Question for electrician

[Let's go Brandon!]

Oh and I might or might not have saved this pic for future use. Lol

LMAO... you wouldn't believe what I did to determine "which wire should I use "

I basically hooked the shop end wire to my the (rest in peace) shop vac.... and turned it on so I'd be able to hear it and know there was juice flowing...turned off the 2 pole breaker at the house, then started twisting wires. Flipped the breaker... Cool! shop vac obviously running.

Started walking out there... then saw the smoke. Ran back and flipped the breaker. That's when I think I realized that this was a 240 circuit.

SO I basically eliminated one side of it... then used the same process of elimination (meaning, no fires or sparks yet) process to reconnect to the new sub panel.


This IS the DIY thread right

[Let's go Brandon!]

This is what's at the house end...

leading to the shop

[Electrican]

LMAO... you wouldn't believe what I did to determine "which wire should I use "

I basically hooked the shop end wire to my the (rest in peace) shop vac.... and turned it on so I'd be able to hear it and know there was juice flowing...turned off the 2 pole breaker at the house, then started twisting wires. Flipped the breaker... Cool! shop vac obviously running.

Started walking out there... then saw the smoke. Ran back and flipped the breaker. That's when I think I realized that this was a 240 circuit.

SO I basically eliminated one side of it... then used the same process of elimination (meaning, no fires or sparks yet) process to reconnect to the new sub panel.


This IS the DIY thread right

Ahh the ole smoke check method. Makes sense now. Lol

[Let's go Brandon!]

Ahh the ole smoke check method. Makes sense now. Lol

[Rubberdown]

Sir... Please call an electrician. I'm not trying to be rude or funny but there is literally nothing right about that panel so far.

[RJH1]

Where is the red wire coming from the house, it is not in the other box? Generally speaking white is ground, and black is hot. They seem to be backwards in your sub box. The red and black (both hot) from the house should go on the bars that the breakers hook to, cant remember the technical name (red on one black on the other). The white should go to the ground bar

[125Dad]

Don’t forget you need to have a isolated ground from your neutral bar.

[sendit]

Don’t forget you need to have a isolated ground from your neutral bar.

It's isolated alright. The ground wire from the romex feeder isn't hooked up to anything and the ground wire(s) have been cut off of the romex on the load side.

[WTucker]

You really need to get a qualified electrician out there. Lots wrong here.

[hot_rod_eddie]

Seriously, like the others said - turn off the power and slowly back away. Call an electrician. We can tell you what to do, but considering all the things wrong with that panel, I would be concerned to help you go any further.

[silencer2011]

Please just pay an electrician to come out there.

[Let's go Brandon!]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the concerns, really. I've been operating the shop as is with several overhead lights, band saw, table saw, air cleaner, vac system and replying via my shop PC.

I am planning a complete redo from the house to shop, soon as I can get my friend the electrician over for a 6 pack or 2... he likes him some beer

It's been "good enough" while I was just using the shop for storage, but now that I spend 80% of my free time out here, well, time to get it done.

[hot_rod_eddie]

Okay - Here is how it is supposed to be. White wire is neutral, black is 110v, and red is 110v. Move the black wire to where the white wire is and the white wire to where the black wire is. Connect the bare wire to the green screw. The red wire goes to the big lug on the far right. Without the red wire you will not have power to half of the circuits. I still suggest you get an electrician because if the wiring/house is old or worked on over the years there is no telling what is going on. An electrician will verify the circuit in the main box and each wire going into the new panel. If you can't verify the main panel or have a good knowledge of a voltmeter, it is impossible for us to safely tell you what is right.

[hweissert]

And probably the least of your worries here but 14 awg wire is only good for 15 amps. Probably should shuck the 20 and 30 amp single pole breakers in the sub panel while you’re at it.

[Big_gun]

I think you best get your electrician a 24 pack.... ;-) of you need the extra circuits I would replace the wire from you j-box with one so that you can get 220v at this panel.
if its not that far replace entire run to the shop. blk and red to the hot lugs and the neutral(white) to the neutral bar and ground the ground bar minus a bod between the ground and neutral bar ( although I do not see a ground bar in this panel. )