I have a 200 amp entrance into my home.
I want to add a sub box to it down in my basement to run extra outlets and so forth.
I have enough footage of 6/2 wire (Black/white/ground). Can I run it as a 220 connection into the sub box? Or do I have to use 6/3 wire(black/red/white/ground)?

thanks

 

Although 6/2 could be used to create a 120-volt subpanel (hot, neutral, ground), I would recommend against it. If you're going to all the trouble and expense to install the breaker, buy a panel, run the cable, etc., for the same amount of work, 6/3 will give you twice as much available power, reduce the voltage drop, and offer the possibility of a 240 volt circuit (whether you want it now or not).

 

so 6/2 can't be used for a 240 volt connection?

 

It can be used for all 240-volt circuits, or all 120-volt circuits, but not for a mixture of the two. The white wire must either be hot or a neutral--it cannot be both. Again, I don't recommend it.

 

your kind of confusing me.
First you tell me it can be used for 120 connection but yo would use a 6/3 and connect it as 240, then you say it (6/2) can be used for all 240 or 120 but not a mixture. (Mixture?)
Can I hook the black wire to one side of a double 40 breaker the white wire to the other side of a double 40 breaker and the plain wire to the ground and run into a electric grill that has to be hard wired and draws 33 amps 240 single phase with only 3 places to hook up wires, (2 hot one ground, no second ground or neutral)?

Thank you

 

My first post was not intended to tell you everything you could possible do with 6/2 cable.

Your first post said you wanted "extra outlets", so I told you the only way to do that with 6/2. Your second post asked if you could use 6/2 as a 240-volt connection. The answer to this was also yes. However, you can't have both at the same time. It's either/or.

Now you've introduced the electric grill. The answer to this is also yes.

But you have to make a choice. You can't have both the electric grill and some "extra outlets" with the same 6/2.

 

Ok one last senario (Promise I think)
How about if I come out of my 200 amp box with the 6/2 (black in one side of dbl 40 or even dbl60, white in other side of dbl 40 or 60 breaker, plain into ground.
Go into a small (lets just say 100 amp box) that will hold 4 breakers.
now we are in the small breaker box, i want to come out of it and go to the grill. I use 6/2 out of dbl 40 breakers. so that leaves me 2 empty spots for more breakers. Can i come out of it say with a 14/2 and go to a couple lights or even a few outlets? or would that be to much draw on the 6/2?

basically whats the difference between a 6/2 and 6/3 besides and extra ground wire. isn't one ground suffecient?

Thank You
Doug

 

It's not too much of a draw, but it won't work. The 120-volt circuits need a neutral wire to carry the return current, and your small panel won't have one. All of your 120-volt circuits will have an open circuit and be non-functional.

 

So i can go into the 100 amp box with the 6/2 running 240.
I can come out of the 100 amp box with 6/2 going to my grill running 240
but I can't come out of the 100 amp box with 120?

i just want to be sure I understand

Thank you

 

Yes, that is true. But I still don't recommend it. If the subpanel powers only the grill, then it offers no added value of just running the grill circuit straight from the main panel.

 

whats the difference between the neutral wire and ground wire?
Other than guage size,they both connect to the same place.

 

Ah, there's a huge difference. To explore all the safety differences, it would take a book. In fact, many books have been written on it. Suffice it to say that trying to use the same wire for both purposes is very dangerous. The neutral carries current in normal operation. The grounding wire only carries current in the event of a fault. Within a building, they may be connected together in one and only one place. This is critically important! Just because they are connected in the main panel does not mean it's okay to connect them anywhere else.

 

Ahh OK I see!

But i can do the 240 volt hook up with the 6/2 and it will work fine right?

Thank You
You've been a big help!
Doug

 

Yes, with a circuit directly from main panel, assuming your grill has no 120-volt components.

 

Great!

No it has no 120 volt components.

Thank You again!
Doug

 

Every city has different codes.
This information is just for reference.You need to talk to someone in your city for their requirements.

If you use the 6-3

Black wire
White wire
Red wire

Ground wire

If you measure the voltage
From Black to White you will have 120 volts
From Red to White 120 volts

From Black to Red will be 240 volts.(or black to black feeding your main panel)

The white wire is like a center tap (common tie point of two 120 volt lines) of the 240 volts. you have 120 volts on each side of the neutral.

If your going to add 120 volt lights, outlets and feed 240 volts to your grill you must use the 6-3 to feed you sub panel.
You will need to add a floating neutral bus-bar ($10.00 about) to the sub panel to tie the neutral white wires to.
Floating means that it is insulated from the metal box, not grounded in the sub panel.

If your going to use 6-2 to feed 240 volts. put a strip of black tape around the white wire, at each ends.
At my time it was to indicate a reverse feeding hot, (or switched hot in a switch box) and no longer used as a neutral.

You need get a Book from your hardware store.