Wiring a brand new toilet while you still have access into the wall studs and ceiling rafters is really a cinch. The few tools you will need are tools which you most likely already have on your workshop. This is also a good job for someone just learning the way to perform his own electric work. Wiring your very own new toilet will save you money and provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself.
Obtain A Wiring Permit
The National Electric Code (NEC) and the local building codes enable a resident homeowner to do almost anything a certified electrician can perform, but he should follow the same guidelines as the professional. All new electric work requires obtaining the proper wiring permit and having the necessary inspections performed on your work. The application process may differ slightly from one building code’s enforcement division to the next, so phone first to find out what information you will have to supply on the application. One thing required by every Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is a drawing showing where all wires, receptacle outlets, lighting sockets and other electrical devices should be set up and how they should be linked. You don’t have to prepare a professional-quality drawing; a hand-drawn floor plan on graph paper will suffice.
Roughing in the Wiring
Mark the location of all of the boxes on the studs and drill all the holes for the cable. You may conduct your new wiring perpendicular to the wall studs and ceiling rafters through holes drilled through the framing members, employing a 1-inch spade piece. When drilling these holes, then ensure that the border of the hole is at least 1 1/4 inches from the closest border of the stud or rafter since NEC Section 310–4 requires this offset. You might also run the Romex cable along the sides of the studs and rafters as long as it’s set back at least 1 1/4 inches from the near edge of the rafter or stud. When you run it along the sides of a framing member, it has to backed by cable staples inside one foot of every electric box and at intervals not exceeding four and feet.
Mount the Receptacle, Switch and Lighting Outlet Boxes
Both the NEC and all regional codes require a toilet be supplied with at least one 20-ampere ground fault interrupter (GFCI) protected branch circuit for receptacles. The bathroom lighting and exhaust fan can be linked to the circuit, but it’s good practice to provide a separate 20–ampere circuit to power the lighting and exhaust fan towers, particularly if the exhaust fan contains a heater and light. You are able to provide GFCI protection in one of 2 methods: it is possible to use a GFCI receptacle, or you’ll be able to set up a GFCI circuit breaker in the service panel. The lighting and exhaust fan circuit is not needed to be GFCI-protected however, since it’s in a toilet, it’s suggested for safety. Mount all of the boxes directly to the sides of the studs and rafters in such a way that the front lip of the box will be flush with the ceiling and wall finish once it’s installed.
Install the Terrain
Run all of the cable and insert the ends of the wires in order that they stretch 6 to 8 inches from the front of the boxes. Remove the outer jacket of the cable ends using a cable ripper or utility knife and strip 3/4 inches of insulation from the wires. You should now call to have the rough inspection done. After the ceiling and wall finishes are installed, then it is possible to set up the switches, receptacles and lights. Connect the division circuits to the GFCI breakers and call to your complete inspection before installing the cover plates. Once your job has been “green labeled,” it is possible to install all the covers.