Circuit Breakers vs. Outlet/Switch Arrangement

I want to do some minor electrical work (putting in dimmers and different color outlets). I looked at my fuse box and noticed that there is no indication which rooms are covered by which circuit breakers. It simply states "Outlets/Plugs" for many circuit breakers but does not say for which room. Anyone else have this issue? What's the best way to resolve other than hit every circuit breaker and see which lights/outlets don't operate (that's what I probably have to do but that will suck)? Do you know if Wan Metre has a standard and can we get the standard so it's not such a crap shoot?

This is yet one more thing that pisses me off about these houses. The electrician should have marked these when the wiring was being completed. This is simply piss-poor quality!

 

It's not just VM, M&S isn't much better! At one point they had our hot water hooked up to our 2nd floor toilet and out fridge! I guess we should blame the plumber, not the builder, but I've heard SO many complaints it's pathetic.

Good luck with the electrical stuff!

 

I have a Washington Homes house and the same situation. The only true method is to create a map of each room showing where the outlets, lights, fans, and so on are located. Then switch off each breaker one at a time and see what devices are affected.

My understanding is that:
1. Code requires that each bedroom have a switched outlet. This can be wired as a switch that turns off both outlets on a duplex outlet, or the lower outlet can be always on and the upper outlet only is controlled by the switch.
2. Good wiring practice (but not demanded by code) is that every room be served by two or more circuits. This way if you need to work on one circuit you turn it off, but still have one live circuit in the room to plug in lights, equipment, and so on.

I am finishing my basement and I created a map of the basement wiring showing each light, outlet, and switched outlet and its circuit number. It has already come in handy when I've had to turn off circuits during drywall construction.

--- John B.

 

Even if the box is labeled I wouldn't trust it. Always check to make sure you've turned off the right circuit.

 

What I did, was buy one of those circuit tracers at Home Depot. You plug in the transmitter, then check which breaker controls the circuit.

I then wrote down which rooms each one controls. It does take some time, and its best to do with two people. One at the box, and one moving the transmitter.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999