garage outlets

[jsprenger]

background...last summer I started doing renos on the house... at that time I upgraded the panel, pulled kilometers of wire ...etc... had a licenced electrician do most of the work...

finally getting around to the garage circuits... I pulled 14/3 to the garage, and now want to hook it up...

here's the question: will the CEC allow me to hook up two separate duplex receptacles? one 15 A circuit for my beverage fridge, and one for tools? can I add other receptacles from each? do i really need GFCIs?


do i need to put in a breaker that will trip both circuits (2pole) or can I just put in two separate breakers????

[Homer]

Will the CEC allow me to hook up two separate duplex receptacles? one 15 A circuit for my beverage fridge, and one for tools?Sure.

Can I add other receptacles from each?Absolutely.

Do I really need GFCIs?Not by code as they are not outdoors but it may be a good idea for the receptacle meant for tools.

Do I need to put in a breaker that will trip both circuits (2pole) or can I just put in two separate breakers????You only need a 2-pole breaker or handle ties if you are using split-wired receptacles which have both Hot wires connected to them. However, it is always a good idea to use a 2-pole breaker with a multiwire circuit.

There are a few things to remember here with a multiwire circuit. You must always pigtail the neutral connection. In other words you must never rely on a device's terminals to provide a neutral connection. The neutral path must remain unbroken even if you remove a device from the circuit.

Also, don't forget that you need 240V between the hot wires (opposite legs of the service) which is guaranteed when you use a 2-pole breaker.

Homer

[jsprenger]

Sure.

Absolutely.

Not by code as they are not outdoors but it may be a good idea for the receptacle meant for tools.

You only need a 2-pole breaker or handle ties if you are using split-wired receptacles which have both Hot wires connected to them. However, it is always a good idea to use a 2-pole breaker with a multiwire circuit.

There are a few things to remember here with a multiwire circuit. You must always pigtail the neutral connection. In other words you must never rely on a device's terminals to provide a neutral connection. The neutral path must remain unbroken even if you remove a device from the circuit.

Also, don't forget that you need 240V between the hot wires (opposite legs of the service) which is guaranteed when you use a 2-pole breaker.

Homer

What does that last bit mean? 240V between the hot wires?

[Homer]

What does that last bit mean? 240V between the hot wires?A residential service is supplied by two hot wires and a neutral. There is 240V between hots and 120V between each hot and neutral.

A multiwire circuit must take each hot wire from opposite legs of the service. The current in the neutral of the multiwire circuit is the difference between the two hot wires(black and red). So, if you have a balanced load of 15A on each leg, the neutral current is zero.

However, if you mistakenly connect both hot wires to the same leg of the service then the neutral current will be the sum of the two hot currents. You could end up with 30A on a 15A circuit.

Please make sure that you understand the consequences of miswired multiwire circuits before you use them. There have been several threads on here in the past discussing them. For instance, an open neutral could cause a voltage approaching 240V to be applied to your 120V loads letting the smoke out of them.

One way to make sure that you are connecting the black and red of your multiwire circuit to opposite legs is to use a 2-pole breaker. The 2-pole breaker connects to both buses in the panel.

Homer