electrical Q. do you need a circuit per bedroom?

[BigguyZ]

Planning a rewire for a rennovation. I know a lot about electrical, but I am wondering if codes requires a circuit per bedroom? Or, can I wire both bedrooms on the same circuit?

Thanks,
Travis

[LCHIEN]

A hand held hair dryer can pull close to 12-15 Amps. Your other big electrcial items in a bedroom area are vacuum cleaner, space heaters - these can all draw 10-15 amps. TV, Stereo, computer are on the order of 1-2 amps and no biggie.

If there's a chance that more than one of the big loads will be used at the same time, seems to me that you will WANT two circuits even if not required. Vacuums, not likely. But, two teen age girls in adjoining rooms will often use hair dryers at the same time.

Room heaters are probably NOT a good idea for bedrooms for kids or adults. If you use one per room and the occupants also use hairdryers then you will need two circuits per bedroom.

[twistsol]

I can't answer your question, although I believe you can wire them on a single circuit. I do know that you need to install an Arc Fault Breaker for outlets in a bedroom. It's sort of like a GFCI but trips if it detects arcing on the line e.g. from frayed cord, a loose connection etc. The breakers are expensive also, about $80 each.

[woodturner]

The breakers are expensive also, about $80 each.

AFCI breakers are required for new installations in bedrooms, but the cost is only $25 to $35 at the box stores, less at an electrical supply store.

To answer the OP's question, separate circuits are not required, but the circuit load limits must be met. However, as LCHIEN notes, multiple circuits are highly recommended.

[twistsol]

AFCI breakers are required for new installations in bedrooms, but the cost is only $25 to $35 at the box stores, less at an electrical supply store.

To answer the OP's question, separate circuits are not required, but the circuit load limits must be met. However, as LCHIEN notes, multiple circuits are highly recommended.

Looks like I need to do some better shopping next time.

[woodturner]

Looks like I need to do some better shopping next time.

The prices I listed were from the HD website, FWIW.

When first introduced (five years or so ago), they were expensive. When the requirement was added to NEC, demand rose and prices dropped.

[toolguy1000]

i would determine what i needed or wanted in each room and then make sure that the code doesn't require more. i have a 90 YO home and , when i got it, the 3 BR home had 9 circuits. we're up to 30 and i think that's about it. in today's world, more service is better than less.

[Tom Slick]

I'm not sure what current NEC is per bedroom. I will add that I don't recommend having the receptacles and lights on the same circuit. If the circuit breaker trips at night then you don't have lighting to exit the room. It's not "code" but is smart design.

[BigguyZ]

Yeah, I've done a lot, and if we were putting in a new/larger panel i'd be all for separate circuits. The old panel only has room for 20. But I thin.k it's best to wire them separately, and that's what I will do. I'm definitely keeping lights and outlets separate.

Ok, so how about the breakersz that have two circuits in 1 bay? I saw some at menards, but I know enough to know that just because it's available doesn't mean it's code.

[BigguyZ]

Yeah, I've done a lot, and if we were putting in a new/larger panel i'd be all for separate circuits. The old panel only has room for 20. But I thin.k it's best to wire them separately, and that's what I will do. I'm definitely keeping lights and outlets separate.

Ok, so how about the breakersz that have two circuits in 1 bay? I saw some at menards, but I know enough to know that just because it's available doesn't mean it's code.

Btw, forgive the "typing". This is from my phone.

[LCHIEN]

Yeah, I've done a lot, and if we were putting in a new/larger panel i'd be all for separate circuits. The old panel only has room for 20. But I thin.k it's best to wire them separately, and that's what I will do. I'm definitely keeping lights and outlets separate.

Ok, so how about the breakersz that have two circuits in 1 bay? I saw some at menards, but I know enough to know that just because it's available doesn't mean it's code.

Btw, forgive the "typing". This is from my phone.

Yeah, for older boxes there are a lot of "half" slot breakers allowing two breakers in the space of one old one. These are usually made by the manufacturer of the original box, e.g. GE will make half width breakers for GE boxes.

You can mix them so if you have a 20 slot box that's half full you can add 10 more full size breakers or 20 more half width breakers. Or strip out the entire box and put in 40 half size breakers.

[toolguy1000]

as we more than doubled the number of circuits in the house over the pas tfew years, i've liberally used half sized square D breakers. there is a limit to the number of circuits a box can have, so check that out as part of the electrical planning. good suggeations abour keeping lighting separate from outlets.

[woodturner]

Ok, so how about the breakersz that have two circuits in 1 bay?

Those are fine, when properly applied. There are some restrictions, so a read of NEC is recommended.

The primary issue is that most panels will accept a limited number of the dual breakers and only in certain slots (often the last five slots in the panel). Unfortunately, in most cases one cannot fill the panel with dual breakers.

[BigguyZ]

The box is an old CH box. By the look of it, I don't see anything that would restrict the use of the half slot breakers to the last few open bays. I don't plan on using many of them- largely due to cost. But I figure we can use them for lighting and fire circuits. That'll allow me to have the bedrooms separately, and give the kitchen more dedicated lines for the fridge, microwave hood, and disposal/dishwasher.

If I had my druthers, I'd really just get a new box. As it is, I plan on adding another terminal bar to separate out the neutral and the ground.

[JSUPreston]

Yeah, for older boxes there are a lot of "half" slot breakers allowing two breakers in the space of one old one. These are usually made by the manufacturer of the original box, e.g. GE will make half width breakers for GE boxes.

You can mix them so if you have a 20 slot box that's half full you can add 10 more full size breakers or 20 more half width breakers. Or strip out the entire box and put in 40 half size breakers.

I wouldn't recommend them unless absolutely necessary. When our addition was finished a few years ago, we started having weird issues with the lights just a few months after the work was done. In a bit of inspiration, I pulled the cover off the breaker panel and saw both sides of that half slot arcing. We shut down the circuits and called the electrician.

The electrician was surprised that it was even in the panel, since we had plenty of extra slots. He said the previous electrician half***ed the job, and that he had seen many of the half slots fail. He replaced the half slot with 2 regular breakers, and no problems since then.

We would have gone back to the original electrician, but he seemed kinda shady and we didn't know how to get a hold of him. This was the addition that was supposed to take 6-8 weeks and took 11 1/2 months to complete...with me doing all the trim carpentry out of my own pocket. The GC went out of business because of the job foreman, and honestly, I doubt proper permits were obtained and inspections performed.