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Mornin' people: heres the deal - I'm redoing the kitchen and need to run some new circuits. The problem is that between the kitchen and the breaker box theres a lot of nice unmarred plaster walls. Wait.... look at that: the double oven that will not be replaced is serviced by a 50 amp 220 volt line. hmmmm could I just add a local breaker panel and run all the separate circuits from there? at first glance I would say so. now I'm looking at the supply wire from the main to the old oven location. Good - served by a 50 a breaker, ok copper wire - even better oops that looks like 10 ga wire. oh oh shouldn't that be something like 8 ga? maybe if I replace the supply breaker with a 30 A? help me out here guys did someone wayback when use the wrong wire (or breaker) is it as easy as just replacing the breaker or maybe even easier as could the 10 ga be ok? or is it possible that the cross section of the wire gages have changed since 1965 as I noticed that the wires marked 14 ga seen to me to be smaller than todays 14 ga?
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So you have a wire from the breaker box to the kitchen that you would like to use? I think it will work. I would replace the dual 50 amp breaker (used to get 220 volts) with a single 30 amp, like you said, which will reduce to 110 volts. Then the 10 ga. will work fine, although apparently even with the 50 amp 220 it hasn't burned down your house yet. That will give you a 30 amp 110 volt line to your kitchen, which you can connect to to service your new kitchen. I don't think you will need a new breaker box, just a 4 junction box that will let you splice off of that line.
[8D]Tr
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I don't know about the breakers, but I do know that wiring standards have changed alot since then. I still have some aluminum wiring in my house!Comment
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OK an update: Since I didn't get a resounding NO DON'T DO IT !!! I went to the trusty home depot and picked up a six position sub panel (they call it a load center). Then I ran the 220 to it and used 4 of the 6 positions, I gave the microwave and fridge their own separate breakers. I changed the 50 A source breaker in the main panel to a 30 A but kept the 220. This way I have the capability to safely draw 4 15 amp circuits of 110 Vac. Thanx for the feedback. now to tackle that plumbing......Comment
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Just out of curiosity, how are you getting the 220 down to 110 in your sub panel?Comment
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I'll bet that works like a charm. I have a similar project with a study with lots of computers. I think I might do the same thing. Let us know how it goes!
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Jean,
Getting the 220 down to 110 is simplicity itself. That is because the 220 is actually made up out of two 110 volt systems. Each system is of opposite polarity (ya I know its actually opposite phases but thats even more confusing) with the neutral or common in the center. So from the 220 volt cable that consists of three wires a black a red and a white if I measure from the red to the white I get 110 volts from the black to the white I get 110 volts. And from the black to the red I get 220 volts. So to use only 110 I connect between the white and either one of the two "hot" leads black or red. In the load center I mentioned earlier this is accomplished by the manufacturer. Alternate breakers mounted in this panel contact different 110 volt lines (often refered to as legs)so that a double wide breaker can be used to supply a 220 volt circuit from the same box that supplys the 110 volt circuits. oh and just to make things just a little more difficult to understand a fourth, typically bare wire is exists that needs to be connected to the ground terminal ( which is also the nuetral terminal back at the breaker box. This little wire is important for safety and should always be connected to the appropriate terminal on the lamp or outlet to which it ultimatley connects. The outlet will appear to work perfectly without this connection but will be an accident waiting to happen. Once again I am not an electrician and would welcome any input or corrections. thanx John
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Maybe someone can answer this real easy one. I want to add a 220 volt outlet to my garage for a table saw I have my eyes on. I only have 110 volt right now. Can I easily do it by taking my existing wiring and putting it on a new 220 outlet? Any details you offer will be appreciated. ThanxComment
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