jmraider Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 I am using the LOR 1602x controllers. I am building a home with dedicated circuits for the LOR controllers. I asked for dedicated circuits for each of my controllers. The electrician put in some plugs that share the common white. He used a four wire (red, black, white, green) this four wire goes into one receptacle, the red goes into the plug, then another 3 wire goes to the next receptacle with the black from the 4 wire being tired together to the three wire and goes in the next plug. The whites are tired together and a white is going to each plug and the ground is tired and sent to each plug. The four wire is home-run to the breaker box and then the red goes to one breaker and the black goes to another breaker and the white is shared between both breakers. Hope my explanation makes sense. I originally was thinking I was to get a home-run from each plug to the breaker box. Is the way it is wired OK, or should it be a homerun for each plug to the breaker box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 He did it correctly to give you separate feeds for each controller. Now, be sure that each of those receptacles are GFCI receptacles, or that the breakers in the loadcenter are GFCI breakers. One or the other MUST be GFCI to protect yourself and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Since he used a common neutral (white), the GFCI must be at the outlets and not the breaker panel. The common neutral is fine as long as the two breakers are on opposite banks in the panel. Personally I would prefer separate neutrals because the loads are not exactly sinusoidal. That's what I did last year with the two 20 amp circuits in my front yard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 What size breakers do these wires connect to and what type of decorations or lights are you going to run on each circuit (i.e. how much power are you going to run on each one?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmraider Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 I spoke with the electrician this morning and he tells me that he used a "throw 3". I am not super knowledgeable about electrical wiring and terms, but my last house the electrician did do homeruns for me and said that was best. At this point any other comments I would appreciate. I will be going to talk to electrician later this morning (PST). Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 That sounds like a triple breaker with the trip handle ganged together. Can you look at them and see what the numbers are on the handle that would represent the max current? Are you running LED-style low-current lights or something more substantial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmraider Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 They are putting in 20 amp breakers, most of my lights are LED and I map out my amp usage to stay below 20 amps per box. As for looking at the breakers, they are not in, they have only done the rough wiring, and that is were I caught the issue. I spoke with the electrician again in person and told him I want home-run dedicated plugs. I will see what happens later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Since he used a common neutral (white), the GFCI must be at the outlets and not the breaker panel. The common neutral is fine as long as the two breakers are on opposite banks in the panel. Personally I would prefer separate neutrals because the loads are not exactly sinusoidal. That's what I did last year with the two 20 amp circuits in my front yard.Absolutely correct. I flew past this. Nice catch. So he will need 2 gang set ups with 2 GFCI receptacles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 I will attempt to get the photos of my AC column posted on my website this evening. It shows what I have out in the yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Actually the term separate banks is not correct either. I am calling a bank as to mean left side breakers and right side breakers. Lets call it what it is, legs or hot legs if you prefer. Legs alternate as you go down the bank of breakers. Thats why your A.C. and Dryer breakers sit side by side yet one half of the breaker is on Leg A and other other half is on Leg B. Otherwise I agree that a common neutral is ok as long as the two outlets are wired to the different legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl Lambert Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 With 20 amp breakers you should have 12 gauge wire for these circuits. It's usually easily identifiable on exterior insulation of the wire. As well, the GFCI should be rated for 20 amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I will attempt to get the photos of my AC column posted on my website this evening. It shows what I have out in the yard. A little over half way down the page at: http://newburghlights.org/Landscaping.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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