120 v receptacle from this breaker?
#1
06-10-15, 12:03 PM
120 v receptacle from this breaker?
The lower right "double" breaker in this photo was being used to power a 2-foot long baseboard heater rated at "208/240v" on the sticker on the heater. But I'd like to get rid of the baseboard heater and in its place install a 120v wall receptacle. Is this feasible/possible/doable or is that a big no-no or other complications to consider? There's two wires, a red and black, coming out from the conduit which connect(ed) to the baseboard heater. Any comments appreciated.
#3
06-10-15, 12:34 PM
It is do-able if you're able to pull a white wire through that same conduit.
#5
06-10-15, 01:11 PM
Here's a photo of the business with the panel cover removed.
None of the breakers along the left side go to or do anything anymore.
Actually as can be seen, it has a red and white wire connected to its terminals.
"Remove" the red? You mean to say disconnect it from the breaker terminal then cap the disconnected end?
The white wire that I would be pulling through the conduit? That white wire?
I'm still unclear/confused, obviously.
None of the breakers along the left side go to or do anything anymore.
The breaker probably has a black and white wire.
Remove and cap the red. The white goes to the neutral bar, not the breaker.
The white goes to the neutral bar, not the breaker.
I'm still unclear/confused, obviously.
#6
06-10-15, 01:57 PM
"Remove" the red? You mean to say disconnect it from the breaker terminal then cap the disconnected end?
The white goes to the neutral bar, not the breaker.
In my now deleted response I was referring to cable. I missed that you had conduit. Note the receptacle will need to have a green ground wire connected to the receptacle box.
#7
06-10-15, 02:22 PM
So it would be possible (but probably against all code/safety advice, etc) to simply disconnect the red from the breaker and connect it to the neutral bar (using it as the neutral wire to the receptacle in place of a properly colored white wire)? That would then render that breaker to proper voltage for the receptacle? Not saying that's what I plan on doing but just want to make sure I have enough understanding here.
#9
06-10-15, 04:30 PM
By code the neutral must be factory colored white or gray if it is #6 or smaller.
Now here's a photo of an old receptacle I dug up which I was thinking of utilizing for the project I've mentioned. How do I connect it to my single black and single white (or gray) wires? Just connect my black wire to either of the gold terminals and my white (or gray) wire to either of the silver terminals?
#10
06-10-15, 05:14 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
That would be correct. Those look like back wired, not backstabbed
Last edited by pcboss; 06-10-15 at 07:26 PM.
#11
06-10-15, 05:42 PM
To add to what PCBoss wrote back wires means you insert the wires as shown in the picture. You do not wrap them around the screws. That is okay, maybe even better then wrapping around the screw.
#12
06-10-15, 06:18 PM
Further explanation. If you loosen the screws those wires should become loose and you should be able to pull them out. You slide the new wire into the same hole and tighten the screws to secure it.
#14
06-11-15, 01:41 PM
Glad to report here that it all worked out well. Using the red wire while it was in the conduit already to pull through a new white wire was a great suggestion I probably wouldn't have thought of, but made running that wire easy.
Did that too^. I even have one of those ground fault receptacle testers you plug into the receptacle with the red/green/yellow indicator lights and it indicated all okay.
Note the receptacle will need to have a green ground wire connected to the receptacle box.
