So I have a slight problem in my new garage.:rolleyes: I have one 110v outlet! and that outlet is on the same breaker as the washer, dryer and Garage door opener. This isn't going to work. So i also have one 220v on it's own breaker.. Can't I just split the line for a 110v line? :(

So I have a slight problem in my new garage.:rolleyes: I have one 110v outlet! and that outlet is on the same breaker as the washer, dryer and Garage door opener. This isn't going to work. So i also have one 220v on it's own breaker.. Can't I just split the line for a 110v line? :(

Wait a minute... you have ONE two-pole ("double") breaker for this outlet, the washer, door opener, AND A DRYER???

Are you sure the 220v isnt for the Dryer, and a 110v single pole somewhere does the rest? (It's NOT cool to use 110v devices on a 220v breaker unless there's sub-panel in the middle... with breakers for the separate 110v circuits.
Dryers are best on dedicated circuits. )
....

In any event... is the main breaker panel located where it would be relatively easy to get one wire run in?

If so, I would recommend a installing a small 20v panel in the garage, where you can branch a few 110's as needed. (one for 10 vcompressor, a few 110 outlets on another circuit... to start.. perhaps some lighting on a third 110 breaker)

no no...220v is all by it self. It has it's own two pole breaker, originally it was used for a dryer. But I have a gas dryer.

My washer and dryer are brand new high efficiency models, so they probally don't use to much juice.:rolleyes: These are on a 110v outlet. There is another outlet that is also off this in the garage.

Gas dryers need 110 to operate..

Steve - you can split the pairs, the problem is the breaker for the 220v line should be a paired/ganged breaker for the 220v. Best thing to do - pull the 220v outlet, and put in a sub-panel. Then you can run several 20 amp circuits, and keep the 220v circuit also..

no no...220v is all by it self. It has it's own two pole breaker, originally it was used for a dryer. But I have a gas dryer.

My washer and dryer are brand new high efficiency models, so they probally don't use to much juice.:rolleyes: These are on a 110v outlet. There is another outlet that is also off this in the garage.

so originally you had a 220v dryer and later the 2 "legs" were divided to make two circuits? and even later one of those circuits were tapped to put a plug/s in the garage?
if that is right, to answer your question..yes.. just swap the 2pole breaker for 2 single pole breakers, so the 2 circuits can "trip" independently of each other. also i would seperate the wiring in the first junction box..(where the orig. 220v plug was) and put the washer/dryer on one circuit and your garage on the other
sorry for the long post, hope this helps:thumbsup:

What gauge wire is the 220 volt line, and how many amps is the circuit breaker?

...Just a thought but your 110 in the garage (if it's on a wall) should be wired on a GFI circuit..It may be on the same circuit as the bathrooms or exterior receptacles...It would be on a different circuit than the G. door receptacle...:dunno:

Ok... let me explain...

This is the original way it was set up when I moved in below

one 110v outlet for all of garage. Some one had piggy backed off of it and put in a second outlet for whatever. Wire was just stapled to wall, no conduit:rolleyes: The first outlet is where the washer was.

The Garage door opener has a ext. cord that run across the celling and down to the orginal outlet. So this and washer were plugged in here.

Now on the other side of the garage (i do mean other!:rolleyes:) in a closet is where the water heater and the 220v outlet are. This is where the dryer was. (don't ask:confused:)


Now...this is what I changed when I moved in..

Where the washer was, I went on the other side of the wall into the house and put stackables W&D in. In the prosess we eliminated the stupid 2nd outlet piggy back wire in the garage and installed a box where the stackables are now. So now I have two outlets..the original in the garage and one in the house where the stackables are. Both on same breaker. So this leaves me with one outlet in the garage that I probally should not be using at the same time as the W&D.

I have not touched the 220v. (says 240v) It is on it's very own breaker in the garage, and then from there runs 15 ft to the closet with the water heater is. The breaker is a 2 leg 30amp post breaker

Because the 220v line runs along the wall where my work bench is, I thought it would be nice to get some juice here. Then just leave the origianl 110v outlet alone...or just run a radio off it, and that it.:rolleyes:

Keep the 220 and add a new 110 circuit. You'll need them both after you get a decent welding machine and compressor! :D

220v outlet in garage closet

http://www.explorerforum.com/photopost/data/500/medium/GC.jpg

220v line runs along celling

http://www.explorerforum.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Gar2.jpg



Here (below) you can see the 220v breaker (next to stairs) and the single 110v with the black cord plugged in, at the center of the wall.

http://www.explorerforum.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Gar1.jpg


and just refferance...these are all before pics..it looks all different now. The shelfs have been all ripped out. Water line, drain line, and dryer exsaust are all in the same location as 110v outlet is now.

Steve:

The best way to do it is to pull that subpanel, and put in a new, bigger panel.

For the dryer, it should be 30 or 40 amp breaker. What size breaker is in the main panel for it?

With a new subpanel, you can easily run 120 circuits from it, plus keep the 240v circuit (welder, compressor). Best thing is - you will not violate code.

Subpanels are not that expensive - all you need is a 4 or 6 breaker panel, some conduit, wire, and boxes.

Here is the inside of the 220 breaker....

http://www.explorerforum.com/photopost/data/500/medium/220-box.jpg

Hey a four wire circuit.. but they taped for white on one of greens (Did I see that?).
Is that 6ga. wire in there? Cool.

Yup, I'd pull that little panel and put in a 8-12 slot panel there... you'll have fun running conduit, and deciding where to put stuff. :)

yep, and it looks like they didn't split the ground from the neutral..

yep, and it looks like they didn't split the ground from the neutral..

True, however it's a moot point in today's wiring... neutral and gnd. go to the same rail.

90% of the wiring I deal with is Industrial.. maintenance electrician... so my residential skills are a little slow.

Hey, on the upside.. this job will look great in conduit! :p:

Ok so what do I need to do here?:confused:

True, however it's a moot point in today's wiring... neutral and gnd. go to the same rail.

90% of the wiring I deal with is Industrial.. maintenance electrician... so my residential skills are a little slow.

Hey, on the upside.. this job will look great in conduit! :p:

I know, but current NEC code calls for the ground to be split from the neutral, back to the main breaker box. I've seen it explained why on the 'net before..

Something helpful: http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/elect/panel/sub_panel/01//overview.htm

Steve, go down to the local Lowes/Home Depot.

1st, go to the book section, and grab one the electrical books - go sit down, read a little, and then head over to the electrical section. Look for a 6/12 breaker subpanel, wall mount, interior box, along with the breakers (20a for 110..) The amp size means nothing in this case - it's max rating for box, not the breaker size.

Also, look at the PVC conduit - it's cheap and easy to use!

...Tom is correct...The ground and the neutral should have their own bus bar, even in the main panel...:scratch:

...Tom is correct...The ground and the neutral should have their own bus bar, even in the main panel...:scratch:

Yes, and in the main panel they should be bonded. However, in a sub-panel fed from that main panel, the code calls for removing the bonding screw all together. They want a separate path for the neutral and ground back to the main panel. (I don't know why, but had this discussion with an electrician at work just today... Have a similar setup in my house I'm looking at capitalizing on).

-Joe

...Excuse the terminology but it is easiest explained as:

...The bonding at the main panel is because they are at their final destination, the main ground...The seperation everywhere else is due to the two doing a similar, but seperate job...One returns the current to a ground, the other is a seperate ground..

Ok dumb question...but this should have a breaker somewhere back in the main pannel right? Because I don't think there is:rolleyes:

Man you SHOULD have a breaker that feeds your sub-panel... you might have to shut off the 220v breakers one at a time to find it, if it's not labeled. You don't have a breaker labeled "dryer"?

...............

OK, you guys corrected me (and rightly so!) about neu./gnd. bonding.
Geez you'd think I'd know that... heh
Factories are killing me.. seldom do I even get a 208/110 to work in any more. <sigh>

IIRC... To expand slightly on Tbars post... maintaining seperation back to the main prevents the Gnd from possibly being a current-carrying conductor when there is an imbalance of consumption in one 110v leg vs. the other, which is common.

I have however, encountered panels that didn't have have separate neutral and ground bars. recently.

It is very preferable to have neutrals and grounds on separate bars IMHO though.

lemme butt out before I make it any worse on myself.. :)
OTOH, if anybodies CNC machinery goes bonkers.. lemme know.. heh

...It should but...:dunno:....I would look at your big breakers first, such as the oven....You should find it as a bigger amp breaker than whats in the sub panel...I have seen homeowners tie into seperate 20 amp 110's for a 40-50 amp sub..:eek:...What goes thru some peoples minds is just plain scary...:dunno:

...If you are feeling venturous, you could turn your main off for saftey, and open your panel...But be careful in there...I've seen a homeowner cut a large screwdriver in half in the blink off an eye tightening a breaker...

The sub panel is labeled "Dryer" There is not one in the main that is labeled Dryer or anything:rolleyes: The only really good size breaker is the HVAC:scratch:

I'll check again when I get home.

On another note sense I don't own anything with 220, I have no way to test if there is even any juice there. :rolleyes: and I like my hair just the way it is:D

...lol at you and Nedwreck....:D

...Nedwreck, I know where you are coming from, lol....I am there daily...:confused:

..Stic-o, You could have a nice new avatar with those gogles and singeing hair...Btw, I've got testers, tracers, etc..;)

...If you are feeling venturous, you could turn your main off for saftey, and open your panel...But be careful in there...I've seen a homeowner cut a large screwdriver in half in the blink off an eye tightening a breaker...

Yeah. SAFETY.

Stic-o, you might get lucky and find only one set of wires that size in there, coming in the panel in their own pipe.

off-topic:

The building maintenance super arc-blasted himself a few weeks ago. Second-degree burns checking fuses for a cooling tower motor. 30amp circuit. One phase had a loose connection in the fuse block. It arced while he was in there with a meter, and the PLC started the motor.

SAFETY.

(I said I was gonna stay outta this didn't I.. dangit..)

SAFETY.

(I said I was gonna stay outta this didn't I.. dangit..)

We have about 3megawatts of power flowing on the machine room floor at work.. All phases, all voltages. They like me, I'm paranoid as all hell - I even give the safety guy a hard time when it comes to electricity. We have to do lock out/tag out even at times..

Steve - time to start following the conduit back if possible. If you can't find a breaker in the main panel, pull the cover and look for the conductors. When they color coded the green as a neutral, someone had an idea of what they was doing.. Let's hope they didn't gang off another breaker.

Also, you don't need a 220v device to test - you'll get 110v from each black/read leg to the neutral (white), and 220v across the black/red leg.

For test equipment, I like what I call a warbler.. It's a handheld device that can detect voltage, and glows/makes noise. Real easy to use and find active circuits/hots.

I'd offer to help if I was down by you..

Thanks Tom...I appricate the thought;)


I looked at the panel again, and the only big breaker is the HVAC, which is two 20amp together. The rest is all 15's and 20's, however two of the 20amp breaker look like they were added at a later time. I'll see if I can follow the coduit in the garage. Where it goes in the wall they just used duck tape and painted over it or something:confused:


There are some things in this place where some one just did a really half ass job at best:rolleyes: From cabinets that don't line up to dummy a/c vents:confused: to a uneven floor upstairs that I belive is from lazyness when they ripped up the floor to install copper pipping. Oh...and then there is my knocking wall in the bathroom:rolleyes:

Oh...and then there is my knocking wall in the bathroom:rolleyes:

Get the water hammer arrestors - they may help that!

Otherwise, open the wall, and secure the pipes.

Got to love the stuff that a 'Home Inspector' misses, don't you?

Get the water hammer arrestors - they may help that!

Otherwise, open the wall, and secure the pipes.

Got to love the stuff that a 'Home Inspector' misses, don't you?

the problem is the knock is in between a shower and tub/shower (two bathrooms):rolleyes: I'm not ready to tear the bathroom apart yet, trying to hold out till after x-mas:(

...Let me guess...The knock only happens when the hot water is running???

...Let me guess...The knock only happens when the hot water is running???

Well it starts then, but goes on for hours after I turn it off:rolleyes: slowly becomes more time inbetween knocks. Almost like a drip:(

...That is a common problem in condo's but it usually happen's on common walls...They will spray an expanding foam for a sound deadener on the common walls and as the pipe heats up it expands it's cavity...
...Don't feel alone, this happens on my master bath sink behind the big glued on mirror...Go to bed with the tick, tick, tick of the wall....:rolleyes:

Thanks to Tbars for stoping buy to check out my 220...which works we discovered:thumbsup:

..and whats better then that? After Ted left, i moved a piece or spare drywall that I had leaning there sence we moved in, and found 4 110 outlets behind it:eek: This great! No need to split the 220 now:D

well now.. THAT'S a positive turn of events!

Hooah!