PDA

View Full Version : Any electricians in the house?



stroguy
05-26-2015, 07:58 AM
Can I turn this into a 4 way receptacle with an additional conduit run to another section of a patio cover? I can do the work but am asking more of a code issue or question. I still want the receptacle but want the additional run of conduit for 2 ceiling fans under the patio cover.

Thanks

Randy

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c6/stroguy/image.jpg1_zpsphks9fqo.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/stroguy/media/image.jpg1_zpsphks9fqo.jpg.html)

srt8-in-largo
05-26-2015, 08:32 AM
Would something like this be governed by a national or local code?

I know I don't need to tell you but I will anyway, WATCH yourself around home wiring; anything that can kill you demands a healthy respect.

bigbird
05-26-2015, 08:34 AM
Do you mean splice into the weatherproof box and run a second weatherproof duplex receptacle?
Or do you mean rip out the current box, install a 4X4 box with 2 duplex receptacles in the new box?

The answer is yes to both questions if you make sure that the current box and any new box is GFCI'd. I see that the current receptacle is not a GFCI receptacle, so it is either paralleled to an existing GFCI receptacle on another exterior part of the house, or it is protected by a GFCI breaker in your panel. If neither of those conditions is true, make sure you make all existing weatherproof boxes on the outside of the house GFCI protected.
Your local code may support only 12 devices per branch circuit. If so, make sure you have no more than 12 devices on the expanded circuit.
Make sure the conduit you use to connect to the existing box is code correct (EMT or PVC tubing), and use weatherproof compatible connectors. Liquid Tite, often used for AC compressor drops, is not code compliant for a duplex receptacle.
If unsure, try to find someone at a building supply store who knows something about your local code. I know that's often hard to do at HD or Lowe's.

stroguy
05-26-2015, 08:47 AM
Very good BB. I would prefer not to cut into the brick to install a 4x4. Would like to abandon this 2x, leave the box and parasite a 4x4 box on top. Then grey pvc conduit under the existing and soon to be expanded patio up a post with a dado cut to hide the pvc. Then around roofline of the patio I would distribute two circuits for 2 ceiling fans. The new 4x4 would not be exposed to direct rainfall. It will be up'd to a GFCI if it is not already pawned off of one. I suspect it is pawned through an outlet in the garage. I would still want outlets for a mobile TV and the visiting margarita machine my neighbor brings over. Presently the outlets have a LV landscaping transformer which I would also use for patio lighting. Want to run a string of small LV party lights as our patio lighting.

Thanks George, multimeter standing by. I have visited the 120VAC dog before. He do bite hard, lessons learned.