How to split or repair a 220 line in workshop?

[rsiros barth]

The junction box has the two larger diameter hot lines (10?) wire nutted to smaller diameter lines (12 for dishwasher and disposal, and a 14 for receptacle) and all of the various sized neutrals and grounds wire nutted together. Can this stay even if I change out the breakers?

[Rob Russell]

You would need to replace the 30A, 2-pole, "handle-tied" breaker with a 15A, 2-pole, "handle-tied" breaker.

If you do that, you could probably leave everything else alone. You should check to make sure that the receptacle(s) in the garage are GFCI-protected.

[Jason Beam]

You would need to replace the 30A, 2-pole, "handle-tied" breaker with a 15A, 2-pole, "handle-tied" breaker.

If you do that, you could probably leave everything else alone. You should check to make sure that the receptacle(s) in the garage are GFCI-protected.

I know it's safe ... I know it passes code ... I understand that it's "ok" to do. But if I encountered such a thing, I would wonder ... "Why?!?"

I just finished pulling out EVERY wire from my garage because of two or three far less odd situations. My comfort level is directly proportionate to how much sense the wiring job makes. 15a breaker to #10 NM into a junction box with #12 spliced going one way, #14 spliced going another way. I can't explain that with reason, so I'd rip it out - but then, I do understand that it's perfectly safe and if I didn't have the funds I'd probably leave it. At least until it bugged me enough. But that's completely in MY head - I can take issue with something if I think about it long enough - regardless of physics.

[Rob Russell]

Jason,

I guess it's the difference between what is safe and what looks like it makes sense.

To keep all of the existing circuits SAFELY energized, Rsiros can only use a 15A breaker.

Ripping it all out, putting in separate circuits for the dishwasher, garbage disposal and garage all make sense to me and would be clearer to someone doing wiring in the future. That doesn't mean that the existing wiring can't be made safe, but redoing it would certainly allow for a "cleaner" installation.

Rob

[Jason Beam]

Rob,

Agreed. I guess I just have more of a leaning toward having it clean and make sense. I know the above is perfectly safe - dropping the breaker answers all the other stuff from a safety standpoint. It's just ... if I were buying a house and came across something like this, I'd be very suspect of the quality of work all over the house. I'm not at all criticizing you or the advice - I know it's by far the easiest way to make it a safe circuit. It'd just bug me to leave it that way, is all. I realize that's just a personal take and don't fault anyone for suggesting it. I'm so anal that I'd probably go hunting for other oddities like this one and rip them all out and "do 'em up right" in my own mind.

I guess I'm only saying something to maybe give Rsiros a (gentle!) nudge toward maybe considering making it more than "just" safe

[Rob Russell]

If it were my house, I'd rip it out and rewire it, but I can do that myself.

If Rsiros has to hire an electrician to do the work, that could easily be a $500-$1000 job depending on the area/electrician's rates, and s/he may not have that kind of $$$.

I also realized that Rsiros never got an answer to the question of using the existing circuit to feed a subpanel. If there are (4) #10 conductors, you could feed a 30A/240v subpanel. I'd ask what the benefit of having a 30A subpanel would be before I went that route.

Rob

[rsiros barth]

Thanks for the advice guys. I just wanted to see if I should be working on correcting this this weekend or if I could wait until I had some time to rewire the situation. Between my father-in-law and myself, we should be able to run everything and hook it up to the panel... (I'm too chicken to deal with the panel stuff).