Author Topic: DOH! electrical snafu in the shop (Read 523 times)

sigtauenus · « **on:** February, 14, 2011, 07:21:17 PM »

I just finished running the feed to the sub panel in my outdoor shed. I had the shed itself wired for about a year now and just got around to digging the ditch for the feed.

As I was wiring up the main breaker in the sub panel, I noticed that my 30A 240V circuit to my 30A outlet for the air compressor was wired with 10-2 instead of 10-3.

@#$%%^^!! WTH was I thinking when I did that?

Fortunately I noticed it before I tried hooking up the compressor.

Can I just get 25 feet of single #10 solid copper to run the second hot wire with, or do I need to yank out the 10-2 and replace it with 10-3? I guess the real question is, can you wire a circuit with 2 separate wires or does it need to all be within the same romex sheathing?

lethal289 · « **Reply #1 on:** February, 14, 2011, 08:46:19 PM »

You could pull another 10-2 wire. And cut off the non used wire. IMO, its better to have a sheath for extra protection instead of a single 10 gauge wire, but all 3 wires need not be in the same sheath. But if you have to buy more 10-2 to do that, you might as well just run the 10-3.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #2 on:** February, 15, 2011, 08:14:22 AM »

Connect the new 10-3 feed to a end of the 10-2 feed and pull it through the ditch ?? Possible ?

Midlife · « **Reply #3 on:** February, 15, 2011, 09:33:10 AM »

Have you thought about going to the wireless system?

apollard · « **Reply #4 on:** February, 15, 2011, 10:41:46 AM »

Quote from: sigtauenus on February, 14, 2011, 07:21:17 PM

Can I just get 25 feet of single #10 solid copper to run the second hot wire with, or do I need to yank out the 10-2 and replace it with 10-3?

You can - it will work fine. However, you might have an issue if you sell the house. Inspectors won't like it, and some states codes require sheathed cables in 'exposed' (read: accesible) wiring locations.

But, you can deal with that then, doesn't sound like your moving soon...

sigtauenus · « **Reply #5 on:** February, 15, 2011, 11:36:30 AM »

OK, something to think about then. Will most likely just yank the 10-2 and replace it with 10-3.

Fortunately the wire in the ditch is fine, I just need to fix the line from the sub panel to the compressor in the shed itself. The existing 10-2 wire is run up the wall that the panel is on, then through the ceiling and down the wall the compressor is on.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #6 on:** February, 15, 2011, 12:19:18 PM »

I think you are a bit lazy today !!!

sigtauenus · « **Reply #7 on:** February, 15, 2011, 01:51:25 PM »

How so?

B67FSTB · « **Reply #8 on:** February, 16, 2011, 03:49:06 AM »

Think that it isn't that much of work to rewire.Or isn't the existing wire feed channelled in a plastic tube?? ( don't know the exact term)

sigtauenus · « **Reply #9 on:** February, 16, 2011, 04:51:39 AM »

Oh, gotcha. Yeah, I don't mind doing the work, its just painful right now buying copper. 50 feet of 10-3 is $100 these days. That's crazy.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #10 on:** February, 16, 2011, 09:14:28 AM »

Yep , it hurts paying twice for material and doing the same job all over again.

stangg · « **Reply #11 on:** February, 16, 2011, 01:16:07 PM »

Quote from: sigtauenus on February, 16, 2011, 04:51:39 AM

Oh, gotcha. Yeah, I don't mind doing the work, its just painful right now buying copper. 50 feet of 10-3 is $100 these days. That's crazy.

Is that a Home Depot price? I found that buying materials at an electrical supply store is typically less expensive than buying from HD / Lowes etc... If you go to the places that tend to deal with tradesmen more, you tend to get pricing closer to what they get.