and the things I do
have planned for that area (cell phone charger, printer, laptop computer, desk light) use very
little electricity. So I’m adding the additional outlets just in case.