Inverter power for security cameras

sarco2000

Beyond the Grid
#63
If right now you're worried about DC wiring for inside the house, just use 14 AWG romex and you'll be fine. Unless you're running something REALLY big.

The only thing that sucks about using romex for DC is that there is a third conductor that you don't need. But that could play in your favor as well. Use the bare wire for ground (negative) and the black and white wires can both be positive for 2 different circuits.

If you're a novice when it comes to home electrical, the big box stores have some good books on it. Wiring up an AC breaker box from scratch, especially when you have generator inputs, etc, can be very confusing if you don't have experience. Grounding alone can be very confusing. And whether or not you are subject to inspections, you want to follow the NEC because it exists for a reason. Mostly so you don't burn the house down!

Make sure all your junction points are in boxes that can be accessed when the walls are finished (NONE hidden behind walls!), use staples every couple feet and at every box entry, use strain relieve on your boxes, and you should be good to go.
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#66
If right now you're worried about DC wiring for inside the house, just use 14 AWG romex and you'll be fine. Unless you're running something REALLY big.

The only thing that sucks about using romex for DC is that there is a third conductor that you don't need. But that could play in your favor as well. Use the bare wire for ground (negative) and the black and white wires can both be positive for 2 different circuits.

If you're a novice when it comes to home electrical, the big box stores have some good books on it. Wiring up an AC breaker box from scratch, especially when you have generator inputs, etc, can be very confusing if you don't have experience. Grounding alone can be very confusing. And whether or not you are subject to inspections, you want to follow the NEC because it exists for a reason. Mostly so you don't burn the house down!

Make sure all your junction points are in boxes that can be accessed when the walls are finished (NONE hidden behind walls!), use staples every couple feet and at every box entry, use strain relieve on your boxes, and you should be good to go.
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Thanks! All this info is exactly what I need for my trip out there in 4 weeks.
 

Mel's Cookin'

Word based person lost in a video world!
Moderator
Brass Subscriber
#71
The one thing I can say, which isn't much because these guys have got electricity knowledge, I'm just a low voltage person except for a four houses we wired from scratch or rewired in rebuilds, is Home Runs are your friend. It's more expensive with the wire at the time than daisy chaining but, don't put too many of anything on one wire run. If you have a problem later with a wire that has seven outlets, two lights, and your electric toothbrush hard-wired into it, you have a bigger pain in the behind to fix, than if you have everything cleanly organized and only a few items/outlets on each wire run back to your junction box.

Just a thought.

(Oh, and I'm glad you decided to stay. We're pretty friendly and most of us have had our shots and don't bite too much. :) )
 

sonofliberty

Well-known member
#72
The one thing I can say, which isn't much because these guys have got electricity knowledge, I'm just a low voltage person except for a four houses we wired from scratch or rewired in rebuilds, is Home Runs are your friend. It's more expensive with the wire at the time than daisy chaining but, don't put too many of anything on one wire run. If you have a problem later with a wire that has seven outlets, two lights, and your electric toothbrush hard-wired into it, you have a bigger pain in the behind to fix, than if you have everything cleanly organized and only a few items/outlets on each wire run back to your junction box.

Just a thought.
I daisy chain, but I do limit the number of items on a single circuit, using some semblance of logic. Usually lol

(Oh, and I'm glad you decided to stay. We're pretty friendly and most of us have had our shots and don't bite too much. :) )
Glad you said "much". ;)
 

Mel's Cookin'

Word based person lost in a video world!
Moderator
Brass Subscriber
#73
I daisy chain, but I do limit the number of items on a single circuit, using some semblance of logic. Usually lol


Glad you said "much". ;)
I'm not saying do a home run for every outlet or light, but group the daisy-chaining with that logic thingie so you can find, in a limited area, what you did.

"much" seemed like a necessary disclaimer. :p
 

sarco2000

Beyond the Grid
#74
I daisy chain all receptacles when possible, saves a lot of work. But I find it works well to home run to groups: bedrooms, bathroom, etc.

I always put lighting on separate circuits. Just makes sense.

Also, appliances get their own circuit.

GFCI receptacles in the kitchen, bathroom and outdoor. Hint: you only need one GFCI receptacle for multiple outlets, and it goes upstream of the protected outlets.

You have to consolidate somewhat; there's only so many spaces in the breaker panel.

Labeling the breaker box helps a lot!

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sonofliberty

Well-known member
#75
I daisy chain all receptacles when possible, saves a lot of work. I find it works well to home run to groups: bedrooms, bathroom, etc.

But I always put lighting on separate circuits. Just makes sense.

Also, appliances get their own circuit.

You have to consolidate somewhat; there's only so many spaces in the breaker panel.

Labeling the breaker box helps a lot!

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I am a huge fan of labeling. Makes life so much easier when you have to go back later.
 
#76
I'm not saying do a home run for every outlet or light, but group the daisy-chaining with that logic thingie so you can find, in a limited area, what you did.

"much" seemed like a necessary disclaimer. :p
I expect I'll keep things to a minimum as far as runs. A few USB plugs around, one ceiling light for each room and a couple kitchen cigarette plugs for 12v coffee maker. Anything else that needs beefy power I'll use the 110 generator for. So, home runs shouldn't be a problem for each one, which I agree, would make things safer, at least for peace of mind.
AND, it sounds like I've found "my own" in this place ;-)
 

sarco2000

Beyond the Grid
#77
I am a huge fan of labeling. Makes life so much easier when you have to go back later.
More of that military training!

I used to do CAT5 installs (later CAT5E and CAT6). And also did a lot of telephone wiring installs. All home runs and labeling was vital.

Another hint: if you have CAT5 wiring, you can plug a telephone into the jack (even though it looks like it won't fit - it will), patch it to a phone line at the patch panel, and it works perfectly fine.

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sarco2000

Beyond the Grid
#78
I expect I'll keep things to a minimum as far as runs. A few USB plugs around, one ceiling light for each room and a couple kitchen cigarette plugs for 12v coffee maker. Anything else that needs beefy power I'll use the 110 generator for. So, home runs shouldn't be a problem for each one, which I agree, would make things safer, at least for peace of mind.
AND, it sounds like I've found "my own" in this place ;-)
Sounds good. Speaking from experience living off grid, you'd be much better off by boiling water with propane and using a french press for coffee. Anything that has a heating element sucks a LOT of power from your batteries. And batteries are at their lowest capacity early in the morning before the sun has come out.

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sonofliberty

Well-known member
#79
More of that military training!

I used to do CAT5 installs (later CAT5E and CAT6). And also did a lot of telephone wiring installs. All home runs and labeling was vital.

Another hint: if you have CAT5 wiring, you can plug a telephone into the jack (even though it looks like it won't fit - it will), patch it to a phone line at the patch panel, and it works perfectly fine.

.
What can I say. They trained us right. I still use many of the techniques I learned from the navy.
 
#80
More of that military training!

I used to do CAT5 installs (later CAT5E and CAT6). And also did a lot of telephone wiring installs. All home runs and labeling was vital.

Another hint: if you have CAT5 wiring, you can plug a telephone into the jack (even though it looks like it won't fit - it will), patch it to a phone line at the patch panel, and it works perfectly fine.

.
Nice to know. I don't plan on that now, but a good thing to consider to run now for later.