First Home Wiring Project!

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Dockside85

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So my wife and I bought my first home about 7 months ago. When we were looking at the house last summer I noticed that it stayed pretty warm upstairs even when the AC was on. The home inspector told me it was because there was very little airflow up there so the heat stayed trapped in. I bought a gable fan right when we moved in but the weather was getting cooler so I put off installing it. Well the weather has been heating up in Atlanta, hit 88 today which is pretty high for April! Needless to say it was pretty toasty upstairs so I decided today was the day to get around to it (even had to sacrifice time working on my jon build :( ) It was probably 110-120 degrees in the attic while I was working; sweat pouring like a faucet! Anyways, built some framing around the gable build and secured the fan in. I was a little nervous because I'd never worked with home 120v AC wires before. I think it turned out ok though! I spliced the fan wires into a power cable running to a light up there. Connected it all, flipped the breaker back on and tested it out. Works fine! Little loud when you're standing right in front of it but I'm sure it's not as loud when you're on the 2nd floor. Attached a couple of pictures. I guess I'm just still paranoid about something sparking at one of the connections made and lighting the place up! Anyone else installed one before? How do the connections look?
 

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I would put your splice connections in an electric box, that wouldn't pass code where I live and I think it could be a fire hazard. The box will need romex or some sort of connectors where the wires go in the box.
 
Like Gramps50 said, your connections are scary dangerous !!! :shock: If your town has building codes, those connections don't meet them. At the very least, you need an electrical junction box to contain the connections with all wires properly secured to the box and grounded.

The other issue is to find out what else is on that circuit with the light and the fan. What goes off when you flip the breaker and how much power does it draw ?? Some of those gable fans can draw pretty high amps and that might be overloading the circut. Best idea for wiring one of those fans is a dedicated line with it's own breaker.

Another thing you seem to have discovered is that any work done in an attic space (especially in a climate like Georgia's) is best done in the cooler months. :wink:
 
Thanks for the tips guys! If I need to add length onto a Romex cable and I just want to use wire connectors should I put that in a junction box as well? To mount a junction box near the light to feed everything nice and neat into there I will have to add length to the Romex going to the fan on the far side of the attic.

Also to answer you question Doc, I have 1 other room on that breaker and it's a guest bedroom we don't use that literally draws no power. If I had to add in a breaker just for that fan I'd have to contract that out. That's a lot of Romex to run to make it to the breaker box in the basement garage!

Thanks again, I'll pick up some junction boxes today!
 
Yes all connections, splices and such need to be in a electrical junction box and secured as Doc said.
 
DUDE!!!!!! I am a fire restoration contractor. Turn the breaker off and call an electrician. I can use the work but Im not in your area.
 
Your best to not add length to that wire, more splices mean more chances of fire. The scariest part is that, that is in an already hot attic, so if your drawing a ton of current and those splices heat up, that wood could start to burn and you wouldn't know until it's too late. As was mentioned, that should have its own independent breaker and a dedicated line straight to the fan. For your familys safety, honestly disconnect that fan, put the splice in a proper junction box, and get an electrician to add that gable fan.

You could always add attic vents to let some heat out, you can even add on a couple of turbine vents.

Sorry if it sounds harsh, don't mean it to sound that way. Electricity isn't something to be messed with, without Proper training.
 
Dockside85 said:
Thanks for the tips guys! If I need to add length onto a Romex cable and I just want to use wire connectors should I put that in a junction box as well? To mount a junction box near the light to feed everything nice and neat into there I will have to add length to the Romex going to the fan on the far side of the attic.

Also to answer you question Doc, I have 1 other room on that breaker and it's a guest bedroom we don't use that literally draws no power. If I had to add in a breaker just for that fan I'd have to contract that out. That's a lot of Romex to run to make it to the breaker box in the basement garage!

Thanks again, I'll pick up some junction boxes today!
As the other guys have pointed out, if this is beyond your skill set, you really should get a qualified electrician in to do it right. Your family's safety is the most important thing to consider. I understand the rational behind the DIY for simple home repairs and upgrades. Did it myself for many years to save the money. But, an electrician shouldn't want more than a couple hundred dollars to run a dedicated line to that fan and, I'm sure your family's well-being is worth that.
 
Thanks for all the tips guys! If I didn't want the feedback I wouldn't have asked. I've never done much home wiring before and the directions to install the fan weren't much help.
 
Like everybody else said! Put the connections in a box, and by National Electrical Code, that box is required to be accessible. (Not buried in the insulation)
BTW....if you're going to get a local electrician on this, have him quote you for a thermostat mounted in the upstairs hallway, controlling that fan. That way, you wouldn't have to run it all the time, and it would run automatically when it gets too warm upsatirs.

Roger
 
GTS225 said:
Like everybody else said! Put the connections in a box, and by National Electrical Code, that box is required to be accessible. (Not buried in the insulation)
BTW....if you're going to get a local electrician on this, have him quote you for a thermostat mounted in the upstairs hallway, controlling that fan. That way, you wouldn't have to run it all the time, and it would run automatically when it gets too warm upsatirs.

Roger

The fan has a built in thermostat on a dial. It is set to come on at 105 degrees.
 
Dockside85 said:
Thanks for all the tips guys! If I didn't want the feedback I wouldn't have asked. I've never done much home wiring before and the directions to install the fan weren't much help.
It actually came with instructions !?!?!!???? :LOL2: That itself is unusual in today's world. :roll:

I did a quick look to see if there's any info online for you that might give you a ballpark cost to get this done and came up with an Atlanta area online estimate request that might be useful. Check it out at .... https://www.servicemagic.com/task.A...ll.40245.html?XM_SP_ID=18229970&link_id=13328
 
Heard a lot of advice but haven't seen one question about the amp size of the breaker or teh wire diameter.

Is this a 15 amp or 20 amp breaker?
Is the wire romex 14/2, 12/2 or something else?
Is there a ground in the romex wire? Appears to be three wire connectors in the pics, which Im going to assume is black, white, and green/bare (ground).

As for the connections, you could have a million provided they are done properly.
Yes, all connections MUST be in a box and the box must be accessable at all times. Don't hide it within a wall, or under the insulation.

As for the fan, what is the recommended amperage breaker that came with the instructions?
How many amps does the fan motor draw at start up? and then while running?

Im going to guess this is a 15 amp fan and your taped into a 15amp circuit. A 15 amp circuit as a general rule, typically has no more than 10 devices (lights, outlets) on the circuit. Go count all the devices on this circuit, how many?

On the realistic side of things, I don't see a problem if your on a 15 amp breaker, and you have no more than 10 devices on the circuit without the fan. Think of the fan like a box fan plugged into a wall socket, or a ceiling fan added to a ceiling light. I would be real surprised if this fna draws more than about 3.5 amps of power. That will be fine to add to your current 15amp circuit, provided there are no other motors on the same circuit, except a bathroom fart fan is ok.

As for the hardwire. Your best option is to splice power off the light switch, however it looks like you already taped into the wire somewhere in the middle of devices or the main feed. That being the case, put a junction box at that splice and run new wire to the device the wire originally went too, and new wire to the fan. You need 6" of wire inside the junction box. This gives you enough wire to work with latter on down the road. You want only one set of spilces in that junction box and one junction box for a clean professional looking install. Use red wire nuts, and if this is a metal junction box, use a green ground screw and attach the ground wires to the box. If your using a plastic box, grounding the box is not necessary. Might I suggest you install an outlet in the box. It'll give you power for power tools should the need arise. Plus you can install the wires into the outlet and not use any wire nuts, except a special green one with a hole in the end for the ground wires. One the three ground wires you strip two about 1/2" and the third about 2", slide the green wire nut over the 2" and tehn twist the three wires together. What you end up with is a long pigtail to wrap around the green screw ont eh outlet, and the other two ground wires inside the green connector. Mount the box to the lumber the light is attached too, as hgih as you can considering the 6" of wire in teh box. All wire must be anchored within 2' of the junction box and routed so it will not get damaged. Preferred you stable (electrical wireing stables) and anchor it to the studes running around the attic. If you have to run it between the floor joists, stable it to the inside of the joists, you dont want to walk on the wire, so dont anchor it to the top of the joist. Also make sure it doesnt become a trip hazard (it is now in the pictures) and run it all the way to the wall before running up the wall, again not how its done in teh pictures. Staple every 4-6', but no more than 6', unless you drill holes int eh studs and feed the wire through the holes.

NOW, if you must/want to run power back to the electrical panel, find the chimmey and walk around it. No doubt this is a two story house and the chemmey runs from the basement to attic. That means it runs through a ceiling/floor 3 times. One side of that chimney will be open to the basement. However the only way your going to get wire up/down it is via a chain. Get a dog chain long enough to go the distance. Drop one end down the opening around the chimney, and have an assistant listen for it on the first floor, all noise makers off in the house. They will hear it hit the floor or bang off teh walls as you lower it. Once they hear it around theri feet they need to move to the next level down, eventually ending up in teh basement watching for it. Once they can touch it, they can give it a little tug so you know they have it. Dont drop it. Tape your electrical wire to the chain and pull it up to the attic. NOW, if your having trouble, you can use a spot light in the basement and shine it up the chimney. Go to teh attic and look for light around the chimney. Best done at night. I have spent several hours feeding a chain down a chimney. All depends on how tight the carpenters framed around teh chimney. You may also get lucky and have access to one side of teh chimney on lower floors. If the chimney isn't working, try the plumbing vent pipe. You might get lucky, however those typically run inbetween the walls and the hole is drilled out to size. Last option is conduit on teh outside of the house. There are other options, but you really need to know how the house is framed and which decade it was built. You didnt mention anything about knob and tube so I am assuming this house is less than 100 years old, which means its not ballon construction.

One of hte reasons I got out of the electrical business, attics are full of pollen, dust, get super hot int eh summer, and cold as heck in the winter. Plus my knees wouldn't survive decades on knelling on the edges of 2bys.

I have to install 3 lights in 3 different closets before I blow in insulation in the attic. Been putting it off as long as I can. :mrgreen:
 
Thanks for all the info! To answer a couple of your questions the cable is Romex 14/2 with ground. There are two other rooms on the same 15 amp circuit, but we don't use one of them and the others is my 1yr old's room which she is pretty much only in to sleep. I had an electrician family friend come out and take a look at it. He said he would be seriously shocked if that breaker ever tripped because I have nothing running on it and the fan only draws 1.7 amps. I cut all the connections I made and installed junction boxes to the 2x4 studs in the attic. With an electrician looking it over and giving me the ok I'm calling it Done for now!
 
Dockside85 said:
Thanks for all the info! To answer a couple of your questions the cable is Romex 14/2 with ground. There are two other rooms on the same 15 amp circuit, but we don't use one of them and the others is my 1yr old's room which she is pretty much only in to sleep. I had an electrician family friend come out and take a look at it. He said he would be seriously shocked if that breaker ever tripped because I have nothing running on it and the fan only draws 1.7 amps. I cut all the connections I made and installed junction boxes to the 2x4 studs in the attic. With an electrician looking it over and giving me the ok I'm calling it Done for now!
Excellent !!! 8) That's making use of good free advice to get your project done right and safely.

Done for good, I'd say. :wink:
 

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