AC Disconnect

I have a 26 year old, rusted to hell, dog ugly, and likely dangerous Federal Pacific AC disconnect with a non-fused 60A breaker.

What I would like to do is replace this disconnect panel with 100 amp 6 space exterior panel with a 60A breaker for the AC, and use one of the other spaces for a 20A GFI protected 110 circuit.

Anyone see a problem with my idea?

Reply to
Bedford Guy
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What's the service capacity?

Reply to
Travis Jordan

200A
Reply to
Bedford Guy

Guy Wrote: "I have a 26 year old, rusted to hell, dog ugly, and likely dangerous Federal Pacific AC disconnect with a non-fused 60A breaker.

What I would like to do is replace this disconnect panel with 100 amp 6

space exterior panel with a 60A breaker for the AC, and use one of the other spaces for a 20A GFI protected 110 circuit.

Anyone see a problem with my idea? "

Guy,

Do you have a true neutral? You should not use the ground as a neutral. How big is the wire that currently feeds the disconnect?

Stretch

Reply to
Stretch

if your main panel is federal pacific stab lock breakers!!!]

ATTENTION MAJOR HAZARD GET RID OF THAT FIRE HAZARD NOW!

just google federal pacific, the breakers are terrible, and the company is out of business...

Reply to
hallerb

It's fine if you have a four wire feeder large enough to feed both the AC and your additional circuit.

Reply to
RBM

Sounds like the evaporator coil is leaking...so the system is completely shot and you need to buy a new heatpump. ~:>

Reply to
cornytheclown

You're probably right. Which coil do you think is leaking, the inside evaporator coil or the outside evaporator coil?

Reply to
Bob

That circuit is dedicated for the AC condensing unit only. If you look closely at the wire inside the disconnect you'll probably find a 10-2 with ground. As others have stated a neutral is not present for the

110. If you look in the main service panel you'll also probably find that it's on a 30 amp breaker. The 60 amp disconnect is a disconnect only. It's a common installation. In other words, you can't do what you propose. One solution would be to come out the back of an interior outlet in that area or, preferably, run a new circuit.
Reply to
volts500

Reply to cover all the questions........ The main service panel was a 200A FPE with Stab-Lok's when we bought the home. It was instantly replaced with a 200A Square D Homeline series, BEFORE I would sleep in the house. Replaced the meter enclosure at the same time.

I have also gone thru the entire house and swapped out all of the switches, receptacles, lighting fixtures, cleaned all connections, and used fresh wire nuts. The available junctions boxes have also been opened, inspected, and fresh connections made. All receptacles now test correctly for proper ground and neutral.

Oddly enough.... This entire home is wired with 12 ga., not a strand of 14 to be found. Someone must have had a stack of 12 ga. in stock, or the original builder was a bit twisted. They went to a lot of extra work as a result. (no back stab connections)

The wire to the AC disconnect is in fact 10-2 with ground, no neutral..... I'll just replace the disconnect, and waterproof conduit to the unit. Going for a new circuit for the 110. Thank y'all

Reply to
Bedford Guy

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