Romex Electrical connection

[purcellville]

So I have decied I am bold enough to try and do some electrical work. Ipick up some romex 12/3 for indoor use and find 4 wires.

• 
  1. coppper= ground?
  2. Black=hot
  3. White=neutral
  4. Red=????

what the hell is the red wire for?

 

[cooked cook]

Hey purce.
Please don't wire up your grow room by my hazey recolection of how it works....but I THINK that the red is used is cases where there's something like a dimmer switch. you got the other ones right, though. so in a situation where only the black, white, and ground are used, you can just cap off both ends of the red.





I think.

Hopefully someone with some REAL electrical skills will chime in and help ya.
cc

PS- keep on hashin

 

[cocktail frank]

the red can be another 120v circuit for ya if you could use it.
it's just an extra conductor in the wire that you could use for a wide array of things.

 

[NiteTiger]

You got the wrong Romex :wink:

You're wanting 12/2. That means 12 gauge, 2 conductor, 1 ground.

The 2 or 3 is the numbers of conductor wires - 2 for your standard 120v circuit, 3 for a 220v circuit.

You just got the wrong wire. Exchange it for 12/2, and you'll be good to go.

 

[purcellville]

that was my thought to... but hopefuly someone with know how will chime in.

in the mean time I am trying to chain 2 gfci together and it seems rather simple. Feed the inboud romex to the top of gfci 1 and feed the bottom of gfci 1 to the top of gfci 2. anyone tell me this is wrong? Do I need to chain the ground between the 2 gfci's or just the primary feed in gfci?

Any tell me if I am wrong on this??? I have yet to even consider the final hook up to the panel. BTW I noticed many different breakersa at the store each a bit different. What is the best way to identify the typ of breaker I need? open the case and look at the rest?

 

[purcellville]

You got the wrong Romex :wink:

You're wanting 12/2. That means 12 gauge, 2 conductor, 1 ground.

The 2 or 3 is the numbers of conductor wires - 2 for your standard 120v circuit, 3 for a 220v circuit.

You just got the wrong wire. Exchange it for 12/2, and you'll be good to go.

Is it possible to just not use the red wire? or am I in trouble here? a bit late to return as I have been playing a bit with the spool.

 

[NiteTiger]

Yeah, you can just cap off the red if you want to.

DO NOT leave it ignored, just hanging out there. One little shake that brings it into contact with something could lead to disaster.

If it were me, I'd swap it out for the wire I wanted, but I'm persnickity.

 

[Guest]

It is common when wiring new homes or additions to pull 12-3 w/grd to a specific area where 2 20 amp circuits are required, this saves big time as the ground and neutral are common to both circuits. Much cheaper than pulling another 12-2 w/grd romex circuit.

Pull the wire and be happy, you have "twins" !!!! actually 2 circuits instead of one.

Turn off the main panel before doing anything, you can reset all of the clocks in the house later (you will still be alive to do it).

Be Safe

Ty-Stik

 

[NiteTiger]

Turn off the main panel before doing anything, you can reset all of the clocks in the house later (you will still be alive to do it).
Ty-Stik

That sums up electrical safety to a tee LMAO

 

[Nubie Biatch]

Also 12-3 would be used if you wanted to have a light controlled by more than one light switch.

 

[Guest]

3 conductor with a ground is also required on smoke alarm system circuits, same as a 3-way light switch (as noted by Nubie Biatch) and for Nite Tiger, grab a hold of that hot bus bar and someone will have the biggest BUZZ of their former life.

Ty-Stik

 

[NiteTiger]

and for Nite Tiger, grab a hold of that hot bus bar and someone will have the biggest BUZZ of their former life.

Ty-Stik

Huh?

 

[purcellville]

It is common when wiring new homes or additions to pull 12-3 w/grd to a specific area where 2 20 amp circuits are required, this saves big time as the ground and neutral are common to both circuits. Much cheaper than pulling another 12-2 w/grd romex circuit.

Pull the wire and be happy, you have "twins" !!!! actually 2 circuits instead of one.

Turn off the main panel before doing anything, you can reset all of the clocks in the house later (you will still be alive to do it).

Be Safe

Ty-Stik

this is interesting and money saving news..... I will head in this direction of cappin the red as all my 20 amps in this new house are 12/3. So time to open the breaker and see what the good electrcians have done.

 

[cocktail frank]

no big deal running the 12/3, you'll have an extra conductor if you ever need it.

as far as putting 2 GFI's together, no need.
have the feed go to the "line" side of the gfi.
have the wire jumping to the other plug go to the "load" side of the GFI.
then you can put a standard plug for your second one.
it will be gfi protected thru the first gfi.
2 gfi's in series of each other is a big no-no.
you can compromise your protection that way.

 

[GOT_BUD?]

no big deal running the 12/3, you'll have an extra conductor if you ever need it.

as far as putting 2 GFI's together, no need.
have the feed go to the "line" side of the gfi.
have the wire jumping to the other plug go to the "load" side of the GFI.
then you can put a standard plug for your second one.
it will be gfi protected thru the first gfi.
2 gfi's in series of each other is a big no-no.
you can compromise your protection that way.

Listen to this post, for it is 100% correct.