[KevinEF7]

Hey guys, I think I must have messed something up with my wiring of this new 240v receptacle.

I just moved into this house and wired this receptacle with new wire from the breaker box, its 8/2 wire on a 40amp breaker. This is a pic of the wire coming into my plastic box and the wires leading to the nema 6-50 receptacle.

I first tried to install a heater a friend gave me and it didnt power on either, I assumed it was bad since he said it was sitting around and he wasnt using it. Now I went out and bought my own 240v 6000watt electrical heater and just put a new plug end on it and it doesnt power up either. I took my friends heater back to him and sure enough it works fine on his plug.

I confirmed I have 120v on each of "powerred" pins on the receptacle, is something possibly wrong with my ground? How I have it wired.

Only other think I can think of is the breaker I have is somehow the wrong one, but its a 40amp double pole and I wired both the black and white from the 8/2 into it

Thanks for any help, any other pics that may be helpful will be no problem

 

[joed]

What do you have between the two hots? Should be 240 volts?
What type panel? Some panels it's possible to install the breaker so both poles are on the same leg. If that happens, you need to move the breaker up or down one slot.
What type breaker? It needs to be a full double pole breaker and not a thin/mini/tandem breaker.

 

[oh'mike]

I moved this to electrical for you--------

 

[KevinEF7]

After pulling off my panel cover in the garage, Im not entirely sure I understand how to get both powers onto there own legs. It is a Federal box, and a federal breaker, but if the picture is clear enough, its almost like everything is on one leg? I pulled the breaker out for a clearer picture but I had it set directly back

I also measured the voltage coming out of the bottom of the breaker, each hot has 124v to ground but only .012v when measuring them together...

 

[Jim Port]

That breaker will only supply 120V . It is only on one leg of the panel.

 

[KevinEF7]

Where is the second leg?? Can it be positioned to somehow provide 240v? I dont quite understand this box, unlike any Ive seen.

 

[Jim Port]

You need a two pole breaker to grab both legs. The current breakers are tandems that allow two 120 circuits off one leg.

 

[joed]

Each silver pad you see is one leg of power. To get 240 volts you need to move that breaker two slots so it spans the black spacer.
The way it is plugged in now there is no connection on the right hand pole.

 

[joed]

The breaker as pictured is actually not even plugged into one bus. It's at an angle and the connections are hanging in mid air.

 

[KevinEF7]

Yes I realize the breaker is not set in place, I unsnapped it and leaned it back for the picture as I stated. it sounds like this breaker may not even work with my box as a 240volt breaker, is that true? Because it cannoth be installed half on one plate, half on the other, as the black plastic inbetween them sticks out and doesnt allow the breaker to be installed. unless Im missing something and this breaker will work somehow

Would this breaker be correct? This seller is local to me and I could get it today
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Federal-Pacific-NB230-NB230CP-Circuit-Breaker-2P-30A-240V-WOW-/231765756739?

 

[rjniles]

There should be a label on the panel listing comparable breakers.

 

[KevinEF7]

Here is a picture of the diagram on the inside of the panel, I did not even notice it before it was so faded, I was able to enhance the black a little in photoshop. Im honestly uncertain of what it is telling me though, almost seems like it is saying 2-3 and 10-11 are my 220v possible locations?

Is the 40amp breaker I am using acceptable?

 

[rjniles]

Measure between the 2 rightmost bus bars and see if you get 240

 

[KevinEF7]

Yes measuring between the last and second last "squares" I guess correct term is bus bar, gives me 250v. Guess I need a breaker that can span overtop of the black center piece

 

[rjniles]

Yes measuring between the last and second last "squares" I guess correct term is bus bar, gives me 250v. Guess I need a breaker that can span overtop of the black center piece

Bingo!

 

[joed]

That breaker should work fine. You just need to move down one slot.
If you look at the breaker you have it has a gap between the contract points. That will fit over the black divider.

 

[rjniles]

I believe this is the style breaker you need, it can only go in the top 2 middle positions.

 

[KevinEF7]

Do you happen to know a specific style/name for it? How come it can only go in the top middle positions? If I cant mount it on the bottom row, that means I will have to re-wire I believe, dont think I left enough slack to route to the top of the box. Rookie mistake 101

 

[KevinEF7]

That breaker should work fine. You just need to move down one slot.
If you look at the breaker you have it has a gap between the contract points. That will fit over the black divider.

Sorry I missed this post, I will double check the breaker I have.

 

[bernie963]

No rewire. a short piece of 14 or 12 or what ever and a wire nut.