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Quick question - Remove 30 amp breaker and install two 15s?

Quick question - Remove 30 amp breaker and install two 15s?


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Old 06-29-14, 04:37 AM
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Quick question - Remove 30 amp breaker and install two 15s?

Good morning all
I have just added a few outlets to a room in the basement. In the sub panel located in the basement there are no extra slots available, I do however have a 220 double pole 30 amp breaker not being used. Former homeowner had a shop with a welder down here. Can I remove that breaker and go with 2 -15 amp set ups. Name:  image.jpg
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Last edited by Rick Johnston; 06-30-14 at 04:29 AM.
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Old 06-29-14, 05:09 AM
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You sure can and be sure they are AFCI breakers.
Geo
 
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Old 06-29-14, 05:36 AM
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Great, this will give me an extra circuit available for later. Thanks Geo, what about this buss bar, neutral wire with ground here and black to one of the breakers, is that correctName:  image.jpg
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Old 06-29-14, 06:38 AM
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If this is sub panel you might want to separate neutral from the ground.
 
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Old 06-29-14, 07:12 AM
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what about this buss bar, neutral wire with ground here and black to one of the breakers, is that correct
No, it isn't correct. This is a subpanel. The white neutral conductors should be isolated from the ground wires. How many wires in the feeder to this panel, there should be 2 hots, 1 neutral and 1 ground wire.
 
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Old 06-29-14, 08:45 AM
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Ok, Casual Joe, I went down and looked in what I'm calling a small subPanel, after looking at this, I see the power comes in from the main panel via a 8 gauge cord. The white wire is hooked to the ground bar in the main panel. The red and black wires are hooked and run through a 30 amp double pole breaker. This does not seem correct to me at all.
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Old 06-29-14, 09:59 AM
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Are the two panels connected by a continuous metal conduit or just a cable? If just cable this may be a grandfathered very old setup. Best would be to replace the cable.
 
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Old 06-29-14, 10:18 AM
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No conduit. Just cable from main to sub panel. Question is this, if I remove the 30 amp double pole breakers and install a 15 single in each. The black wire will go to the breaker while the neutral will hook to the bar shown below. Is that correct,
 
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Old 06-29-14, 10:54 AM
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Is there a bare copper conductor in the cable with the black, red and white conductors?
 
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Old 06-29-14, 11:10 AM
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You sure can and be sure they are AFCI breakers.
Geo
Does the OP's municipality require AFCI's? What code cycle is he on?

He says he is replacing a 240 breaker... but didn't mention pulling another neutral for these 2 circuits... maybe he is considering a multiwire circuit? Then an AFCI likely will be an issue.

More info is needed before suggesting the use of AFCI's here.
 
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Old 06-29-14, 11:11 AM
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No bare wire. Just red, black, white
 
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Old 06-29-14, 11:22 AM
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Here's a little more info, I put in a few more outlets In the basement. I have run the Romex 14/2 and am at the box. Extra breakers in bottom (see pic) are 2-30 amp ones. I want to remove them put in 2-15 amp breakers and connect the black to the breaker and the neutral and ground to the bar( see pic). Is this correct. Would not like to change anything unless I need to. Receptacles are wired and the Romex is ready to install in box. Just wondering if this is all correct. Thanks for all the help. Dan
 
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Old 06-29-14, 12:07 PM
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Ok, Casual Joe, I went down and looked in what I'm calling a small subPanel, after looking at this, I see the power comes in from the main panel via a 8 gauge cord.
Flexible cord cannot be used for permanent wiring and it also has no ground. This cord needs to be replaced with a cable made up of 3 wires plus a ground, a ground bar needs to be added to your subpanel and the bonding strap removed. This would provide a proper termination point for your ground wires in the subpanel on the new ground bar.
 
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Old 06-29-14, 01:54 PM
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Good point on which NEC has been adopted by NC looks like they are still using 2011 NEC.
My bad.
Geo
 
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Old 06-29-14, 02:16 PM
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Do not understand how this got by the inspector when we had the house inspected before we bought it. Ten yrs ago. OK. I'll get this replaced. This week. Any other surprises, I'll let y'all know. Thanks again..........Dan
 
 

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