What Size Hole To Drill For 12-2 Wire

Can I drill more than one hole in a wall stud to run electrical wire through? Also, is at that place a max diameter hole I tin can drill? I am adding some wiring in my garage/shop and this is an out side facing wall if that matters.

An outside wall is a load bearing wall then yeah, there are strict limits. I don't have them in forepart of me at the moment (I think it is twoscore% of the stud width), but if you put a 1/2" to 3/4" hole centered in the stud and another several inches above or below it then you should be fine (utilize the smallest hole that you can). If you lot don't middle the pigsty and the wire is less than one.25" from the border of the stud and so yous need to use a smash plate. Yous also don't desire to drill these holes to shut to the ends of the studs, stay back several inches.

A 1/ii" pigsty is, IMHO, too small for 12-two(w/ground) Romex. I've done information technology, it'due south not fun to pull the Romex through.

Check your local building codes, they address this.

I utilise a vii/8" or 1" auger bit, if yous middle the hole, it leaves you with nigh a one-1/four" of woods. This gives yous enough of room to run two or three wires through the hole. Depending on what guage wire you are running.

That must be why an existing run of wire is going through a minor hole (must be 1/2"). No way I tin clasp another wire through that same pigsty so I need to drill a new one somewhere else. Sounds like I should go higher (current ane is simply ~1ft off the ground) and could possibly get to iii/4", 7/8" or i" (I volition check edifice codes) so I tin can run multiple romex through. I demand to get ane 110V and 2 220V sockets downwards that mode. Cheers for the help everyone.

While you are checking building code you lot might ask the electrical inspector if in that location are whatever issues running iii NM cables through the same hole in the wall. It may non be an issue at all, simply I know you're not supposed to bunch up NM cables so that they can dissipate heat.

While the local electrical code may vary, the NEC doesn't care how many cables you lot pass through a bored hole. Those aren't considered arranged up (as long every bit they spread out once they escape from the hole).

If you use a i" hole, and 3 wires, less adventure of striking a wire than with several holes and wires spread out. Talking well-nigh hanging cabinets and such. Might remember about a certain acme that y'all could retrieve and so yous don't run screws in at that height. I have a studfinder with electrical wire detector, but the thing gives a range about 18" wide, when checking for wires. And there is merely one wire in the wall I was checking.

I'd prefer to take a number of wires going through one hole protected by a metal plate than multiple unprotected holes (and no one wants to put upward multiple metal plates every bit there's zippo to screw into at that indicate).

Practiced points nearly the multiple holes. Even so trying to observe a local code inspector contact... but sounds like there shouldn't be any problem running 3 wires through a 1" hole a decent distance from the existing smaller i/2" pigsty. What judge do you guys recommend? I am thinking 10/2 for the 220Vs and 12/3 for the 110 GFCIs.

Quote Originally Posted by Brian Loran View Post

I am thinking 10/2 for the 220Vs and 12/3 for the 110 GFCIs.

Only reason to run 12/iii is if yous programme on switched paths somewhere downwards the line (and then you run 12/3 just from the point you need information technology)... I'd but put in 12/2 for the GFCIs.

Wire size is determined based on current and not voltage. In full general, use #12 for 20A and #10 for 30A. And like Dan said, 12/2 is fine for a unmarried 110V outlet, non certain what you would use the fourth wire for in 12/3 in your case.

12/three if you desire 2 circuits.

Quote Originally Posted by Jerome Stanek View Post

12/iii if you want 2 circuits.

Just to give you lot a double hit of Jeromes, I've wired all mine with 12/3 to make information technology easy to convert from a single 240 to a double 120.