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About J Cook
Expertise
General electrical wiring, including but not limited to, residential, panelboards, control wiring, low voltage wiring, Heating and A/C control wiring, single and three phase wiring.

Experience
I have been doing electrical since high school. I have been licensed by the State of North Carolina for ten years and am currently the Building Maintenance Superintendent for a municipality. I have extensive control wiring experience.

Organizations
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society.

You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Improvement/Repair > Electrical Wiring in the Home > cicuit breaker panel

Electrical Wiring in the Home - cicuit breaker panel

Expert: J Cook - 3/16/2005

Question
I wanted to add a 15 amp curcuit breaker to my panel.what size wire do i need to run from the panel to two single pole light swiches which would be in one junction box. 12/2 or 14/2 wire.there will only be one chandeler on one switch and two sconces one the other. nothing else will be on that line.

chandeler is 500 watt max
each sconces is 100 max

Answer
Hello Rick. The formula to convert watts to amps is watts divided by volts = amps. So with a total of 700 watts divided by 120 volts, you only have 5.83 amps. If this will be all that is on this circuit, #14 wire is good for 15 amps and will be sufficient. Thanks for asking, J

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This site answers questions related to home electrical wiring, home wiring, general electrical help,and other electrical questions related to aleternating current (AC). You can find help on the National Electical Code, home electrical issues, wiring electrical outlets, installing lighting, electrical grounding, and general electrical help for do-it-yourself projects not require an electrician. If you do not see your home electrical wiring question answered in this area then please ask your electrical wiring question here