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Installing a New Circuit Breaker?

August 14, 2005

electrician working on breaker boxI am changing a 30 amp outlet and circuit breaker to a 20 amp. I am installing a new air conditioner that is rated for 20 amps. My old air conditioner is a 30 amp. I am running it through AWG 10 wire. To "make ready" for my new A/C, I believe I have to change both the receptacle to match the plug type (20 amp) and the circuit breaker to 20 amp. Is this correct? I think the existing AWG 10 wire can stay? Will it fit into the 20 amp receptacle and breaker?

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Thanks,

Answers


Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
August 14, 20051 found this helpful

Hi Mike
Yes, the wire can stay. The bigger the wire, the less electricity you waste in line drop. And yes, you can squish it into the 20 Amp breaker and the 20 Amp outlet. Just make sure you turn the breaker off beforehand, unless you want to do an impromptu rain dance.

Have FUN!
DearWebby
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By Bob from New Jersey (Guest Post)
August 15, 20051 found this helpful

Hey Mike,
If you wanted too,You could leave the 30 amp breaker and the 30 amp recepticle and just change the plug end on the ac.This will save you alot of time and trouble,Especially in the breaker panel.
Bob

 
August 15, 20050 found this helpful

Hey Mike,
If you wanted to save yourself some time and trouble.You could,keep the 30 amp breaker and recepticle.You would just have to change the plug end on the ac.

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Bob

 
March 6, 20060 found this helpful

Electricians have told me it's better to have more amerage than you need. Like others have suggested, just change the plug. Save yourself some trouble and time. You could change either the plug on the end of the a/c or install a different outlet that matches the plug's configeration.

 
By tim (Guest Post)
August 6, 20060 found this helpful

i have an old window a/c plug in with power in my living room its on a 30 amp breaker can i leave the wire and breaker and run a 110 outlet off of the same wire and breaker

 
By Doug (Guest Post)
August 17, 20060 found this helpful

is this possible?

 
June 12, 20180 found this helpful

How do I change a 60amp out put to a 20 Amp

 
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6 More Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

April 2, 2017

About a month ago we had Denver weather while we were on vacation and upon returning one section of the kitchen had five outlets that won't work. I replaced a beaker that was damaged during the storm. I installed the new one and turned the main power on the circuit breaker pane. That same breaker keeps tripping. It is a 20 amp and from my reasearch it should be able to handle five outlets. It did before the storm.

Please help!

Thank you,

Answers


Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
April 3, 20170 found this helpful

Here are some main causes:

-Overloaded Circuit
-Short Circuit
-Ground Fault

For more details on how to check, go to:

georgebrazilplumbingelectrical.com/.../why-does-my-circuit-breaker-keep...

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
April 3, 20170 found this helpful

If you had a storm, did the wiring get wet? That could cause tripping.

 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 255 Posts
April 7, 20170 found this helpful

Do you have ground fault outlets in the kitchen (in my area, you have to by code) See if one of them is tripped. (they have their own breaker inside them, with a reset button on the outside of the outlet).

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If you do, and its tripped, reset it. If it trips again, replace that outlet.

 
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November 21, 2006

I have a a question about installing a bigger amp circuit breaker. During Christmas, after putting the lights up the C/B keeps tripping after 15 minutes. I heard that I could put a bigger amp C/B in, I think they are all 15 amp breakers now, how big can or should I go?



Thanks,
Conrad from El Centro, CA

Answers

By brian (Guest Post)
November 28, 20060 found this helpful

I wish I new I'm looking to add a new circuit to handle all my lights.(christmas that is.)

 
By Yoor Nahme (Guest Post)
April 18, 20070 found this helpful

Dude- Circuit breakers are sized upon the wire size. If you replace a 15 with a 20, your'e reducing the safety margin engineered into the Code.

 
September 24, 20070 found this helpful

Conrad,
Breakers are sized for the wire, not the "end user". If you have all 15A breakers, chances are you have #14 wire. You can only go up in size on a breaker if you increase the size of the wiring.

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In order to go to a 20A breaker you need to go up to #12 wire. The only safe way around this (without rewiring) is to split your christmas lights to several different circuits.

 
January 10, 20100 found this helpful

Install a dedicated outlet for your lights ( 30 amp breakerwith proper sized wire).

 
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February 6, 2015

I installed a new 20 amp breaker and hooked wires to it, ground, black and white. I put it in the breaker box and flipped the switch and it trips the breaker. The other end of the wire is hooked to nothing. I am obviously doing something wrong in the breaker box. Any help will be appreciated.

By Brian K

Answers

October 12, 20180 found this helpful

Black to breaker white common to panel ground same as bare copper wire to ground in panel box

 
October 13, 20180 found this helpful

There is a tutorial with pictures here. www.thespruce.com/how-to-install-a-new-circuit-breaker...

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
October 13, 20180 found this helpful

There is a tutorial with pictures here. www.thespruce.com/how-to-install-a-new-circuit-breaker...

 
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July 26, 2015

I have a double wide trailer. On the pole outside I have a breaker with a double 60 amp breaker that is hooked up to everything in the trailer. I would like to know if there is any way to put a bigger breaker in there like 100 amp or maybe even 120 amp? Please someone help me.

inside of breaker box
 
Installing a New Circuit Breaker
 

Answers


Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 105 Posts
October 19, 20170 found this helpful

That box looks old and not so safe. I would suggest that you get the entire box replaced and new wires added to this. Electric fires are more common in trailers.

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From you picture this box looks very unsafe and I wouldn't be adding anything to it at all before I had it updated and many of the wires changed out.

 
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March 30, 2015

I bought a 20 amp 115 volt welder for the garage. The circuit breaker in the main box is a 15 double pull breaker. Can I put a 20 amp double pull breaker in its place without running new wires?

By Jeff

Answers


Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 337 Feedbacks
April 1, 20150 found this helpful

Bruce S. is the only one on this site that can answer your question. Where are you, Bruce?

 
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March 30, 2015

Can you replace two single 20 amp breakers with a double 60 amp breaker?

By Chris

Answers

March 31, 20150 found this helpful

It would not be safe to do so. The 20 amp breaker can protect a #12 AWG or larger wire. Replacing with a 60 amp double pole breaker would allow too much current to flow on the wires (presumably #12 AWG) and could lead to overheating and even fire.

 
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