Electrical Rough In Wiring for Receptacles

⬇️ Simplify your electrical rough-in planning: plan breaker allocations, track progress, and generate a materials list with the help of this spreadsheet:
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D I S C L A I M E R
This is our own personal house build and the content shared is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. It is strongly recommended that you consult with a licensed professional before performing any construction projects. Under no circumstance shall we have any liability to you for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the video or reliance on any information provided in the video. Your reliance on any information in the video is solely at your own risk.

[@JL-hn6hi]

Good stuff. I woulda watched this all day, had the vid been that long.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

I appreciate that!

[@generessler6282]

Looks great! I think code required pigtail min length is 6", so 8" or more is probably a good idea. Also some electricians let extra romex at each fixture as a "service loop" to make future work simpler. Eg shifting an outlet.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank ya! After the garage we did mostly service loops in the living space and have already utilized some of them for slight changes 😄

[@DouglasPFresh]

Robertson screws are square drive. Very popular for all screws in Canada.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Gotcha! The only places I see them in the U.S. is any sort of electrical equipment, and pocket hole screws 😄

[@banyantree8618]

Recently found this channel - didn’t intend to binge watch all your posts…..but somehow did.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

haha compliment taken! 😆

[@Wheeler224]

I think you said you ran 6/2 Romex to your EV charging outlet. I’d suggest 6/3 Romex because you’re going to want a 240v outlet there, not 120. Install a NEMA 14-50 outlet or you can hardwire to a future EVSE (aka EV charger), although if you were going to hardwire the EVSE, I’d mount the box higher on the wall, like 48”.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

It will have a blank cover plate for likely quite a few years so decided to keep it low and more out of eyesight. I've read most (if not all) EV chargers run exclusively on 240V, so all you need are 2 conductors and ground to accomplish that. The third conductor is only needed if 120V power is needed, such as a dryer or stove where there might be a standard voltage control panel or light bulb.

[@Wheeler224]

True, you could run 240v on 6/2 with two hots and no neutral, which will work for many EV chargers. Props to you for thinking of the future with wiring for an EV and induction stove as long as you’re doing it. I made the suggestion for 6/3 because a lot of EVSEs come wired with a 4-prong NEMA 14-50 plug and some have built-in GFCI which needs the neutral. I’m not an electrician, but I wired a 14-50 outlet in my garage on a 50A 240V circuit to plug in my mobile charger when I first bought an EV. All my research said 6/3 was the way to go when wiring a new EV circuit. (Also, in the future if you ever have friends visit who own an EV, you’ll be a hero if you have a plug they can use!) That said, I love your videos. Nice work, keep it up.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Gotcha! I guess I’ll have to cross that bridge when I come to it to get the right charging hookup for a 6-50 plug or hardwire. I appreciate the input! Thanks for following along!

[@AlwaysHonestReviews]

Ive always drilled a smaller hole first then the bigger hole after much easier imo and you wont wear you big bit out near as fast edit: or smoke your drills motor lmao ive smoked a drill or two before and itll work for alittle bit longer..

[@MasonDixonAcres]

haha gotta keep that little Dewalt honest!

[@jayztower4272]

first

[@Austin-fc5gs]

I think square screw heads are less likely to strip

[@bkkcanuck]

Much less likely and up in the great white north they are called "Roberston" bits. They are easy to use one-handed, because the tapered socket tends to retain the screw, even if it is shaken.

[@nikond90]

Good morning, where is your video on fire sprinklers?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

In the editing pipeline!

[@timolson7005]

robertson is square.. i find lots of stuff with robertson... canada is mostly robertson.. we have a bunch of things plugged in near the sink and on the counter.. coffee maker, led under cabinet lights, small coffee grinder, can opener, knife sharpener, toaster, microwave we have power strips screwed into the wall since there are nowhere near enough outlets.. to do over, 100% duplex outlets and every 24 inches maximum

[@MasonDixonAcres]

oh gosh not the power strip mounted to the wall 😆 we are trying to keep all countertop appliances on the pantry countertop to keep the kitchen uncluttered. Duplex outlets are right around 24" in the pantry

[@tjphillips2017]

Hey guys. Hope you had a great Christmas! I’ve been a fan since you started. The how-to videos are always a pleasure to watch however I’m a gardener and a wannabe homesteader. I hope you plan to put out more gardening videos this spring and also maybe something like sourdough bread making, kimchi is also pretty easy. Just some suggestions. Hey if people don’t tell ya what they want you won’t know, right. Whatever you plan, I’ll be watching. You guys rank up there with Roots and Refuge Farm in my estimation….Keep up the good work and you could be writing a book soon. Thanks and have a great new year!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks so much Tom! It's funny you mention this - Elaina actually just started a brand new channel that focuses more on the homestead content, as MDA has obviously become quite building focused. One of her main inspirations for the new channel is Jess from Roots and Refuge, who she could watch forever. For now, we're keeping the channel name under wraps and letting the YT algorithm do it's thing to recommend it to the right audience. If you watch a lot of homesteading content, it might pop up! Eventually we will talk about it on here 😉

[@thtadthtshldntbe]

thanks for the video. Happy New year and keep up the great work. Suggestion - as the weight of the spool of wire lowers as you use it, its not going to be heavy enough to resist you pulling the wire vs the tension of the wire. Add some method of locking/bolting the reel down to the platform.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks for the idea! Happy New Year to you as well!

[@kylebochan3918]

Milwaukee has some nice ECX driver bits and screwdrivers that make terminating outlets and switches lot easier. They are a combination of a flathead and Robertson bit.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Looked it up, never seen anything like it. Appears to be a perfect fit for most electrical screws. Thanks for the recommend!

[@dspears666]

You seem to be using 12/2 for all receptacles when 14/2 would suffice. You don't think 20A is overkill for standard receptacles?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

I don't, it's almost no difference on cost and keeps it simple in my head - yellow = receps, white = lights 😄 on the household receps, 15A is plenty. But on the garage receps, I have several tools close to that limit such as a 13A pressure washer. I'd rather upsize there and keep it consistent throughout for simplicity Forgot to add - code for the small appliance circuits in the kitchen required a 20A circuit, and I think the dining is included also. That covered about half the receps upstairs, so it was easier just to run everything in 12 gauge.

[@Bjc227UNH]

For drilling through the studs you can use a drill bit extension in those spots where you have to go through multiple studs or have awkward spacing between studs where you can't fit the drill in with the bit installed. I've always used spade bits but they can produce some chip out.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

I have them for 1/4" bits but didn't have anything for the auger bits with a bigger chuck. May or may not have killed one of the $2 harbor freight 1/4" extensions trying to use it with a spade bit... 😁

[@bryce2113]

For boring holes, I highly recommend Irwin speedbore bits. They make quick work of holes and require a lot less effort on your part to get the bit through. And they stay sharp for a long time. They're also keyed for impacts, so in a pinch you can use a compact impact driver with no issues. I've used them on my Milwaukee M12 fuel impact driver without issues.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks for the recommend! I've seen those before, sort of a combo spade and auger bit. Will definitely give them a shot

[@peterhenderson3694]

Nice and neat good job. You mentioned one circuit for the microwave and island outlets remember there is a code to install according to manufacturer instructions. Check your microwave installation directions because most of them require a dedicated circuit.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks for that tip! It does look like many run at about 13-14A at full power and "require" a 15A plug but "recommend" a dedicated. I'll keep the dedicated 20A that I ran there, and extend one of my countertop outlet circuits to feed the two island receps.

[@peterhenderson3694]

@@MasonDixonAcres good idea. There’s another code reference that limits a single load to be not more than 50% of the circuit that’s why a lot of window a/c units only draw 7.5 amps. Keep up the great work.

[@rsachoc]

I've used spade bits to drill the holes through the studs for romex, they seem to be easier to work with that the auger bits

[@MasonDixonAcres]

I don't disagree there, although my harbor freight spade bits are probably just as bad as the auger bits 😂

[@rsachoc]

I love my Harbor Freight stuff, especially for stuff I'm only using a couple times. Just about to purchase a cheap HF tile cutter for the bathroom remodel @@MasonDixonAcres

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Absolutely, and some of their stuff does compare well with the brand names.

[@rsachoc]

Oh, love the channel BTW, keep going!@@MasonDixonAcres

[@howardrfrank]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYrLnIyEl7-SftU Be sure to add a nail plate in front of the drain pipe as well as to protect the romex near the clothes washer. Love the progress. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank you! Yes good catch on that drain pipe - already added!

[@andrewhoward4054]

Yes you can run romex in conduit. No you can't run romex in conduit outside bc romex isn't rated for wet locations. Inside of conduit is considered wet location bc it's outside. Yes some states have amendments, like here in NC, 6 feet of romex is permitted to be in conduit outside if certain conditions are met.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Gotcha! good to know, thanks for that clarification!

[@andrewhoward4054]

@MasonDixonAcres love your videos BTW. Enjoy watching them

[@carlicehouse]

I'm far too late to the party but it's a LOT easier to strip the outer sheathing of your wires before putting them into the box.

[@FeedingMyFetish]

You are beyond anil. That's a complament.

[@ppomm]

Haha .. I agree. It is funny to see obsession re. the straightness of Romex cable -- it makes zero difference in function or safety, and will literally never ever be seen by anyone once drywall up. Yet it's a hallmark of a "good job". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@FeedingMyFetish]

@@ppommI disagree. A good job can be accomplished by a fair number of electricians, me included. Your work goes beyond"good" into the realm of perfection.