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When it comes to using NM cable to wire a home, there are two general camps that contractors fall into. Those who wire the home in 14/2 and those who wire the home entirely in 12/2. But what is the right way to do it? On today's episode of Electrician U, Dustin tackles this topic and gives us some explanations and tips on the right way to do it.

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So the first answer to this question is to check with your local AHJ (electrical inspector) to find out their requirements and the requirements of the jurisdiction you work in. The inspector has the final say on what they are willing to inspect. The current electrical code (2023 NEC is the most current, but many jurisdictions still use the 2020 NEC) is also a resource to consult. Articles 240.4, 210.21, and 310.16 are excellent articles on circuits and cable sizing. Note that Type NM cable falls under the 60-degree rating, not the 75-degree rating used in most commercial wiring.
The next and most practical explanation of what to use for wiring a house would be the circuit type itself. In recent discussions on Electrician U we have looked at series and parallel. From those discussions we have concluded that (in terms of amperage) in a series circuit, amperage is the sum of ALL loads, and that amperage is present throughout the circuit. This is because we have to go THROUGH a load to get to the next load. In a parallel circuit on the other hand, amperage is in direct proportion to the resistance of the respective load in each branch, and the combined amperage of all loads throughout the circuit is present only on the conductors that are carrying the supply. Here we will focus on a few options we have (again, depending on what our local AHJ will accept).
LED lighting uses significantly less power than their incandescent/fluorescent counterparts, so if we run a 12/2 NM cable from the panel through the entire power portion of the circuit, once we leave the load side of the breaker, it can run at 14/2 because the current draw is less. Let's consider this circuit: Let's say we have a parallel circuit with an outlet feeding a 5A load, a second circuit feeding an 8A load, a light switch controlling 4 LED recessed lights at 1A, and a third outlet at the end completing our circuit. With the first 5A load running, the current draw from the breaker through our load would be 5A. Once we started our second 8A load, the conductors around that load would draw 8A, but where they enter the circuit conductors that "feed" the other loads, the current draw is 13A. If we add the 4 can lights, those feeder conductors are now drawing 14A, but the ones on the load side of the switch are only drawing 1A! As long as the local AHJ will accept it, many contractors will run 12/2 conductors through the entire outlet circuit and up to the line side of the switch, and switch to 14/2 for the load side of the switch throughout the lighting portion. Over the course of a large home (or many smaller homes combined), the cost/labor savings can be significant!
We hope this was helpful in deciding which cable (14/2 or 12/2) you should use when wiring a home. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Please leave us a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin Stelzer and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to help our followers become the best electricians they can be.

#electrician #electric #electricity #12gauge #14gauge

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