Your Resident Electrician for all your electrical questions!

[arvind]

I would struggle to recommend daisy chaining other extension cords onto it. The length and wire gauge become of some concern.

I will be daisy chaining the EB32 and this power brick with it. Let me know if that'll work.

 

[GarrettT]

Hello,

I'm in the midst of having a HVAC mini duct split installed for my aquarium room, but have an electrical question.

My current breaker for the circuit is a double pole 20amp breaker (photo 1).

However, my A/C unit requires the following 230v 1 phase 60 Hz, Max Breaker size 15 amps. (photo 2)

Currently the only thing running on the circuit is a refrigerator. My questions are:

1). Do I need to replace the 20amp breaker with a double pole 15amp breaker, given the unit shows a Max breaker rating of 15?
2). Can a mini split unit be on the same circuit as the refrigerator or does it have to be on a dedicated circuit?
3). Will the 230V single phase require a 14/3 wire (2 hots) or 14/4 wire?

- Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,

I'm in the midst of having a HVAC mini duct split installed for my aquarium room, but have an electrical question.

My current breaker for the circuit is a double pole 20amp breaker (photo 1).

However, my A/C unit requires the following 230v 1 phase 60 Hz, Max Breaker size 15 amps. (photo 2)

Currently the only thing running on the circuit is a refrigerator. My questions are:

1). Do I need to replace the 20amp breaker with a double pole 15amp breaker, given the unit shows a Max breaker rating of 15?
2). Can a mini split unit be on the same circuit as the refrigerator or does it have to be on a dedicated circuit?
3). Will the 230V single phase require a 14/3 wire (2 hots) or 14/4 wire?

- Thanks

@Brew12

 

[TriggerCorals]

1) That breaker in the picture is actually a tandem breaker and can’t be used for 2-pole equipment. Those breakers take up one breaker space and are only on one pole. The. Realer you need per national electric code is like the 40 amp 2-pole above that breaker. You need to have installed by an electrician a 2-pole 15 amp breaker per the HVAC specs.

2) you must run a dedicated 2-pole 15 amp circuit for the unit and cannot share it with anything else. The fridge should also be dedicated ideally.

3) you will require a 14-3 (ground is not counted in NM cable- Romex) 2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground. Run to a disconnect and then the the unit itself. Also per code, a regular receptacle outlet is required within six feet of the unit outside.

 

[Paul B]

TriggerCorals is exactly correct.. You may have space for that breaker in the panel, but we can't see the whole panel. It is "possible" you already have a cable in that room that can be converted for your needs but only an electrician can tell you that.
Good luck
(Master Electrician 50 years. )

 

[SoggyNW]

If your panel is full then your gonna need one of these.

Eaton BQ215240

I'm not positive that is the exact model you need but something like it should be available for your panel. It does the same thing as the tandem breaker but across both phases for 240 v applications.

 

[West1]

The scenario
Reefer 525XL RODI top off water in last cabinet compartment and it’s crammed. I’d like to buy the Tunze ATO 3155 switch socket and setup a Brute ATO in my garage, roughly 40’ away and on the same level/surface.

The question
With the link and vid, what wire can I run under my house in the crawl space to connect pump to 3155?

The Idea
I’m going to run a low volume pump (not sure what or size) with approximately .25” Inner Diameter tubing, wrapped in plumbing pipe insulation as close to the floor insulation as possible for winter.

Thanks for the help! Open for suggestions!!

Osmolator Switched Socket Outlet

The Tunze Switched Socket Outlet connects any brand of pump to the Osmolator Universal 3155 Auto-Top off system. The enclosed low-voltage centrifugal pump can be replaced by this switched socket outlet in combination with a more powerful pump. The switched socket outlet can be used to switch...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Paul B]

Exposed or buried wiring/cable must be listed for its application. Type UF cable is the most commonly used nonmetallic cable for residential outdoor wiring runs.

This is direct burial cable and even though you are not burying it, it is tough stuff and harder for creatures to bit through it. Although they still can.

Here is the code for outdoor wiring. But just go to wherever you buy wire in your area and get UF cable. It looks like Romex but will probably be gray and harder to strip.

NEC Requirements for Outdoor Wiring

NEC requirements are just as important outdoors as they are indoors. Learn about common Code requirements for residential projects.

www.thespruce.com

Good luck

 

[Beau_B]

You don’t need UF. It’s low voltage signal wire, not line, as it requires a receptacle at the pump location. I haven’t looked up the specs but you could likely use bell 18/2 wire. Landscape 16/2 would be another option, which is basically lamp cord.

 

[Paul B]

OMG,you may be correct. I didn't look at his link. I thought he wanted to put the outlet for the Tunze 40 feet away.
If he is running just the low voltage wires 40' the wiring can not be 18/2 as the voltage drop on DC would not run the pump at any speed.

I am also not sure what this thing does as I never used one. But the video stats that you can also use it to run a 110Volt AC pump in which case you would need to wire according to code.

We would need to know what pump he is using as to watts and volts. If it is 12 volts DC, he "may" need #12 wire.
If it's a dinky little make up water pump, 14/2 may work

 

[Beau_B]

It’s not powering the pump, it’s just switching the outlet. Just travelers for signal, as I understand it.

likewise would need to read the specs on it, but that’s what I took from the short description

 

[Paul B]

I don't know exactly what it is doing.

 

[WVNed]

He's pulling in a relay with 12 volts that switches the power from a wall outlet. That let's you run an AC pump with a Tunze ATO.

 

[West1]

I was thinking about using my deepwater bldc 5 pump from the garage on lowest setting.

open to other pumps as an option



Deepwater Aquatics Distribution BLDC5 DC Brushless Pump

 

[Paul B]

He's pulling in a relay with 12 volts that switches the power from a wall outlet.

So the pump is plugged in somewhere and he just wants to control it from a different location?

 

[WVNed]

So the pump is plugged in somewhere and he just wants to control it from a different location

I think so. You plug the pump into the Tunze device. You plug the device into a wall outlet. The ATO switches the device to turn the pump on and off.
Not sure how far you could extend this low voltage circuit.

 

[West1]

I think so. You plug the pump into the Tunze device. You plug the device into a wall outlet. The ATO switches the device to turn the pump on and off.
Not sure how far you could extend this low voltage circuit.

correct, here’s a link to the idea. I’ll also need to use an AC pump (thought I could use a DC).

you bring up a good point on distance for low voltage. Is there a way to test something similar before buying the Tunze Socket?

 

[The Farmer]

16awg speaker wire would work. But I would run it through a conduit to protect the wire from the elements. The speaker wire is a stranded copper wire which makes it more pliable. It can handle up to 14v dc

 

[WVNed]

correct, here’s a link to the idea. I’ll also need to use an AC pump (thought I could use a DC).

you bring up a good point on distance for low voltage. Is there a way to test something similar before buying the Tunze Socket?

With DC you are going to do better with something like speaker wire that is multi stranded and as little electrical resistance as possible.

 

[WVNed]

There used to be a Tunze person on R2R who could probably tell you what you need to know. Not sure how to find them.

Okay Duh
Tunze is a sponsor here and has a sub forum for questions in that section