[wease]

Hi all,

I am just about finished with a large remodel. Did all the wiring myself and have so far received excellent grades from my inspector. I'm wondering about wiring I installed for a possible washer/dryer in our master bedroom closet area. It's for future use and will not be hooked up. The wiring runs in the panel, but I don't want to hook it up to a breaker. What do people do in these cases? Wire nut them off? Not sure what size breaker would be required for this so I don't want to buy it yet.

In general is it acceptable to wire nut a future wire off in the panel. Would you also wire nut the neutral and ground or can they be connected?

Thanks.

 

[hayewe farm]

Interesting, so if you don't know what size breaker you are going to use how do you know what size wire to use?

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I've yet to see a washer that doesnt use 120v
Not hard to run 12-2 for that
If they have gas then the dryer will be 120v too
And if electric they are pretty standard

I have connected grounds & neutrals on runs I will complete
Runs that I am not connecting in the near future I leave disconnected & wire nutted
Usually you want it all disconnected, no chance of power running

If it's a 12-2 120v run I would simply hook it up
Why not have the outlet live?

 

[wease]

Electrci dryers usually take 240v 30 amp. The combo units may require more in the future, so I ran a couple of different wires (12-2 and 10-3) just in case. I should be covered with that.

I'll cap them in the panel.

 

[J. V.]

Electrci dryers usually take 240v 30 amp. The combo units may require more in the future, so I ran a couple of different wires (12-2 and 10-3) just in case. I should be covered with that.

I'll cap them in the panel.

And mark them as spares and where they go.

 

[spark plug]

Proves a point. Mr. W. (and many other amateurs) fails to see a [direct] relationship between the size of wire and the current (in amps.) that it carries. Should have ascertained the current usage of the appliance that they wanted to have. Generally. A Clothes Dryer that has an electrical heating element runs on 240 Volts (actually 208 V.) @ 30 Amps. A gas heated Dryer runs on 120V. and a size 12 awg. cable and 20 Amp. circuit breaker are right!!!

 

[jamiedolan]

Hi all,

I am just about finished with a large remodel. Did all the wiring myself and have so far received excellent grades from my inspector. I'm wondering about wiring I installed for a possible washer/dryer in our master bedroom closet area. It's for future use and will not be hooked up. The wiring runs in the panel, but I don't want to hook it up to a breaker. What do people do in these cases? Wire nut them off? Not sure what size breaker would be required for this so I don't want to buy it yet.

In general is it acceptable to wire nut a future wire off in the panel. Would you also wire nut the neutral and ground or can they be connected?

Thanks.

I believe the code specs a 20A/12awg circuit for the laundry. If you think your going to have a electric dryer, i'd run a piece of EMT, ENT or FMC from the panel to a 4x4 and pull the necessary wire when you actually do the install.

If the wires are already there, wire nut and label them, make sure you use the correct size breaker on the wires when you do hook it up.

Jamie

 

[220/221]

Run a 12/2 to one jb and a 10/3 to another jb.

Make up the grounds and neutrals and leave the hot wires capped off and marked.

Actually, that's dumb. :jester: Just spend the 10 dollars and install the breakers now and cap off the wires in the jboxes.

 

[Speedy Petey]

Proves a point. Mr. W. (and many other amateurs) fails to see a [direct] relationship between the size of wire and the current (in amps.) that it carries.

I completely agree.

A Clothes Dryer that has an electrical heating element runs on 240 Volts (actually 208 V.) @ 30 Amps.

Actually it IS 240v, unless it is a commercial setting with a 120/208 3-phase service.
240v and 208V are NOT the same thing nor are they interchangeable.

 

[InPhase277]

I completely agree.



Actually it IS 240v, unless it is a commercial setting with a 120/208 3-phase service.
240v and 208V are NOT the same thing nor are they interchangeable.

But hey... what's 32 V between pals.. right?

 

[jimmy21]

i've seen future stuff done many different ways. Some people don't even strip the romex. Me personally, i would make up the grounds/neutrals and cap off the hots with a tag that labels what they are

 

[kbsparky]

We simply install an empty conduit to the attic or crawl space for future circuits.

Later, pull whatever size line in when you need it.:whistling2:

 

[Scott3229]

you land the wires on the right sized breaker and keep the breaker off and wire nut the other end of the run

 

[Speedy Petey]

No way in hell I'd make up the breakers.

A) You do not know what you will need later.
B) Some moron can turn on the breaker leaving live, albeit capped off, wires. Tape over the breaker means nothing to most people.
C) There is simply NO valid reason to do so.
:thumbsup:

 

[Scuba_Dave]

We bought our house over 5 years ago
Of course all the breakers were turned on during the sale process
Turns out when they disconnected wires for old 240v electric heat they just tucked them up & (maybe) capped them at the bottom of the basement stairs
I found out they were live when I moved the wires to see where they went. Either the caps were not on tight or they came off. I just saw the sparks & jumped back

I never connect hots unless the other end is ready to go

 

[220/221]

No way in hell I'd make up the breakers.

A) You do not know what you will need later.
B) Some moron can turn on the breaker leaving live, albeit capped off, wires. Tape over the breaker means nothing to most people.
C) There is simply NO valid reason to do so.

A) Washer and/or washer/dryer = 2 pole 30 and a single pole 20.
B) You have a whole house full of live wires.....right?
C) You are there working on it, you have your tools out and you are already dirty. Plug in $10 worth of breakers and be done with it. All you have to do in the future is install the receps.

 

[Speedy Petey]

A) Washer and/or washer/dryer = 2 pole 30 and a single pole 20.
B) You have a whole house full of live wires.....right?
C) You are there working on it, you have your tools out and you are already dirty. Plug in $10 worth of breakers and be done with it. All you have to do in the future is install the receps.

A) So if you ned it for something else just change the breaker, right. No big deal for us. A DIYer?
B) You do remember this is DIY site, right? A DIYer who sees a wire not connected will assume it is dead. How many do you think will have the forethought to check it?
C) Using this mentality just install the receptacle too. No reason not to, right???


I NEVER terminate wires on breaker unless they are terminated on devices, a disconnect or equipment. It's just how I do it.
You (or anyone else) can obviously do as you wish. :thumbsup:

 

[Scuba_Dave]

The hot on the breaker is the last thing I connect too
Just seems safer

 

[220/221]

A) It's for a washer/dryer. Am I missing something?

B) I think 99% of DIYers would test power before working on it. Why would the assume it's dead?

C) Actually, I would install the receps too. It's only a few bucks more for the receps. I have 240V amp recep behind my gas ranges and dryers :yes:


Ahhhh...I miss the old days Petey.

 

[Speedy Petey]

C) Actually, I would install the receps too.

Much as I hate to agree with you, I would too. :thumbsup:

Ahhhh...I miss the old days Petey.

Yeah, me too. :wink:

You're a hack.
A hack with a vacation home.
:laughing: