12-3 wire into a 20 amp breaker
#1
12-15-11, 03:59 PM
12-3 wire into a 20 amp breaker
I have a heavy 12-3 wire that i want to put into a 20 amp breaker. Where do i put the black and red wire? white and ground but what to do with the other two? the breaker i actually one of the type that has the two switches on the same breaker
#2
12-15-11, 04:22 PM
Are you trying to connect to a 240 volt load or run multiple 120v circuits?
Do you mean a 240v 2 pole breaker or a tandem set of 120v breakers
Your post is confusing. Please give more detail on what you are trying to do.
one of the type that has the two switches on the same breaker
Your post is confusing. Please give more detail on what you are trying to do.
#4
12-15-11, 05:21 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
If this is for a 240 volt heater you will need a full size two pole breaker, not a tandem.
A tandem breaker cannot share a neutral between the two hots. It will overload the neutral.
A tandem breaker cannot share a neutral between the two hots. It will overload the neutral.
#5
12-15-11, 05:30 PM
it's for a simple small space heater. i was hoping to hook this dedicated to one half the tandom as it's dedicated then the other half of the tandom to a couple of lights. a two wire set up a no brainer, 12-2, but the `12-3 wire was free!
#6
12-15-11, 05:41 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
As long as the heater is 120 volt you would just use the black and the white. Cap the red at both ends. You may want to label it as unused.
