Electric wiring question...

[tizzo]

Guess what I did a few days ago. I installed THREE count em three ceiling fans. Went in the attic, and ran the wire from the switch to the hole in the ceiling. Hooked up both ends now my kids are happy.
That was fairly simple, so here is my question. If I wanna fun an individual 120 line to where my fish tank is, what's the first step?
Is it to run the cord from a precut hole in the wall to the powerbox?? And then I'm gonna ask how does it tie in to the powerbox? I'm pretty sure I can figure out the socket end.
But the breaker end has me stumped.

 

[crashbandicoot]

Man breaker boxes are no joke . I would pay to have a pro come out and do the work . I have gotten nailed at the breaker box and I swear to god there is nothing that feels like that .

 

[digitydash]

Breaker just pop in the slots.Then stick the wire in and $crew them down.Depending on what your runing on it depends on the amps needed for the breaker.Check you breaker box and see if their is any slot that can be broken out on the face of the box this will tell you if you have room for another breaker.Cut main power feed breaker off befor doing this or it can be dangerous.

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by Crashbandicoot
http:///forum/post/2548507
Man breaker boxes are no joke . I would pay to have a pro come out and do the work . I have gotten nailed at the breaker box and I swear to god there is nothing that feels like that .

I am afraid I cannot do that.
My mom suggested the same thing for the fans.

I have this... "If I cannot do it, I must learn how" complex.
Crown moulding for example. Now I know. Never again (cept for lovethesea's house) but at least I know how.
m.u.s.t. l.e.a.r.n. h.o.w
I may get zapped, and I know I won't like it but if I didn't do a skill everytime a danger was involved, well, I'd be a typical housewife then.
Can't have that.

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2548512
Breaker just pop in the slots.Then stick the wire in and $crew them down.Depending on what your runing on it depends on the amps needed for the breaker.Check you breaker box and see if their is any slot that can be broken out on the face of the box this will tell you if you have room for another breaker.Cut main power feed breaker off befor doing this or it can be dangerous.
So just by looking, how can you tell if a slot is available?? I mean, on the diagram where its all writen in, there is nothing written under slot 19 (bottom left) so, if that's accurate then there would be nothing attached to the back?? Is that how to double check?

 

[tankkeeper]

As a electrician I can agree about cutting the power off before going into the breaker box it is dangerous stuff, you may not just get a shock,you could get hurt very bad or even worse killed,electricity is nothing to under estimate.If you want a good all purpose guide, go to your local H---Depot or L---es and pick up a diy book also you could ask some friends or family for advice.Hope this helps.

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2548549
So just by looking, how can you tell if a slot is available?? I mean, on the diagram where its all writen in, there is nothing written under slot 19 (bottom left) so, if that's accurate then there would be nothing attached to the back?? Is that how to double check?
If you look at the face panel it will have slot that can be broken out.If their is slot available you just have to take the face panel off and bust out the one not bein used..So check #19 and if their is no breaker you will see what I am talking about.

 

[tizzo]

I appreciate the "cut the power" reminders, but they are not necessary. That much I got.

This is my breaker box. So, it doesn't appear to me that I have any available slots. Am I correct, or is more info needed??

 

[jimmy 4]

looks full to me. you need to add another pannel probably

 

[digitydash]

Yea I agree looks like it is full to me.Is their a reason you can't use a plug outlet already their?

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2548662
Yea I agree looks like it is full to me.Is their a reason you can't use a plug outlet already their?

WEll, here's the deal. I went out for a bit and I thought about it. And Digity, that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
What I wanted was a panel of outlets that I can use in place of "strips". I hook timers up to pretty much everything, and strips look atrocious.
So, instead of running an all new line, I'm gonna make my panel, and tie it into an existing outlet.
And if by chance I need more volts, I'll change out the switch in the box, but I'll deal with that issue then.
I think I should be OK using what's there. I hope.
Anyway, thanks ALL for all the instructions, warnings, precautions, and ideas!!

 

[digitydash]

If you don't have enough amps just put a little bit bigger breaker in the main box but I don't think this should be a problem unless the whole room is run off the same lines.

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2548744
If you don't have enough amps just put a little bit bigger breaker in the main box but I don't think this should be a problem unless the whole room is run off the same lines.

Well, it's my dining room/ fish room so none of the other outlets in THAT room are in use. Hopefully my fridge, isn't on it. It's on that WALL, but not the same room so it's a gamble.
Oh well, we'll find out soon enough.

 

[al mc]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2548751
Well, it's my dining room/ fish room so none of the other outlets in THAT room are in use. Hopefully my fridge, isn't on it. It's on that WALL, but not the same room so it's a gamble.
Oh well, we'll find out soon enough.
If the breaker box does not have labels corresponding to each circuit on the inside of the door panel this may be a good time to do that before you end up over loading a circuit. Just plug in a radio..turn it up loud enough so you can hear it at the breaker box and start turning off breakers to see what outlets/lights go to each circuit. In many houses the refrigerator will share
common wall boxes in the adjoining room.
It had been mentioned that if you need more amps just remove the old breaker and put one rated for more amps in its place. be careful doing this as many outlets are only rated to 15 amps and if you start pulling more amps that the oulet is rated for you may create a fire hazard.

 

[tizzo]

I'm not worried about a fire hazard, it's only a rental...
OMG I'M kidding!!!!!
But it would suck if it shares with the fridge. Maybe it'll be OK, but my last tank was pushing it and this one has 3 halides AND a whole horsepower chiller!
So, as I said, I'll let you know if I trip the breaker.

 

[salty blues]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2548744
If you don't have enough amps just put a little bit bigger breaker in the main box but I don't think this should be a problem unless the whole room is run off the same lines.
I would advise against this. You never want to put a breaker on a circuit that is rated for more that the circuit wire will carry.
For example, a typical room is usually wired with #12 Romex. This should handle 20 amps. If you put bigger that a 20 amp breaker on such a circuit, you run the risk of overloading & overheating(fire) the wiring before the breaker trips.
Have you actually looked inside your panel? There may in fact be a breaker without a circuit connected to it. If not, there are breakers available called "piggyback breakers" which are essentially two breakers in one breaker sized space.
If all else fails, you might hook another circiut on to an existing circuit that has a a minimal load on it, but you would need to put an ammeter on that circuit to make such a determination.
As stated by others, "BE CAREFUL"!

 

[reefforbrains]

Originally Posted by salty blues
http:///forum/post/2549186
I would advise against this. You never want to put a breaker on a circuit that is rated for more that the circuit wire will carry.
For example, a typical room is usually wired with #12 Romex. This should handle 20 amps. If you put bigger that a 20 amp breaker on such a circuit, you run the risk of overloading & overheating(fire) the wiring before the breaker trips.
Have you actually looked inside your panel? There may in fact be a breaker without a circuit connected to it. If not, there are breakers available called "piggyback breakers" which are essentially two breakers in one breaker sized space.
If all else fails, you might hook another circiut on to an existing circuit that has a a minimal load on it, but you would need to put an ammeter on that circuit to make such a determination.
As stated by others, "BE CAREFUL"!
Great advice. I have given myself plenty of jolts and scares in my time but even though we joke PLEASE BE CAREFUL
More fatalities happen from 110v then 220v so even simple circuits for sections/rooms can kill.
Enough doom and gloom. The above advice is solid and just make sure you ask before poking when/if you get into a trouble spot or are unsure about the next step.

 

[oscardeuce]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2548512
.Depending on what your runing on it depends on the amps needed for the breaker.
The gauge of the wire determines max amperage of the circuit. Look at the wire, then buy the appropriate amp breaker. If you buy an overrated breaker and pull too many amps for the gauge wire, the wire will over heat and cause a fire.
The breaker is intended to break before overloading the wire.

 

[socal57che]

How many walls, rooms, ceilings, etc. do you need to route the wiring through? This is where I would want to pay someone else...not the connections. Fishing wire through walls and caps, not to mention around corners, can be tedious. This is easy when the house is being built and the studs are all exposed, but you are getting into possible drywall work plus the possibility of contacting gas, water and existing wires hidden in your walls.
I vote for the "pay someone else" option here, and I am DIY kinda guy. I absolutely HATE paying someone else to work on my stuff.
You also should probably be sure your work complies with current eletric code.

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by salty blues
http:///forum/post/2549186
I would advise against this. You never want to put a breaker on a circuit that is rated for more that the circuit wire will carry.
For example, a typical room is usually wired with #12 Romex. This should handle 20 amps. If you put bigger that a 20 amp breaker on such a circuit, you run the risk of overloading & overheating(fire) the wiring before the breaker trips.
Have you actually looked inside your panel? There may in fact be a breaker without a circuit connected to it. If not, there are breakers available called "piggyback breakers" which are essentially two breakers in one breaker sized space.
If all else fails, you might hook another circiut on to an existing circuit that has a a minimal load on it, but you would need to put an ammeter on that circuit to make such a determination.
As stated by others, "BE CAREFUL"!
Well that is how we hook heater up to pools.A heater pump pulls more amps then a pool pump does and have had no fires doing this.Also not all houses run #12 romex.If the room/outlets/ceiling fans/lights are run off one breaker more then likely it run on a bigger wire.Its not pulling more then 120v.Some thing just have a higher load to get them going.