where do I tap into for a new socket?

[dannieboiz]

I had new wires routed for a new socket for the tank at the time of my remodel. I didn't have time to install the socket so I asked for them to leave the wires out and not to tap it in yet. I finally got around to installing the GFCI socket. Not sure which wire goes to which. Picture shows my main breaker

 

[Nuuze]

I'm not an electrician but that looks like a 100 amp main. For an additional sockets or outlets I think you need to tap into the box where the rest of your house is wired, usually in the house somewhere or garage with a bunch of 15 and 20 amps. You don't want to get zapped by that 100 amp line!

 

[dannieboiz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9937441#post9937441 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nuuze
I'm not an electrician but that looks like a 100 amp main. For an additional sockets or outlets I think you need to tap into the box where the rest of your house is wired, usually in the house somewhere or garage with a bunch of 15 and 20 amps. You don't want to get zapped by that 100 amp line!

What you see here are the main breaker, the other 15a breaker is located inside the garage.

However, my electrician routed my new wire into this box and told me just to tape into this box.

U think he's :smokin: some good shietz? :lol:

I dunno, after all they're my contractor, not an electrican.

 

[Nuuze]

I would wait for an electrician to hopefully reply here on RC. But I don't think you want to tap into that 100 amp box. Normally a few slots are left in your box in the garage where the rest are where you can add.

I think you add all the breakers amp in your secondary box in the garage. If its below 100 amp then you may be able to add another breaker for that line. If its maxed you may have to upgrade the main or even a second main.

But I wouldn't do it yourself. I would hate for you to have an accident.

 

[Elite]

I wouldn't mess with it man. Get a real electrician. I don't think your contractor know what he's doing.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Gah.. as mentioned yeah, that is the main. Now many boxes have the main in the same box as all the other breakers, but as you can see this is not the case. Do NOT "tap into" this, if you did you'd have a circuit with the potential to draw 100 amps, except the wiring couldn't handle that much, so it'd be bad news safety wise.

You want to go to the other box, regardless what your "electrician"/"contractor" said... (FYI I don't trust titles too much as it seems that anyone who goes to home depot enough times and owns a truck is a de facto contractor).

All that being said, if you don't know what you're doing, find a real electrician, and make sure that summabiznitch is licensed.

 

[dswong01]

Dannieboiz
I dont see any additional bus bar to installl a breaker in the picture above. Can you take a picture of the whole panel or above the 100 A feed breaker.

 

[mcurl98]

Yeah, don't tap into 100 amps. Your guy probably ran 12/3 wires which max out at 20 amps. I ran 12/3 to my main but installed 20 amp breakers. I upgraded my main box so I could add breakers in the panel. You will have to do this if your sub panel is full. If not, add breakers to your sub panel. Your sub panel should have a neutral block and ground block (similar to the thing in your main with a bunch of screws in it). The hot wire goes to the breaker, the neutral and ground go to your respective blocks. If you add a breaker to the main, hot wire goes to the breaker and neutral and ground both go to your grounding block.

 

[dannieboiz]

Can I tap into that and then put a 20a breaker inline with it?

Actually, I think I'm going to have him come over and do it.

 

[mcurl98]

never seen an inline breaker but they probably make them. Could probably add a small box/panel next to the main-or maybe inside the main.

 

[Sparkss]

I wouldn't put anything into the main breaker panel like that, but that is just me personally . A subpanel would work, but it would be alot of time and expense for a single outlet. And as mentioned, definitely don't connect your wires directly to the main breaker. It would be a recipe for a fire, and some states consider faulty electrical and/or contracting work to be a crime, punishable by jail time, not to mention if anyone actually got hurt as a result of the faulty workmanship (if someone dies they prosecute for manslaughter/negligent homicide). I am not 100% sure how that translates over to a homeowner that does their own work, but I think that the criminal courts might consider it negligence if the person doing the work didn't know how to do it properly. Just letting you know the risks of not enlisting the aid of a qualified, licensed electrician.

FYI, I was a licensed commercial electrician in 3 states for over a decade.. although that was some time ago. The laws may have changed since I worked in the industry, but somehow I doubt that they got any more lax with those changes.

 

[dannieboiz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9938875#post9938875 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
I wouldn't put anything into the main breaker panel like that, but that is just me personally . A subpanel would work, but it would be alot of time and expense for a single outlet. And as mentioned, definitely don't connect your wires directly to the main breaker. It would be a recipe for a fire, and some states consider faulty electrical and/or contracting work to be a crime, punishable by jail time, not to mention if anyone actually got hurt as a result of the faulty workmanship (if someone dies they prosecute for manslaughter/negligent homicide). I am not 100% sure how that translates over to a homeowner that does their own work, but I think that the criminal courts might consider it negligence if the person doing the work didn't know how to do it properly. Just letting you know the risks of not enlisting the aid of a qualified, licensed electrician.

FYI, I was a licensed commercial electrician in 3 states for over a decade.. although that was some time ago. The laws may have changed since I worked in the industry, but somehow I doubt that they got any more lax with those changes.

Hmm So what are you waiting for? Come on over!

 

[raddogz]

Wow, an electrical fire whipped through a house in the next neighbor. The story was the homeowner didn't hire an electrician, but a sheisty contractor to add a breaker.

The house was gutted.

 

[plankton]

Normally, you'd run a subpanel off the main panel (using 6/4 wiring), then at least 12/3 for each side of the 120 (120VAC left, 120VAC right).

Scott

 

[sulcata1619]

Actually, I think I'm going to have him come over and do it.

I wouldn't let that guy touch your electrical. I've had to fix some pretty shady stuff done by "general " contractors. Very rare to find a general that knows all the codes and right and wrongs of electrical.
You have to respect that stuff :eek1:

 

[Sparkss]

not to mention that I don't know how home owners insurance views it if you burn your house down because you didn't hire a qualified, properly licensed electrical contractor. Extreme I know.. but you always need to look at the worst possible and make sure you are covered for it (better safe than sorry).

(although I suspect that most "no fault" policies don't care who is at fault, they will cover it anyways.. I just don't know the ins and outs of home owners insurance to say one way or another).

short answer is that you are better off hiring a qualified electrical contractor

 

[raddogz]

Bottom line is we all as a Bay Area community want you and your family to be safe and have a qualifed licensed contractor to install the equipment safely and correctly!