I want to run a 220 electric line and i have no spaces left in my circuit breaker box.can i double up breakers
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NO.NO.NO.Everything I read here ends up leaving you in an unsafe condition. If your service is maxed out (as it sounds like yours is) then you need to call an electrician out to upgrade your service. Just because you can "jerry-rig" something to fit in a panel doesnt make it safe.
At the very least call a certified electrician out to advise you. The money it would cost is nothing to what could possibly be lost in a fire.
Have an electrician install a "piggy back" circuit breaker for your 220 line (correct me if I'm wrong) but I'm sure that you can if it can be done for a 110 line which I just had done .
You can remove two breakers (like two 20 amp)
buy a quad breaker with your 2 pole on the inside and your two 20 amp on the out side. fit's where the two old breaker were.
Hook on another box for your 220 needs. Don't go doubling up what might cause problems later.
USA No, do not put two wires on one circuit breaker. You can use the piggyback breakers for 120 volt circuits, but not for 220 volt. The piggyback breaker attaches to only one bus bar - and you can only get 120 volts from it. But, if you use two piggybacks, that will free up two spaces for a double pole 220 volt breaker.
However, if your breaker box is full, do you have the capacity in amperage to add a 220 volt line? Just being 220 volts does not mean you will draw a lot of amps, but if you have a 100 amp service, and you have an electric range, and dryer, and water heater, and persons who use blow dryers on their hair, and any other items that draw more than one or two amps, you might not have the capacity to add another 10 or 20 amps. You should upgrade to a 200 amp service.
The best thing to do is call a licensed electrician and get her/his opinion.
why dont you take 1 220 circuit and run it to a sub panel. put a proper size breaker in main panel to handle the load you need. just remember that the sub panel wires different than the main panel. concerns neutral line and groung.
If you have 4 single 1 inch circuit breakers you have a chance.
Purchase a couple of "spacesaver" circuit breakers (2 breakers occupying the space of a single 1 inch breaker). Match the amperage and manufacturer.
Purchase 1 double pole (2 regular size breakers linked together. Make sure you buy the correct breaker (amperage and manufacturer).
Connect each of the 4 pre-existing black wires to its designated section of each spacesaver breaker. Remember 1 wire to 1 breaker terminal.
Run your 220 from the double pole breaker. Make sure the 220 cable is a heavy enough wire gauge to run your device. For example, for an electric water heater, 10 AWG. If you under-size the cable, you will have a fire.
Before hooking anything up to your new 220, buy a tester (if you do not have one) and verify you have 220 VAC between the 2 terminals of the double breaker. Connect the black wire from your new 220 cable to one half of the double pole breaker and connect the red wire to the other half of the double pole breaker. Make sure the bare copper wire is not going to short against any live lines in the box and is connected to the grounding strip in the box and the ground terminal of your device.
Take your time, be careful, and good luck!
experts will say no . but you can do it, you just need to replace the breaker with a higher amp before you do.
Do not...I repeat DO NOT double up wires insdie your breaker box. What you will spell there is FIRE!! It's like adding a penny under an old style fuse. What you need to do is run a pony box off your main box. It also depends what you want to do with this new line. WHat can be done is to remove your 30 amp breaker for your dryer and add a 40 in it's place. Run some 8/3 wire from there to your pony box and put your dryer breaker into it as well as the breaker(s) for the 220 line you need. Be very careful while you do this as the wires in the main box are live, unless you have a main breaker for it. Hook up the wires into the main box last and have the breaker turned off till everything is done in the new box. Electricity can be your best friend or a killer. Be carefull. I cannot stress that enough. Watch at all time where your fingers are and your screwdriver as well.
Do not double up breakers. Do not use piggyback breakers. Get a service change and a panel with more available circuits. A 200 amp, 40 circuit panel should do nicely.
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