Hooking Up Electrical Outlets In Series

A parallel circuit is also a closed circuit where the current divides into two or more paths before coming back together to complete the full circuit.

Hooking up electrical outlets in series. Using an old work or remodeling box allows you to avoid removing. Electrical codes restrict the number of lights or electrical outlets that can be connected to one circuit. Typically you can have no more than eight lights or electrical outlets on a 15 amp circuit. When you wire a single outlet to a live circuit cable you connect the black wire to one of the brass screws usually the top one but it doesn t matter and the white wire to one of the chrome screws.

Locate and turn off the circuit breaker in the main electric panel that feeds the line or circuit to be worked on. A standard electrical outlet has two brass terminal screws two chrome ones and a single ground terminal which is green. Parallel wiring is used in homes because of the reliable self containment of each outlet or light fixture that allows current to flow past them even if they fail than to have. Here 3 wire cable is run from a double pole circuit breaker providing an independent 120 volts to two sets of multiple outlets.

Otherwise a 12 2 romex cable which is one size larger than 14 2 romex cable and suitable for up to 20 amp circuits or 16 amps continuous. Turn off the power supply before working on the electrical project. Connecting electrical devices and appliances like fan outlet light bulbs etc in parallel is a prefer way instead of series wiring. Before working with anything electrical make sure that the power to the area is off.

You can check by using a multimeter on the outlet to see if there is any current there. Step 2 run the wire. This wiring is commonly used in a 20 amp kitchen circuit where two appliance feeds are needed such as for a refrigerator and a microwave in the same location. To determine the amp rating of a circuit just look at the number on its breaker or fuse in your main electrical panel.

Starting here this article series describes how to choose locate and wire an electrical receptacle in a home. Parallel or series parallel wiring method is more reliable instead of series wiring. The neutral wire from the circuit is shared by both sets. Based on the load you want to serve meaning how much current in amps will be needed from the outlets a 14 2 romex cable which is a relatively thin cable suitable for up to 15 amps or 12 amps continuous load could be selected.

Install an electrical box for each outlet you want to add. Wiring diagram for dual outlets. Much more common than series circuits are those wired in parallel including most household branch circuits powering light fixtures outlets and appliances.