One of my Union Electricians wanted to be helpful to one of our clients. Currently we are modernizing 5000 homes on a couple of military bases. So when we swap out the Air Conditioning system , we provide temp cooling for that one night they are without A/C. We are under contract to provide one unit downstairs and one unit upstairs.
This Journeyman brought in 4 temp cooling units into this house and plugged them in to 1 circuit ........ each draws 13 amps.
4x13 = 52 amps on a 15 amp breaker. Because the breaker failed (Homeline brand go figure). 20 year old home.
LOOK AT THE PIXS ......... This is why I tell people to pay attention to electricity and the material they are using to run the power.
Homeline brand is not a decent product. Buy the QO or equal, especially if you plan on running higher demanding power through it.
Never use #14 wire for plug/outlets, only use #12 gauge. FYI 14-gauge is used for running max 13 amps with a max capacity of 18 amps provided the run in developed length of wire is 50 ft or less. As you can see, this just about started a fire in the home. Thank God the Worker turned them on all at once to see them run before leaving the site.
This is a perfect example of what can happen when not all things are checked in an older home.
Basic reasons for this:
This is a poster child of what not to do. No common sense and not thinking of the consequence of this actions.
Bottom line, when making your shops more power and more breaker protection is the best insurance for decades of safe and good performing system. If that means updating your main panel .....DO IT.......... FYI 125 amp panel is about 75 bucks less than a 200 amp panel and the 2-0 wire for the feed is about 100-125.00 over #2 more.
This Journeyman brought in 4 temp cooling units into this house and plugged them in to 1 circuit ........ each draws 13 amps.
4x13 = 52 amps on a 15 amp breaker. Because the breaker failed (Homeline brand go figure). 20 year old home.
LOOK AT THE PIXS ......... This is why I tell people to pay attention to electricity and the material they are using to run the power.
Homeline brand is not a decent product. Buy the QO or equal, especially if you plan on running higher demanding power through it.
Never use #14 wire for plug/outlets, only use #12 gauge. FYI 14-gauge is used for running max 13 amps with a max capacity of 18 amps provided the run in developed length of wire is 50 ft or less. As you can see, this just about started a fire in the home. Thank God the Worker turned them on all at once to see them run before leaving the site.
This is a perfect example of what can happen when not all things are checked in an older home.
Basic reasons for this:
- He did not check to see what circuit he was on and did not confirm what the capacity of the breaker was.
- He did not check to confirm the wiring gauge.
- Did not know what the run length is (this is hard to ascertain in an existing buried condition)
- Did think that running 52 amps of equipment was safe and ok at the home to operate.
- HE DID NOT DO HIS JOB OF "CHECK BEFORE PROCEEDING"
This is a poster child of what not to do. No common sense and not thinking of the consequence of this actions.
Bottom line, when making your shops more power and more breaker protection is the best insurance for decades of safe and good performing system. If that means updating your main panel .....DO IT.......... FYI 125 amp panel is about 75 bucks less than a 200 amp panel and the 2-0 wire for the feed is about 100-125.00 over #2 more.
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