7
You probably want to run to a subpanel as that will give you a LOT more possibilities as well as allowing you to run 120 or 240 devices. 240 @ 50 amp would require 6/3, and you could actually breaker it at 55 to give you some more room. Look into code in your area as to what kind of method is required for bringing power to an outbuilding. In the subpanel ...
5
One thing the other answers have not stated is that the US electrical code does not allow you to plug a 15 amp device into a 50 amp outlet. It isn't safe. If your compressor developed a fault where it was drawing 30 or 40 amps (not a dead short), the breaker would not trip but the cord on the compressor or the motor in the compressor could overheat and catch ...
3
TL;DR Switch Loop, No Neutral
You have a switch loop. With a switch loop, power goes from panel to fixture to switch, instead of panel to switch to fixture. That is perfectly safe, but the problem is that you end up with no neutral at the switch. A neutral is simply unnecessary with an ordinary switch. But a neutral is required for many (not all) smart ...
answered 15 hours ago
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
37.8k4 gold badges54 silver badges116 bronze badges
3
for the extra credit you could wire it like this:
Cap the unused ends of the red in A , connect all grounds together at each location and connect them to the ground screws too.
don't forget to remove the live tab on the outlet, else you won't be able to turn the lights out.
3
assuming you can't sneak the wire in beside a flue or a drain/vent stack. and don't want to install a new wire on the outside of your house.
Install a 24V transformer near where you need to power the thermostat and run bell wire from the transformer to the thermostats R/Rh and C terminals.
it could be a hard-wired doorbell transformer, or a plug in one.
2
The green wire is the same as the bare copper.
The green or bare copper is the equipment grounding conductor and it should be tied to the frame.
Connect the green wire to the bare copper in the box should be connected to the frame by a green grounding screw. Tried to phrase it both ways but green or bare from the supply to the machine doesn't matter the ...
2
Turns out there was an option I hadn't considered! I can run the wires from the AC unit in the attic to the thermostat on the 2nd floor.
Basically, right now, it's:
Central AC unit in attic connected via 5 wires to a wireless Redlink unit
AC Wireless Redlink t-stat on 2nd floor (I hate this and was planning to find a better solution)
Heat t-stat on 2nd ...
2
Yes.
Yes. It's no problem as long as you can get a good twist on the wires.
Pig tails can be 14 gauge since the branch circuit is protected by a 15A Breaker.
You'll end up with four wires in the wire nuts, 1 12AWG and 3 14AWG, so make sure you use the right size wire nut.
True, never more than one wire per screw. Lots of people don't like the back stabbing.....
2
A single receptacle has to be full circuit amperage [NEC 210.21(B)(2)], so the 15A (NEMA 6-15) receptacle would be connected to 15A breaker or you need a NEMA 6-20 or a duplex 6-15. Normally a 6-20R is a T-slot and will accept a 6-15P.
Also the 2020 NEC specifies 240v receptacles in garages now require GFCI protection too [210.8(A)(2)].
2
The whites and greens are pretty straightforward.
However I believe this switch has two black wires. One of them should be identified as "Line" or "Supply".
Also, 2 black wires went to the old switch.
I want you to connect the "Line" black wire to one of the 2 black wires that went to the switch - preferably the one that is ...
2
What they're probably trying to flag...
The usual thing that gets cited for this is the second paragraph of NEC 334.80 (text from 2017, but this hasn't changed much -- 320.80 is a newer extension of it that applies to AC/BX):
Where more than two NM cables containing two or more
current-carrying conductors are installed, without maintaining
spacing between ...
1
There is so much wrong here it's hard to know where to start and I don't have much time tonight. So here are my initial comments:
Separate your lighting circuits from your outlets, you don't want to be in the dark if a breaker trips. On that sized house, with LED lighting you could easily run the lighting for entire house on 2 15 amp circuits (probably one,...
1
This won't fly
What you have proposed is not to Code, due to the current loop created by the "solo" hot wire going up to the fan then returning back via the neutral going down to the other switch. This violates the intent of the 300.3(B)/310.10(H) prohibitions against current loops and paralleled wires which can create magnetic fields and ensuing ...
1
That is correct wiring. You are in the very good situation of: Had 4-wire, now only need 3-wire. Far more common is either: "Had 3-wire, now need 4-wire" or "Had 3-wire that should have been 4-wire but grandfathered".
The only issue is current requirements. Depending on the size of the existing wires and breaker, you may be in any of the ...
answered 11 hours ago
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
37.8k4 gold badges54 silver badges116 bronze badges
1
By the way, a mini-fridge could use a 6 amp breaker, if we even had that kind of thing in this country. Fridges are very small loads - stick a 'Kill-a-Watt' meter on one sometime.
Our own main fridge consumes 120 VA (1.0 amps) while it is running, and averages 36 watts (0.3A) on a continuous basis. I need just shy of 1.0 KWH per day to keep it going in an ...
answered 14 hours ago
Harper - Reinstate Monica
170k14 gold badges143 silver badges383 bronze badges
1
Giving your friend the benefit of the doubt, he may be misapplying exception 1 of 210.19(A)(4) exception 1a:
Exception No.1: Tap conductors shall have an ampacity
sufficient for the load served. In addition, they shall have an
ampacity of not less than 15 for circuits rated less than
40 amperes and not less than 20 for circuits rated at 40 or
50 amperes and ...
1
Not only is it "technically not code", it is not to code and could be dangerous. If you need a 20 amp breaker, then you have to change that wire to 12 AWG. It might be easier to run a new 20 Amp circuit to the bar and change the lighting circuit to a 15 Amp breaker although 8 outlets is a lot for a 15 Amp breaker. This is the kind of stuff that ...
1
The jumper between switches is fine, but you need to fix that grounding
The jumper carrying always-hot from switch to switch is considered normal practice in the US, but your switches need to be grounded, and because they're mounted to a plastic box, that must occur via ground wires as the switches can't pick up ground from the box. So, you'll need to use a ...
1
It sounds like ground was grossly mishandled.
First, a sidebar on metal boxes (you didn't say, but it sounds like a surface-mount box and metal is much classier there): All ground wires must go to the metal box FIRST. That's a Code requirement. They can be landed on individual ground screws, or pigtailed to the same ground screw - your call. Note that ...
1
To switch 240v there are 2 methods.
Cheap method single pole switch break 1 hot that’s it. the circuit is still live 120v could be measured to ground but a 240v device will be turned off.
I have seen this used extensively on heating circuits.
I have also found this in older tools like radial arm saws, and table saws that were multi voltage. The down side the ...
1
Solutions to consider
A. From outlet near thermostat use a 3V (or whatever is called for) wall wart wired to the thermostat battery terminals. You can run the low voltage wire along a baseboard and vertically through the wall.
B. For upstairs and attic ones if you can route new wire to crawl space you can exit through soffit, down outside behind rain ...
1
You could make the zone thermostats powered by the 2 wire and then have them communicate wirelessly to a module at your furnace which then switches the respective zones.
Using wireless zone thermostats you should be able to do the wireless communication, though I'm unsure if they support being charged from the low voltage wires or if they are only set to ...
1
To me that looks like dielectric grease leaking out.
That is the building ground bus looks like it was cad welded on the left of the one photo I would be really surprised if you were getting enough return on that large of a ground to melt things. May be A plug to cover the connections.
Always a good idea to call when in doubt but I think it is grease or a ...
1
In the US the NEC generally only allows one feeder per building so the new feeder would be required to pick up all existing loads to replace the existing feeder including a lighting circuit and a required 120v 20A receptacle circuit. I don't see how you could get by with less than a 100A panel. A 125A or larger feeder and panel may be needed if you need to ...
1
Yes, but for best results you'll need a 5-pack of colored electrical tape.
White is neutral in all cases. (that was easy)
In cables A B D, black is always-hot, and RED is defined as switched-hot for switch 2.
Except the red in cable A is not used, it gets marked with invisibility tape, and capped off solo with a wire-nut, since it may be energized at a ...
answered Mar 2 at 1:56
Harper - Reinstate Monica
170k14 gold badges143 silver badges383 bronze badges
1
I don't see a mention of the wires being solid or stranded. You should check if these crimped bullet connectors are compatible with the type of wire. I don't think they can take solid core.
However, a much better solution is to use wago 221 for stranded and/or solid wire, open the orange little levers, push wire inside, close.
...and wago 2273, simpler to ...
1
I absolutely agree: keep your lighting circuits and your receptacle circuits separate; that way, if anything ever happens to the receptacles, you aren't in complete darkness. I see you have been explained all the options: you can either use receptacles or hard wire (i prefer hard wire in a junction box). If you installed one GFI inline first in the circuit, ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
