How hard is it to install a 220v outlet?

I think the easiest thing to do would be to simply add it directly below my electric panel in the garage, and then run a 15ft 220 extension cord to my brew stand.

My question is..how easy is to add the 220 line and wire it. I'm a complete electric noob, so I don't know the first place to start. TIA for any advice!

If you are not familiar with the workings of your panel & electricity in general I'd hire an electrician. Death or lifetime disability isn't worth the cash saved IMO.

I recently did just what you want to do but I know enough not to kill myself and to pull the main breaker. Even with the main breaker pulled you can still fry yourself if you hit the incoming feed. If you spend the time to read and learn you could do it. I've also done electrical wiring over the years for small projects.

I figure I need to learn at some point..why not now? I was reading the sticky in this forum on the 110/120 being interchangeable with the 220/240? If that's the case, could I just swap out a wall outlet, and up the breaker that feeds that outlet to a 40 or 50 amp? I think the wiring is the standard white house cable, so not sure what the gauge is or how much it could handle?

it is not a complicated process, but here's a little something worth passing on.

I was totally prepared to do the work for my brewery outlet myself. The panel is in the garage, and I wanted an outlet just a couple feet from it. I bought the GFCI breaker, bought the receptacle, bought the romex wire, etc, etc.

Then my wife decided to look at our homeowner's insurance policy and found a clause that stated that any damage to the house that was caused by electrical work that was performed by someone without an electrician's license would not be covered.

So.. if something ever went wrong and my electrical work for the outlet caused the house to burn down, I was up **** creek.

I spent the $100 for an electrician to spent 30 minutes in my garage and install the breaker and outlet.

jdlev said:

I figure I need to learn at some point..why not now? I was reading the sticky in this forum on the 110/120 being interchangeable with the 220/240? If that's the case, could I just swap out a wall outlet, and up the breaker that feeds that outlet to a 40 or 50 amp? I think the wiring is the standard white house cable, so not sure what the gauge is or how much it could handle?

Click to expand...

the wiring will almost certainly be sized to match the breaker driving it. builders don't put in larger wire than necessary because the larger wire costs them more.

if you have a 120V circuit in your house, it is going to be between 10A and 20A most likely, and it will consist of 3 wires. You won't be able to just drop in a larger amp breker and swap the outlet without replacing the wires.

It's not that hard....but I, along with some others on this forum, have had previous experience. If you are, as you state, "-a complete noob," then I encourage you to seek professional assistance, or get some education / experience. There are plenty of references here on the web that show how to do household wiring, but, as always with electricity, it's best to tread very carefully.

My Father, Brother, 2 Uncles and 2 nephews are electricians. I have been around it all my life. I have expert help and advice. If you are not 1000% certain, hire a professional.

With that said it is not difficult. The panel in garage will tell you its rating for AMPs (most likely 100 AMPS). You will need a two spaces for the new breaker. If your going to install a 220/240 volt 30 amp power out let with 2 poles you will need a 2 pole 30 amp breaker made to fit your panel. You will need 10 gauge wire with 2 conductors and a ground. The black wire goes to one pole on the breaker and the white to the other. The power out will not matter, black to one and white to the other and the bare to the ground. There is no neutral.

If you are going to install a 3 pole 30 amp power out let you will need the same breaker but 10 gauge wire with 3 conductors and a ground (normally black, red, white and ground) Use the black and red for power to the poles on the breaker and the "hot" poles on the plug. Use white for neutral on the plug and in the panel and the ground for ground.


And yes electricity and water ... use GFCI !!!! say it again USE GFCI ..

Do not use smaller wire than 10 gauge. Before you go buy anything verify that the panel in the garage is supplied with at least 60AMPs. You may need to trace it back to the panels power source, like the main panel at the power company demarcation. Make sure there are 2 spaces open.

If you use an extension cord for 220/240 volts for 30 amps, make sure it is rated for out door use and is weather proof and in good condition.

Again any doubt at all... hire a professional.

Good Luck

Nice write up^^

And be careful, meaning watch your hands and tools at ALL TIMES! And for added safety, flip the main breaker. But you still have to be careful of those wires coming in.

Now if your garage has a subpanel, then you should be able to completely shut it off from the main panel. Please do that if you can.

I'd suggest googling some drawings or images on wiring 220V. It won't hurt and with the above description you should be able to do it.

I am very fortunate in that the electrical supply we had installed 3 years ago has a 200A breaker out at the pole for the house, and a separate 100A breaker for the garage. So if I want to work on the house main panel, I can kill the main breaker on the pole so there's nothing whatever going into the house, and just run whatever extension cords I need for lights or etc. to the garage.