/r/electrical

Photograph via snooOG

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  1. Please include your country if you have an electrical question. Systems, codes, and infrastructure vary wildly.

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/r/electrical

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1

Is it ok to put half-inch quad-breakers in the one-inch spaces in this panel?

I have a GE 125 amp main lug center and the HomeDepot title says 16 spaces and 24 circuits. It seems to have 8 spaces primarily designed for one-inch breakers and 8 spaces that can each take two half-inch breakers. Is it fine to get it to 32 circuits by putting half-inch quad breakers into the one-inch spaces? For example, one quad with 4 half-inch breakers going into 2 of the one-inch spaces. Doing that on all 8 one-inch spaces would increase the circuits by 8. That’s what an electrician just did at my condo last night. I paid him half up front and he wanted the other half paid last night. So it would really help me to know if that approach is ok in general and under code. My condo is in Puerto Rico, which uses the 2017 NEC. This is the product page at HomeD: https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-PowerMark-Gold-125-Amp-16-Space-24-Circuit-Indoor-Main-Lug-Circuit-Breaker-Panel-TLM1612CCUP/100168420#overlay

Here's a photo of the 4 quad breakers that he put in the 8 one-inch spaces and the label on the panel door that has some specs. Below it is close-up photo of the quads with their wires. While that label shows the first 8 spaces as being one-inch, my understanding is that quad breakers are sometimes used to expand one-inch spaces. Is that right or wrong? Thanks very much.

https://preview.redd.it/3l0m7g9wie5e1.jpg?width=1872&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c29b59269d61b616b2c388a83707b2e00ecdead0

https://preview.redd.it/o7pec1bbje5e1.jpg?width=2500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd3666fb6a3383f125d8e71e230b8f5dce29be1d

6 Comments
2024/12/07
10:12 UTC

0

🌞 Power Your World! From your phone to your home, solar energy has the power to fuel it all. 🌍

0 Comments
2024/12/07
06:01 UTC

3

It's always something !! As my dad reminds me constantly..lol

What are these wires at the base? Looks to be cloth and house was built early 1900s at least. I was replacing fan, this set up worked with light switch on wall. the rest of room is on newer circuit because I just changed outlet, I guess I'm wondering for safety sake, is that a connection behind the tape or does that white and black extend all the way into the cloth wire up top. Just wondering if it's possible and is it best to leave as such, replace the ceiling fan with no visible ground etc. I'm guessing it's too fragile, to call electricrician and rewiring the whole house is what best case is but until then what should I be aware of ..thanks

6 Comments
2024/12/07
05:49 UTC

0

Electric baseboard

Baseboard heater red/black Power black /white Thermostat

I wired according to diagram but breaker keeps tripping.

6 Comments
2024/12/07
05:34 UTC

2

Electrical panel box vibrating.

Just moved into this studio complex. Electrical panel box vibrates every night around the same time. Is this something I should worry about?? Everything on google tells me it’s a a fire hazard. Can anyone explain? It stops when I touch it and doesn’t continue.

3 Comments
2024/12/07
05:12 UTC

1

Why is it off the wall?

Long story short I fucked up this conduit when I excavated around my house, and now while replacing it the new one doesn’t sit flush into the brick like the old one.

Anyone know what I did wrong?

And I know I should add a conduit going in; going to fix that tomorrow.

Thanks for any insights!

23 Comments
2024/12/07
03:30 UTC

1

Replaced dryer element and not fuse

So I have a Samsung dve45t3400v dryer. It stopped blowing hot air. I changed the the exhaust, and it was full of lint. I then ordered a kit that had a new heating element https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07R4RHC4H?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I replaced everything BUT the thermistor and thermal fuse. The dryer is heating up, there is a slight burning smell which I’ve read is probably from the chemical being burned off the new heating element or some shifted dust/lint. I am worried that because I didn’t change the thermistor, or thermal fuse it would make a fire even more likely. But don’t know Jack and am wondering if the the dryer was not heating and now is, if I fixed the problem, would the dryer continue to be blowing cold air if it was the thermistor or fuse?

0 Comments
2024/12/07
03:29 UTC

0

ELI5: In basic home electrical, What do the ground (copper) and neutral (white) actually even do….? Like don’t all we need is the hot (black wire) for electricity since it’s the only one actually powered…. Technical websites explaining electrical theory definitely ain’t ELI5ing it

17 Comments
2024/12/07
03:20 UTC

2

Ballast Bypass. The ballast I'm replacing has the neutral go directly to the tombstone. None of the diagrams I've seen do anything like this. Can I still use a double ended bypass in this fixture?

7 Comments
2024/12/07
02:52 UTC

1

Prelit tree not working fully

0 Comments
2024/12/07
02:47 UTC

0

Transfer Switch

Need some advice…I can’t find an electrician willing to come out and do a small job without charging me anything less than $2k. Looking to install a transfer switch for a generator. I would like to flush mount beneath the main panel with the wiring coming out into the main panel. Our city follows NEC 2023, two questions:

  1. any issue with minimum heights? The bottom of the transfer switch is 20 in above the ground.
  2. any issue with the wiring running next to my welder outlet? I plan on running the wiring in the flexible conduit in the wall from transfer switch to main panel.

In the attached picture, blue are the studs, red is switch, green is planned wire routing

Transfer switch: Reliance 306a https://www.reliancecontrols.com/products/reliance-controls-pro-tran-2-portable-generator-transfer-switch-125-250v-30a-nema-l14-30-6-1-2p-20a-4-1p-15a-circuits-metal-gray-306a

11 Comments
2024/12/07
02:01 UTC

4

Is this quote a reasonable price?

So for an older home in the 1950s, I was quoted $1,700 to do the following:

install 8 recessed led lights

replace the 2 switches for dimmer switch which light the 6 recessed lights

Install a new dimmer switch for the other 2 recessed lights

Rewire the outlets in the kitchen to stay running without the use of a switch anymore

Patch the drywall and any areas damaged during install

6 Comments
2024/12/07
00:49 UTC

1

Why would main be on two breakers?

This is in a home my sister is considering buying. Obviously older panel she’s going to have an electrician look at but I’m wondering why main would be on two breakers? Or could that be wrong labeling?

34 Comments
2024/12/06
23:32 UTC

4

Trying to figure out what circuit the bedrooms are on

We have three bedrooms in our house and are trying to figure out if they’re on the same circuit. I’m not sure what APP stands for here. Any help?

44 Comments
2024/12/06
22:58 UTC

1

Does this electrical panel replacement look like it was done right?

https://preview.redd.it/6fq8k5bd2b5e1.jpg?width=1256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80fe2eb8d13032b66013b79f3861382d14a0ce5a

I posted about this panel and people said these things needed to be improved: 1) expand the number of spaces/breakers. The old panel had 24 breakers, but 31 circuits, so some breakers had two circuits. The new panel has 31 breakers, plus at least one empty space and likely more. 2) fix the rats nest of wires. In the past thread, a few people noted the photo didn't show oxidation, so maybe replacement wasn't needed. The oxidation was on the buses hidden behind the breakers in the photo and he later sent me photos of that. Below are before and after photos. He used a few quad breakers - does it look like those were properly done? Does it look like anything isn’t correct that should be changed? Thanks

https://preview.redd.it/3xr8kyig2b5e1.jpg?width=1292&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1cbec4cd3a4e0d96b048e2fe48e0fa1b3b5eb89d

8 Comments
2024/12/06
22:28 UTC

1

Is it safe to plug space heater into wall tap surge protectors?

Its winter and I want to stay warm in the room Im at with my pc, im thinking about buying a wall tap surge protector and get me a space heater, I know power strips are a fire hazard but are wall taps no better to plug into?

5 Comments
2024/12/06
22:15 UTC

1

Reconnectable, water proof connector

Have some lights on my bike that are powered by a dynamo in the wheel. I want to be able to disconnect the back light from the front light without having to cut and resolder every time. What kind of connection should I use make it relatively simple to disconnect the two?

0 Comments
2024/12/06
22:00 UTC

1

Potentiometer Power Rating

I need to replace a B254 potentiometer for the heating dial for my coffee roaster but I don't know what power rating to use?

The whole machine operates on 220 V, 30A, and the electric panel says up to 5,400 W total.

I see online some B254 potentiometers with power ratings of 0.25 W and 2 W but not sure which to choose.

*underneath B254, it says 168C (not sure what 168C means)

Thanks

0 Comments
2024/12/06
21:56 UTC

2

Correct way to wire electricity from a generator to a food booth?

Hello all, looking for some expertise on the correct way to run electricity from a gas powered generator to various appliances around a food booth. All appliances should come in well under the wattage of the generator. Appliances will be placed along a 20-30ft perimeter around the booth and out from the generator. Examples of devices will be led lighting, chest freezer, heating lamps, tablet, etc.

The generator is a Predator 5000. I assume something like this Multi-outlet extension would be a bad idea because it offers no surge protection along the line.

Would it be correct to go Generator > Adaptor > Power strip >individual extension cords to each appliance?

7 Comments
2024/12/06
21:55 UTC

0

Is this safe to use?

2 Comments
2024/12/06
21:38 UTC

0

Regular power outage in parts of house

Hello! For about a month, the power in certain rooms of the house (master bedroom, part of kitchen, and another room) goes out. It sometimes comes back on in just a minute, could be put up to an hour. It happens daily multiple times a day. When I check breaker box nothings is kicked. If I do flip the main breaker off then on, it doesn’t do anything. I also noticed while this is happening my closet light is very dim.

Someone (family friend) checked breaker box and said it was fine. AEP came and checked outside and said everything is perfect on their end. The guy said it could be the outside disconnect breaker which would fall on us to fix but he didn’t know for sure.

Any ideas on what this could be? I have an electrician scheduled to come next week just wanted to put this out there in the land of Reddit.

5 Comments
2024/12/06
18:37 UTC

15

I think the guy who 3D printed the huge wire nuts found his new market.

5 Comments
2024/12/06
17:49 UTC

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