Is Your 240 Volt Outlet Safe

Examining a 240 Volt Circuit and the Electrical Wiring Components for Safety – The wire gauge of the circuit should be verified. If it is found that the circuit wire AWG gauge is #12 then the circuit breaker amperage size could be increased to be a 20 amp 2 pole circuit breaker.

Examining 240 Volt Circuit Components
[ad#block]Electrical Question: I have a dual 15 amp 2 pole circuit breaker that outputs 240V to a single 240V 20 amp outlet.

• Is this acceptable?
• It was installed when the house was built 20 years ago.
• I’m concerned about the safety of the electrical wiring.

This electrical wiring question came from: Jeff, a Handyman from Hudson, New Hampshire.
See more about Home Wiring for New Hampshire

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Jeff.

Examining 240 Volt Circuit Components  and Electrical Wiring for Safety

1. Because the 240 volt receptacle outlet is rated at for 20 amps then the circuit wiring should be 20 amps.
2. The wire gauge of the circuit should be verified. If it is found that the circuit wire AWG gauge is #12 then the circuit breaker amperage size could be increased to be a 20 amp 2 pole circuit breaker.
3. If the AWG wire gauge is found to be #14 then the 20 amp 240 volt receptacle outlet should be replaced by a 15 amp 240 volt receptacle outlet and the appropriate cover.
4. You may see that there are a few different types of 240 volt receptacle outlets available, such as straight blade and twist lock, 3-wire and 4-wire configurations.
5. The correct receptacle outlet should be selected to be compatible with the 240 volt circuit and the application or 240 volt equipment that will the receptacle outlet will be used for.

The Following Resources will assist you with your electrical wiring question:

House Wiring Circuits and Circuit Breakers

Circuit Wiring

Electrical Panel Circuit Listing

Electrical outlet wiring

Wiring Electrical Outlet for the Home

Home electrical wiring includes 110 volt outlets and 220 volt outlets and receptacles which are common place in every home. See how wiring electrical outlets for the home are done.

Electrical circuit

Home Electrical Circuit Listing

The size of the home electrical service panel is designed by calculating the square footage of the home and factoring in the code requirements for the electrical circuits that are required.

Circuit breaker

Guide to Home Electrical Circuit Breakers

A guide to home electrical circuit breakers and how they work to protect your electrical wiring. When properly installed, your home electrical wiring is protected by a circuit protection device.

The following may also be helpful for you:

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring: » You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! « Here's How to Do It: Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book Great for any Home Wiring Project. Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring Perfect for Homeowners, Students, Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians Includes: Wiring GFCI Outlets Wiring Home Electric Circuits 120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits Wiring Light Switches Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring ....and much more. Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring with my Online Video Course: Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example

Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires! The Non-Contact Electrical Tester This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use. The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring! The Plug-In Outlet Tester This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use. Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire! The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

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