New House Questions

[crownsdown]

So I just moved into a "new" old house. In my previous house, I used to just plug my controller into the dryer outlet. It was a pain in the ass, and as I know now, dangerous. So now I have my controller running through a gfci line cord. This house has what I'm assuming is a 240v outlet in the garage. Can I swap this outlet out for a traditional 3-prong outlet like that is behind my dryer? Are both this outlet, and the dryer outlet connected to the same breaker?

 

[Bill_in_VA]

Yikes! Look at all that aluminum wire Did your home inspector say anything about it?

Is that a subpanel or the main panel in the house?

The dryer is probably the upper 40Amp double pole breaker (labeled 220v)? The outlet is likely the lower right 20A GFCI breaker (labeled "Bro??et"). It would good to go with a 3500 induction unit. A dryer outlet is usually 30A, so no, you couldn't just replace the 20A outlet with a 30A.

 

[evanmars]

Yikes! Look at all that aluminum wire Did your home inspector say anything about it?

Is that a subpanel or the main panel in the house?

The dryer is probably the upper 40Amp double pole breaker (labeled 220v)? The outlet is likely the lower right 20A GFCI breaker (labeled "Bro??et"). It would good to go with a 3500 induction unit. A dryer outlet is usually 30A, so no, you couldn't just replace the 20A outlet with a 30A.

I believe that would be BATH ROOM OUTLET

 

[augiedoggy]

I believe that would be BATH ROOM OUTLET

More likely the "Bathroom outlet".... does the house have a air conditioner plug? or maybe a boiler room in the basement?

Edit I see you edited your comment right as I quoted you....lol...

 

[augiedoggy]

or he had some sort of 220v appliance in the garage like a welder or compressor... no idea why it would be gfci and what BR stood for though....I dont think a gfci would even work with a welder..... maybe the previous owner had a "brew room" in the garage you can swaap the 40A circuit to a gfci but then the dryer might trip it...many do.

btw my house has and aluminum main coming in.... they still sell aluminum wire, I believe its grandfathered in and as long as its not overloaded you should be ok but every area is different... regardless that 40a line looks to be much too small a gauge of copper wire for that size breaker? it should be 8 gauge to be rated for 40a.... theres no way that passed inspection as its a danger.

 

[evanmars]

Yeah! That's it! Brew Rig!

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Maybe it's just me but my dryer and brewing outlets are both 4 wire 30 amp 220v gfci, the controller could only be ordered with either 3 wire or 4 wire for gfci.

 

[Bill_in_VA]

or he had some sort of 220v appliance in the garage like a welder or compressor... no idea why it would be gfci and what BR stood for though....I dont think a gfci would even work with a welder..... maybe the previous owner had a "brew room" in the garage you can swaap the 40A circuit to a gfci but then the dryer might trip it...many do.

btw my house has and aluminum main coming in.... they still sell aluminum wire, I believe its grandfathered in and as long as its not overloaded you should be ok but every area is different... regardless that 40a line looks to be much too small a gauge of copper wire for that size breaker? it should be 8 gauge to be rated for 40a.... theres no way that passed inspection as its a danger.

I noticed that too. That 40A looks like the same size wire as all the rest... Also remember that wire size for NEC is different for AL and CU. There's a big difference between the multi-strand main feeder wire and the solid. The interior solid AL has a habit of untwisting from around screw terminals and shorting but clamp connections are ok so you really have to look at how it's connected.

 

[augiedoggy]

Again just to be clear that 40a breaker is a danger with those 12/14 gauge wires coming out of it.....fire waiting to happen.

 

[augiedoggy]

Maybe it's just me but my dryer and brewing outlets are both 4 wire 30 amp 220v gfci, the controller could only be ordered with either 3 wire or 4 wire for gfci.

nope not just you but... only NEWER stle dryer outlets for newer style dryer plugs are gfci.... older ones would actually trip the gfci and were always 3 wire... what was safe then is not safe now since new rule makers decreed it so....(likely too many accidents in the past with the old setup) plus in the old days the dryers werent the disposable cheap garbage electrolux pedals under a half dozen different brand names now with their legaL monopoly......

 

[crownsdown]

Ok, so the dryer is on a separate breaker on the exterior of the house. That outlet in the 3rd picture is attached to the 40a breaker. The outlet is located right under the breaker box in the garage. Can I just replace the undersized wires with the appropriate sized ones when I replace the wall outlet?

 

[bsperr]

Ok, so the dryer is on a separate breaker on the exterior of the house. That outlet in the 3rd picture is attached to the 40a breaker. The outlet is located right under the breaker box in the garage. Can I just replace the undersized wires with the appropriate sized ones when I replace the wall outlet?

That would work. If I were you, I would cut out that junction box housing the old 240v receptacle. That would give you better access to the wall cavity to fish your new wire from the panel. Then you can install a new double gang remodel box to house the new receptacle.

 

[augiedoggy]

Ok, so the dryer is on a separate breaker on the exterior of the house. That outlet in the 3rd picture is attached to the 40a breaker. The outlet is located right under the breaker box in the garage. Can I just replace the undersized wires with the appropriate sized ones when I replace the wall outlet?

Hmm thats kinda scary...20A outlet and 20a wiring with a 40a breaker... I would be doublechecking all the other wiring as well...