I own a house on Long Island and do a lot of DIY projects, some of which are electrical in nature. I often find myself wishing that I could add dedicated outlets in certain places, or run wiring behind walls to lead to new installations. I have training in physics (And electro-magnetism in particular from my college physics classes (As far as basic/intermediate theory anyway, I'm well aware that applying such theoretical knowledge is somewhat different). What options are available for me to be able to do such things as a homeowner (On Long Island-NY) without having to run to an electrician every other week? Are there programs to train and certify that you can do certain things in a code-compliant way, without having to become an electrician? What options are available?
Electrical – DIY Household Wiring on Long Island
electricalwiring
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Let's see if we can answer this in pictures. For one feed from the breaker panel, to have each of the outlets on their own GFCI, you want this:
For one feed from the breaker panel to have one GFCI protecting downstream outlets, you want this:
However, you say that you have a red and a black wire in the box, and this complicates things. You might have a MWBC (multi-wire branch circuit) feeding the outlets, with the red hot on one outlet and the black hot on the other:
Or, you could have something else in this outlet, in which case (espcially if you don't feel confident) you really need to contact an electrician to get it sorted out.
Just the hot.
Just switch the hot.
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Best Answer
Most jurisdictions allow a homeowner to do their own work as long as it is done up to local Code standards. Check with your local inspection office on Long Island to determine your rights as a homeowner and the process of making alterations to your home according to local Code.
There are many ways to acquire skill in electrical construction.
If you have taken college classes then you know the basic routine of learning a new subject. There is a lot of terminology, theory, and tool and material familiarization to achieve the skills necessary to perform the work. You don't have to have that much skill to add a few receptacles and it is a great place to start. You may decide to make a career of it.
Good luck!