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Joined: Oct 2014
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Hello, I'd like some input from licensed electricians in MA please.
I'm a home inspector and I have a builder who wants to install 2 4-wire 30amp outlets on a single 30amp double-pole breaker in a detached garage workshop (arc weld,etc.). Not being a licensed electrician, I can't site the actual code on this one, but my gut is that it's better off being 2 separate circuits. The owner claims that due to his needs he would never be running both at same time. I say, what about the next guy who buys the house who has different plans?
Are these outlets even really engineered to be daisy chained?
Also, even if they were pig-tailed in a separate j-box, the argument that they're protected against overload by the breaker tripping seems weak. I see a tripping breaker as a last line of defense against fire, not something I really want to rely on if I can help it. I've seen so many corroded breakers that don't trip when needed.
What do you guys think? Is there an actual code that says you can or cannot do? Or is this up to the local electrical inspector.
Thx- Joe
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,006 Likes: 37
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Are they feeding 2 receptacles? If so, you are not going to find anything.
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
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He's good to go -- as long as he's using 30A outlets.
Tesla
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Joined: May 2005
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Absolutely not a problem as long as he uses 10 AWG wire (or larger).
There's no difference between this and allowing more than a single 15A receptacle on a 15A breaker.
If the next guy tries to use both at the same time the breaker will protect things; the same way that the 15A breaker would react to someone running his PC, printer, router, TV, videogame, Xmas tree lights and a bunch of chargers off of a single receptacle in the living room.
Ghost307
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Joined: Oct 2014
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Joined: Dec 2000
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It all depends which Code it's under.
It's OK by the NEC.
The IRC however, prohibits multiple receptacles on circuits over 20 Amps
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,006 Likes: 37
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Interesting Scott.
Florida did not pick up the IRC electrical articles, simply adopting the NEC, pretty much unaltered. There are only a couple of changes. (adding bonding metal studs and removing the GFCI requirement on some hardwired pool pumps).
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,506 Likes: 1
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Absolutely not a problem as long as he uses 10 AWG wire (or larger).
There's no difference between this and allowing more than a single 15A receptacle on a 15A breaker.
If the next guy tries to use both at the same time the breaker will protect things; the same way that the 15A breaker would react to someone running his PC, printer, router, TV, videogame, Xmas tree lights and a bunch of chargers off of a single receptacle in the living room. Make that a laser printer and add a coffee pot or space heater and you're getting there. All the other gadgets are in the lower double-digit watt range and awfully unlikely to trip a breaker.
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