Electrical Question

[fmahovalich]

No overhead wires for me..... Im not a porch person

No I used the right underground wire....and to top itoff.. put it in a grey conduit as well. That is all good!! Its 12/2

I know its on 240v.... I can tell by the brightness of the lightbulb just before it 'pops'.

Dammit...wish I could step it down.... but heck...a hole though the wall is no problem!

 

[LazMan]

Couple of things:
1. you originally said there were black/white/gnd wires. only. i'd check with a volt-meter. i would have expected a red wire or the white wire having a red/black marking at the end.
2. underground should be very deep and might still have to be special wire. i've heard that regular nmd can be used now but the code used to say only wet certified wire could be run even in conduit. you'd better check before calling an electrician. or telling anyone else what you've done. and i seriously doubt if you went deep enough:
http://www.selfhelpforums.com/showthread.php?t=3610

an overhead wire might be easier.

Solid points...

However, it's not at all uncommon to see HVAC (and others - not picking on the mechanical guys alone!) forget to "mark" the white wire (tape/marker) to indicate it's not a neutral, but being used as a "hot" instead... It's even less common to see them use heater wire (which has a red and a black, vs. white and black).

As for the depth, it's not actually required to be that deep - in conduit, I think it's either 18 or 24" - I don't do much of it, and don't want to dig out my code book, so am not positive. Under roadways/driveways it is supposed to be deeper, for the mechanical protection.

 

[Mencken]

Well....I did do one thing right. I used underground 12/2 wire...and hid it inside that grey underground piping as well. Its all buried and inside the grey pipes right up to the box.

I knew I was on a 20 AMP line...and rightly...I may plug in one day to my outlet....... But will have to pull the wire off the A/C...and drive it through the concrete to a 15 amp in the basement wall!

All doable

20 Amp is not your biggest worry...the 240 volts is, and having both white and black as hot wires when no one would expect that in an outlet for a plug or light (unless it was a 240 dryer or stove plug).

You might be invalidating your fire insurance or something like that if you do things like this that are clearly dangerous and against code.

 

[Gentle Ben]

.........

I know its on 240v.... I can tell by the brightness of the lightbulb just before it 'pops'.

Dammit...wish I could step it down.... but heck...a hole though the wall is no problem!

As others have said, your installation is by far not to code, but you already know that.
I'm not suggesting you do this, but if you wired 2 lamps in series you would eliminate the blowing bulbs... keep in mind that when 1 bulb burns out they both go out(just like Christmas lights that are wired in series). You may have to fool around with different wattage bulbs to get the brightness you want.alternatively order from ebay etc a 220v bulb . Don't install an outlet.

You should also consider installing a 15 amp breaker inside the shed as well.

 

[oldjones]

20 Amp is not your biggest worry...the 240 volts is, and having both white and black as hot wires when no one would expect that in an outlet for a plug or light (unless it was a 240 dryer or stove plug).

You might be invalidating your fire insurance or something like that if you do things like this that are clearly dangerous and against code.

Second that.

 

[woodee]

Before we see news of your electrocution, just hire a licensed electrician. Get it done properly and safely.

 

[larry]

As others have said, your installation is by far not to code, but you already know that.
I'm not suggesting you do this, but if you wired 2 lamps in series you would eliminate the blowing bulbs... keep in mind that when 1 bulb burns out they both go out(just like Christmas lights that are wired in series). You may have to fool around with different wattage bulbs to get the brightness you want.alternatively order from ebay etc a 220v bulb . Don't install an outlet.

You should also consider installing a 15 amp breaker inside the shed as well.

I don't know you so don't take this personal, but this is terrible advice. saying you're not suggesting something and then suggesting it is a funny way to communicate. and so dangerous.

 

[roadshuttle]

You can pig-tail the black and white wires to a 120 step down transformer. But there may be a voltage drop. But I think you would be creating a parallel circuit at this point, so in theory there wouldnt be a voltage drop.

 

[fmahovalich]

All good thoughts boys....no not gonna get an expensive transformer...or more expensive electrician.


Have pulled the wires..and gonna run it through the wall to a basement plug!!

All is well!

 

[papasmerf]

all good thoughts boys....no not gonna get an expensive transformer...or more expensive electrician.


Have pulled the wires..and gonna run it through the wall to a basement plug!!

All is well!

can you say BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mervyn]

What's cheaper, a professional electrition or a new shed ?

 

[Moraff]

What's cheaper, a professional electrition or a new shed ?

you need to add "reincarnation" into the list. Anybody who claims to know how to do wiring and still does something like this is bound to end up doing an imitation of a bug zapper victim sooner or later.

 

[papasmerf]

you need to add "reincarnation" into the list. Anybody who claims to know how to do wiring and still does something like this is bound to end up doing an imitation of a bug zapper victim sooner or later.

Isn't that what the DARWIN awards are all about?

 

[Tangwhich]

I see stupid installations by home owners all the time. It's for this reason that I put 'finished basement' in my Con section when shopping for a house

 

[shakenbake]

All good thoughts boys....no not gonna get an expensive transformer...or more expensive electrician.


Have pulled the wires..and gonna run it through the wall to a basement plug!!

All is well!

Do yourself a favour and change the plug to a GFCI, to be safe and within code.

 

[larry]

All good thoughts boys....no not gonna get an expensive transformer...or more expensive electrician.


Have pulled the wires..and gonna run it through the wall to a basement plug!!

All is well!

not to be (too) smart, but have you looked up "box fill"? and with a #12 cable coming in, you've really compromised your options. If you are doing "code" work you may have a different problem. If just handyman type work, you have plenty of company.

 

[good to go]

All good thoughts boys....no not gonna get an expensive transformer...or more expensive electrician.


Have pulled the wires..and gonna run it through the wall to a basement plug!!

All is well!

All is not well.Did you get a inspection done by ESA.
If no inspection is done and you burn down the house you are not covered by the insurance on the house.

You are better to get it done by a professional or at least inspected by one.

 

[good to go]

Yes , you can do your own work as of right now. I have heard that they are going to take that out in the near future.

 

[fmahovalich]

Yes I am doing my own work. I am gonna run a 12/2 wire from my basement plug through conduit to an outside small garden shed to run a lightbulb.

All is good boys. The wire is heavier than what is required...running off a basement electrical box.

All connected to a 15 amp breaker.

All is good.

THANKS FOR THE INPUT!

 

[Tangwhich]

Yes , you can do your own work as of right now. I have heard that they are going to take that out in the near future.

They may have taken it out already. Nobody seems to know for sure. I know someone who was told they couldn't take out their own permit. This was for a service change mind you.