THE END IS HERE

[Stormin Mormon]

Depends. What's the wire gage of the appliance?

[Doug Miller]

Were you born this dense, or did you train?

[Stormin Mormon]

It's a public service. I don't make a penny by doing this. After a brief but intense period of training, I went into a lengthy apprenticeship. I am now qualified to go on service calls, and ask stupid questions.

Perhaps I can regale you with some of my finest.

[Steve Barker]

the FIRST thing to do is to try it on the 15A outlet and see if the breaker will take it. Then, if not, just drop a 20 a. outlet out directly under your panel and use a good 10ga extension cord.

s

[zxcvbob]

Does the welder have a NEMA 5-15 plug or a 5-20 plug? If it's a -15 plug (has parallel prongs) they are not serious about the 20A rating and you can ignore it -- see what happens, you can run a new circuit later if you need to.

You've already figured out by now that you can't do a "ring" circuit (like I think they do in England) with the 14 ga cables.

Bob

[zxcvbob]

With a welder, it doesn't matter. They are specifically exempted from this particular code requirement. (section 630, if I recall correctly, but I could be way off)

Bob

[Red]

Ok, you've discussed in depth doubling 14/2's to increase the amperage, but here's a similar question with a twist.

Could I double 12/2's while keeping it protected with a 20A breaker? I'm thinking of a long run where I would be trying to compensate for voltage drop rather than trying to increase current capacity. The broke wire senario wouldn't apply since the circuit would still be in specs. And yeah, I could buy 10/2 but I've got a lot of spare 12/2. Just wondering.

Red

[zxcvbob]

The National Electric Code only allows that with really big conductors (*really* big, but I don't remember the cutoff size, something like

4/0.) But I can't think of any reason it would be unsafe if you just did it anyway and didn't tell anybody.

How far are you running? The voltage drop in 12ga wire is not as much as you'd think.

Bob

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

One very important reason for codes is to insure that when you are working on a system someone else put in, you know what to expect. When working with wiring, the unexpected is what is dangerous.

Code is code, it is there for a reason. If you don't know why it is the way it is, then it is even more important that you follow the code exactly. If you think you know what it is the way it is, then that is also a good reason to follow the code.

[bob haller]

es is to insure that when you

eason. =EF=BF=BDIf you don't know why

Gee where were you recently when idiots recommended removing ground pins and not grounding receptables to save money claiming its safe?

could of used your help at that time

[Doug Miller]

Not legally, no. In general, conductors smaller than 1/0 are not allowed to be connected in parallel. There are a few exceptions, but none of them apply in residential situations. [2005 National Electrical Code, Article 310.4]

[Doug Miller]

It doesn't make any difference *what* the device is, it still doesn't matter. Think about it: people connect 1-amp (or less) devices to 15- or 20-amp circuits all the time. Nobody except Stormin Mormon ever dreams there's a problem with plugging a table lamp into a circuit with a 15A breaker.

The exception you're thinking of with regard to welders refers to (for example) using a 30-amp device on a circuit with a 20-amp breaker.

[Rudy]

The panel is in the basement, about 50 ft laterally from the garage with all drywalled walls and ceilings in between. (Its now in a bedroom) I don't know why the DOOFUS electrician didn't put the panel in the (attached) garage whe they were building the house. It would have been about 40 ft more "copper" to put it in there. I'da paid it.

[Rudy]

Its a 5-15, Bob. The manual says it will work on "position 1" (Lowest setting) on 15A circuit. Guess I'll fire it up on a 15 and see what happens if I switch to 2, 3, and

2. Sounds like I can work thru the unused 30A "RV" outlet on the outside of the garage and end up with a 20A "inside"

[Rudy]

I have a triple gang box in the basement. Two of the switches are running from the normal/expected breaker but the third is a "3 way" which has power running to it from a different breaker. What does the "code" say about how to alert the "next guy" about this ? So far, I've written this info on the back of the decora plate with a Sharpie hoping the next guy can READ.

[gfretwell]

There is no NEC requirement or rule about this but a label can't hurt anything.