Adding a Receptacle, What You Need to Know

Do You Have Space on Your Circuit for Adding a Receptacle?

Wiring is basically simple if you are adding a receptacle. First, look at the circuit you want to add the receptacle to. There can only be a total of 10 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit that uses 12 gauge wire or 8 receptacles on a 15 amp breaker with 14 gauge wire.

If the house is a newer home you can be sure that the builder wasted no excess capacity which means that you cannot add a receptacle to the existing run. If there is no excess capacity then a new circuit must be installed, beginning at the electric panel.

Steps to Follow for Adding a Receptacle

Start by getting a 15 or 20 amp breaker.
Then, look at colors if you are buying wire.
The white is 14 gauge and yellow is 12 gauge (the smaller the number, the bigger the wire). In the main panel, the black (hot wire) goes to the breaker (in most cases one wire to one breaker), the white and the copper wire to the neutral buss. The white neutral wire must be secured on its own by the terminal screw, no double taps (two wires under the same screw). The copper wire can be bunched up with numerous copper (ground) wires under one screw.

Then, the wire must be fed through the home to the location where you are adding a receptacle. This is a lot easier done in homes with unfinished basements or crawl spaces, or single story homes with accessible attics. The wiring has to be stapled within 18″ of every box and every 4′ 6″ along the length of the wire.
Ground wire connections in junction boxes must be permanently/ mechanically fastened with a clamped copper ring, junction boxes must secured to the framing.

The receptacle must have the ground wire connected to the green colored screw, which is on the same side as the white wire. The black wire connects on the opposite side to the white wire, otherwise you will have reversed polarity.
The last thing you do is connect the wire to the breaker.

There are a lot of simple rules and regulations involved,
an electrical permit is required in most areas around Dayton.