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Size 14 wires attached to 200 amp breakerE-mail: geno03245w@gmail.com |
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Connecting any small wire to a 200 amp breaker is
totally unsafe ... fire hazard. Electricity can be thought of as heat. Amps, or the ability to do work. Circuit breaker trips when it gets hot ,,, the causes for overheated breaker range from too much voltage on wire, short circuit, loose wire connection at breaker, loose breaker, loose wire at switch, failed switch etc. Too much heat and breaker trips. If the breaker is rated too many amps for the wire, the wire cannot carry enough heat to trip breaker, so the overheated 14 gauge wire will not trip the 200 amp breaker. Wire inside wall gets overheated, it causes a fire. That's why it's important to match breaker and wire size; 14 gauge wire should have 15 amp breaker 12 gauge wire 20 amp breaker 10 gauge wire 30 amp breaker Resource: Wire size chart and Color code for wire |
| If 14 gauge wire is connected to 200 amp main breaker,
followed by an open short (for example loose wire or failed switch,
where electric power jumps to the ground wire or the neutral wire or
nearby human or piece of conductive metal), the full 200 amps will race
down the 14 gauge wire. The wire will not only get hot, it will catch fire inside the wall. It will pop like a firecracker. If the correct 15 amp breaker is used instead of the 200 amp, then heat on the wire would cause the 15 amp breaker to trip before the 14 gauge wire gets hot. The 200 amp breaker would not trip before the wire catches fire. Always use correct size breaker and wire. Resource: Wire size chart and Color code for wire Ground wire can help protect you and your appliances, but only if circuit breaker and wire size are correctly matched. The breaker is not fast-acting. Heat has to build up on the line before breaker trips. To protect against electrocution, GFCI outlets and breakers are used. You can prevent electric shocks and damage by using GFCI or arc fault breakers. Resource: How to wire GFCI What causes electrocution | |
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Using correct size breaker is best choice. Although connecting wire in this manner is not code, and electrician would never recommend or peform such wiring, it is possible to use line fuse. Inline fuse will protect full length of 14 gauge wire. Do NOT use stranded 14 gauge in the 200 amp breaker... use solid copper even if the larger wire is stranded. Use 15 amp line fuse.  Buy: ANL fuseholder e2 fuseholder with platium plating ANL fuses |
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Inline fuse when downsizing wire is safe practice. Always match wire
size to breaker or fuse amperage. Screw connections are used for solid
copper wire. Terminals for stranded wire. Never use solder for
residential wiring. Solder will melt, causing failure and possible
fire. Always use ground wire. Buy:Panel mount fuse holders at Amazon ANL fuseholder Fuse blocks at Amazon Din rail fuseholder 10 x 38 mm fuse Ceramic fuses at Amazon Fast acting ceramic fuses Electrical terminals Ceramic fuses at Amazon Fast acting ceramic fuses Electrical terminals Buy: Din rail fuseholder 10 x 38 mm fuse Mersen DC fuseholder 14 x 51mm fuseholder and fuse |
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 Install tandem breaker One breaker replaces two breakers Make space for 2-pole breaker by installing two tandem breakers Combine circuits on one bus Combine two lightweight circuits such as bedroom and attic Each side of breaker operates separately from the other Buy: Tandem breakers at Amazon Resource: How to wire whole house surge protector Figure Volts Amps Watts for water heater Color code for wire and breaker |
 Install QP push-down circuit breaker Place against rail and then push down onto raised busbar Close-up photo |
Push
down 1" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breaker Buy single-pole: Choose from 15 to 60 amp Eaton CL series Siemens 15-60 amp Single-pole tandem breaker Tandem breakers |
Push
down 2" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breakers Buy double-pole: Choose from 15 to 125 amp Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp Eaton CL series circuit breaker Siemens circuit breaker Double pole GFCI |
 Breaker base 60 amp 4 breaker 125 amp 8 breaker Buy: 4 breaker spaces 8 breaker spaces |
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Always use correct wire and breaker together. |
| Use only 600 volt wire. Lamp cord, extension cords are not rated 600 volt. Use copper wire only. Aluminum wire is fire risk and should be avoided or installed by professional. 30 amp breaker use 10 gauge /  Buy: 10-2 gauge/ 30 amp 10-3/ 30 amp Southwire electric tools |
Yellow
12 gauge 20 amp Yellow/ #12 gauge wire for 20 amp with ground Buy: 12-2 gauge/ 20 amp 12-3/ 20 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground Rolls of stranded wire |
White
14 gauge 15 amp White/ #14 gauge wire for 15 amp with ground Buy: 14-2 gauge/ 15 amp 14-3/ 15 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
 If your appliance has
3-prong grounded plug, then that appliance can have short circuit that
travels to the outer shell of appliance, and this short can kill you if
appliance is not grounded.If that appliance is connected to oversized breaker, then the risk of injury and fire are extreme. That's why the national electric code specifies wire size and breaker rating, and why there are UL rated appliances. These things are important rules and best-practices for electrical devices. Many countries do not have codes, or the codes are frequently unfollowed by tradesmen who don't have available materials and customers who lack money needed to meet safety requirements. Resource: Basic wiring shown on my website The ground wire is connected to outer shell of appliance, and travels back to main breaker box, and then to ground rod outside home. For example water heater recirculation pump has 3-prong plug. If recirculation pump gets a short circuit, then the ground wire will carry amperage safely away from pump, and away from water pipes. Remember the recirculation pump is connected to your bath and shower. If the ground fault is slight and not large, then breaker will NOT trip, and ground wire releases the small current into ground rod located outside house near main panel ... and it is generally safe to touch recirculation pump. If the ground fault is large enough, it will begin to pull more current through shell of appliance and into ground wire and down to the ground rod, and that current will overheat wire at breaker, and breaker will trip. It will happen very quickly, but until breaker is tripped, the live current is available on the outer shell and can still kill you. If you do not have ground wire, and recirculation has large short, and you touch recirculation pump while standing on bare ground, or while touching water pipe, or leaning into metal washing machine, or taking shower etc... you can fry like a fish, as current finds easiest path down to ground. This is why grounding is important. IF you have GFCI or arc-fault breaker on the circuit, then the slightest ground will trip breaker. |
 Buy: Armored cable |
 Southwire armored cable cutter Buy: Rolls of stranded wire |
Stranded wire  Buy: Rolls of stranded wire |
50-60 amp breaker use 6
gauge /  Buy: 6-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
40-50 amp breaker use 8
gauge / Buy: 8-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
 Copper ground wire Use same size as other wire in circuit Buy: 12 gauge copper ground wire Ground wire Green ground wire Ground pigtails Ground rods/ ground clamps at Amazon |
 Buy End cutting nippers at Amazon |
  When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistances on wire and creates weak point. Buy tools: Wire strippers at Amazon Linesman pliers Utility knife at Amazon |
 Buy: Multimeter Electrical testers |
 Contactors/ relays |
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