crazy question


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Old 11-08-10, 07:18 PM
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crazy question

I'm running 110vac (black and white wires).

I need to put a breaker in the circuit. Do I put it in one side, or breaker both sides?????
 
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Old 11-08-10, 07:55 PM
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You put it on the ungrounded conductor side. You don't give your location and 110v isn't US or Canada but if you are in the US that means the hot side, black.
 
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Old 11-08-10, 08:51 PM
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Since you are asking a very basic question, I'm curious about your other choices for your circuit.
What are you installing?
What size and kind of wire, cable, or conduit are you using?
What size breaker are you using?
 
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Old 11-09-10, 12:44 AM
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12/3 on wire. 15 amp. Outside circuit to backyard. I'll probably have to use a GFCI
 
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Old 11-09-10, 03:33 AM
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Why are you running a 12-3? What will you do with the red wire? Next time you are in the electrical section of the big box store, make an investment in a book called Wiring Simplified. I take it by your questions and what you are doing, you have limited electrical experience. We don't want you to get hurt or endanger your property by doing something incorrectly. Please continue the questions so we can help you get this installed properly.
 
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Old 11-09-10, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by rbig
12/3 on wire. 15 amp. Outside circuit to backyard. I'll probably have to use a GFCI
#12 wire can be fused up to 20A. There's nothing wrong with doing 15, but just so you know. My main concern is where in the backyard is this circuit going? If it is going underground, you can not use Romex cable - even if it is inside conduit. Underground installations require either type UF (Underground Feeder: looks like Romex, but the conductors are molded into the plastic outer jacket rather than wrapped with paper and plastic) cable, which is suitable for direct burial, or conduit with type THWN separate conductors.

Any outdoor circuit requires a GFCI. If you are using UF cable and burying it less than 24" deep, the circuit must have GFCI protection BEFORE it goes underground (ie: either a GFCI receptacle at the house, or a GFCI breaker) to protect anyone who might hit the cable while digging.
 
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Old 11-09-10, 12:25 PM
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I'm with Chandler - the questions you're asking make me uncomfortable with the thought of you messing with this

Electricity is pretty straight forward but mistakes can cause massive property damage and even death

Also, I would not use 12 ga wire on a 15 amp circuit to eliminate confusion down the road when someone sees 12 ga wire and assumes 20 amp circuit
 
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Old 11-09-10, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by mitch17
Also, I would not use 12 ga wire on a 15 amp circuit to eliminate confusion down the road when someone sees 12 ga wire and assumes 20 amp circuit
I don't follow this. There is nothing wrong whatsoever with overwiring. It is done all the time to compensate for voltage drop. What you never want to do is MIX wire gauges on a circuit, especially if the larger gauge is at the breaker box. But what could possibly be the harm in putting 12ga on a 15A breaker? So what if someone down the road puts a 20A breaker on it? It's rated for it.
 
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Old 11-09-10, 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by mitch17
Also, I would not use 12 ga wire on a 15 amp circuit to eliminate confusion down the road when someone sees 12 ga wire and assumes 20 amp circuit
If someone were to do this there would be no hazard. It is when a smaller wire size is in the mix that would be a problem.
 
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Old 11-10-10, 06:45 AM
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I didn't say there was anything wrong with using 12 ga wire on a 15 amp circuit, just that it can cause confusion

It once took me most of an afternoon going in and out of a crawlspace to find the right breaker to flip because the wire was 12 ga and I assumed that meant it was a 20 amp circuit
 
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Old 11-10-10, 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by mitch17
I didn't say there was anything wrong with using 12 ga wire on a 15 amp circuit, just that it can cause confusion

It once took me most of an afternoon going in and out of a crawlspace to find the right breaker to flip because the wire was 12 ga and I assumed that meant it was a 20 amp circuit
That's honestly a really poor justification. There's plenty of easier ways to hunt down a breaker, especially if you do it for a living. For less than $10 you can build a screamer to clip onto the circuit, then you listen for it to stop as you flip breakers.
 
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Old 11-10-10, 10:30 AM
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I'm stating an opinion, not trying to justify anything

And, would the OP have asked the question if he did this for a living?
 
 

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