Terminate hot wire in main breaker box
#1
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Terminate hot wire in main breaker box
I recently remodeled my basement. I added a subpanel in my basement but left one circuit connected to my main breaker to power lights during construction. That circuit does not have an AFCI breaker, and the inspector is telling me it now must have one. Unfortunately that breaker is thin, the breaker box is full, and they don't make thin AFCI breakers (please tell me if you know of one).
My sump pump in my mechanical room happens to be connected to the existing circuit and the electrical wiring to that is easily accessible. Further it's at the end of the line, so there is only one wire going into that outlet.
I am thinking about cutting the line running to the sump pump and running each end into my sub panel. There I'll be able to add two breakers. One AFCI for the lights and one regular for the sump pump. First of all, is there anything flawed with this logic?
Then at the old breaker box I would disconnect the breaker. Problem there is I'll then have a live wire that is powered by the sub panel sitting there in the main panel. Assuming I can't find a junction box to disconnect this wire from the powered sub panel circuit, what is the proper way to terminate the powered loose wire in the main panel?
My sump pump in my mechanical room happens to be connected to the existing circuit and the electrical wiring to that is easily accessible. Further it's at the end of the line, so there is only one wire going into that outlet.
I am thinking about cutting the line running to the sump pump and running each end into my sub panel. There I'll be able to add two breakers. One AFCI for the lights and one regular for the sump pump. First of all, is there anything flawed with this logic?
Then at the old breaker box I would disconnect the breaker. Problem there is I'll then have a live wire that is powered by the sub panel sitting there in the main panel. Assuming I can't find a junction box to disconnect this wire from the powered sub panel circuit, what is the proper way to terminate the powered loose wire in the main panel?
#3
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The main panel is outside in the back of the house. The sub panel is in the basement. There is about 60' of conduit where the power is run from the main panel to the sub, and there is at least 1 90 degree turn in that conduit, so I'm worried that fishing another line to extend the circuit from the main panel to the sub could be difficult. It seems like splicing into the circuit with the sump pump would be the easier option.
#4
Then just add a wire nut to both the hot and neutrals. You may want to leave a note telling what the wires were used for previously.
#5
Then at the old breaker box I would disconnect the breaker. Problem there is I'll then have a live wire that is powered by the sub panel sitting there in the main panel. Assuming I can't find a junction box to disconnect this wire from the powered sub panel circuit, what is the proper way to terminate the powered loose wire in the main panel?
I also don't understand what you mean when you say
I am thinking about cutting the line running to the sump pump and running each end into my sub panel.
#6
I think the OP was going to feed a new HR into the sump pump end from the subpanel while disconnecting the circuit from the original panel effectively backfeeding the circuit.
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Currently there is a powered circuit from the main panel that is powering lights and the sump pump in the mechanical room. If I cut the line feeding the sump pump i would have 2 circuits. I would then extend each circuit to breakers in the sub panel. One breaker would only be for the sump pump. The other would power the lights, and this is the circuit where the other end would be in the main panel.
I think this answers my question:
Just to confirm, does leaving a live wire with nuts on the hot and neutral in the main panel meet code? I'm in Denver, CO.
I think this answers my question:
Then just add a wire nut to both the hot and neutrals.
Just to confirm, does leaving a live wire with nuts on the hot and neutral in the main panel meet code? I'm in Denver, CO.
#8
I would then extend each circuit to breakers in the sub panel. One breaker would... power the lights, and this is the circuit where the other end would be in the main panel.
does leaving a live wire with nuts on the hot and neutral in the main panel meet code? I'm in Denver, CO.
#9
Good to ask but I think the inspector could be justified. The circuit is being modified which would trigger the AFCI requirements.
#10
PC, I was advising asking the local inspector whether leaving a set of wires tagged and capped off in the main paned, with potential on the ungrounded conductor, would be acceptable.