alt.energy.homepower

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:49:33 GMT, "Pete C." < @ >
wrote:

>wmbjkREMOVE@ wrote:
>>
>> On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:22:38 -0400, "Mike Payne"
>> wrote:
>>
>> >I guess it's my job to disagree with most of the other posters. 15A
>> >circuits let you work with 14 gauge wire. It is orders of magnitude easier
>> >to wire outlets and lights with 14 rather than 12. I use 12 only for
>> >workshops and kitchens where they might actually be needed.
>>
>> That makes 2 of us. A friend tried to talk me into using #12 for
>> everything (as he'd done at his own place). When I told him that the
>> bulk of the long runs were one light per circuit, and that nearly all
>> of them would be 12W CFs, he started the "what about the next guy"
>> angle. Sheesh! If there's a next guy, and if he wants to use 150W
>> bulbs, and if he thinks that'll stress the #14, then too bad. :-)
>>
>> Wayne
>
>I have to disagree, I find the "workability" difference between 12 ga
>and 14 ga virtually unnoticeable. 2 ga copper is a bit of a pain to deal
>with, but much of anything below that is all the same to me.

I don't agree, but even if there was zero workability difference, that
wouldn't be a valid reason to spend even a nickel extra on a 12W
circuit, or any low-power circuit. The only half-way reasonable
argument I've heard for using 12 on low-power circuits is that it's
more forgiving of bad workmanship. But anyone who needs that crutch
shouldn't be doing electrical work anyway.

Lots of people (including me) waste money when they don't need to, but
we shouldn't encourage the newbs to do that. Ask any question on
Usenet, and far more people will tell you to overdo things than
underdo them. If a guy with a normal budget started building a home,
and followed the Usenet consensus on how to do it, he'd probably run
out of money before he finished the foundation. :-)

Wayne