Electrical Question

[Pulleye16]

So...I pulled my wood boiler from the cabin last year and will be putting the "new garage" project off for at least one more year. My current garage has no power. I already dug and trenched the power that went to the boiler, to my garage.

Here's my dilemma...The boiler had two sources of power run to it (one to run the blower and another for lighting) but the wires are all separated into individual wires. How do I match the wires together? I can't remember if they are on their once breaker, which would simplify things, but if they're both on the same breaker, it's beyond my electrical skills...LOL.

I just want to install a garage light and one outlet.

TIA

[roony]

I dont understand. Your boiler has lighting???

[Rodwork]

1st you need to figure out how much power the boiler needs. It may call for a dedicated line and you can’t tap into it. When a motor starts up there is what is called an inrush current to get the motor running. The inrush is typically 5-6 time the running current. If you tap off that it may trip every time the blower motor starts up.

[Rodwork]

Oops, just reread over the OP. How many wires do you have and are they all the same gauge (size)? What colors are they? White is normally neutral, black and red hot, and green ground.You need to know what gage they are so you can buy the right size outlet and switch or find out what size breaker they are on.

[roony]

First you might want to disconnect them from the breaker, then test the continuity from one end to the other so you can label the wires on each end. I would definitely have a designated breaker (circuit) for the boiler.

[glenn57]

i'd just hire an electrician................

[roony]

Or... you could just run an extension cord and a trouble light.

[Steve-o]

What Glenn said.  Sounds like a small job that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg.  Piece of mind from a job done safely and correctly is worth quite a bit to my way of thinking.

[LPS]

I agree.  An electrician may even have some good ideas.  Like wire up the garage too.   

[glenn57]

probably could find someone to do it as a side gig!!!!

Pulleye....i'd give some more serious thought to more then 1 outlet and making sure you have enough light.  just an idea!!!!!

[Dotch]

Or... you could just run an extension cord and a trouble light.

With a power strip...

[glenn57]

Or... you could just run an extension cord and a trouble light.

With a power strip...

[roony]

Or... you could just run an extension cord and a trouble light.

With a power strip...

And just plug your boiler right into that. And start a woodshop in there.

[Pulleye16]

all good suggestions. I was thinking about getting an electrician but figured this may be super simple and take all of 5 minutes to figure out.

Just to clarify, I'm not powering a wood boiler...There WAS a wood boiler with an outdoor light attached, near my garage. I sold the boiler and since "my" garage has no power, I figured...why not just run the power that went to the boiler, to the garage.  What I didn't expect was when I removed the wire from the boiler, it was all single strand wires inside cantex PVC conduit. one set of wires fed the light, the other set fed the blower. When I disconnected everything, all the wires just got mixed together.

I have the breaker(s) off, so I'll see what gauge wire they used.  But once the wires leave the breaker box and go outside, I don't know what wires go together. I don't want to grab a neutral from one wire and a hot from another.   I'm guessing there's a way to find the loop...

Regarding more outlets, this is just temporary. We have another garage with power. I'm hoping to tear down this garage next year and build a big 'ol fancy man cave garage.

I thought this would be a simple little project to get some light out there for the winter months and maybe an outlet to keep the ATV battery topped off for winter plowing...cause you know, the current garage with power is the wife's...LOL

[Bobberineyes]

If there tied to the same breaker it shouldn't matter. If not start hitting breakers to find which hot is which. The neutrals and grounds go to the bar so that isn't a factor. The question intrigued me so I popped open my panel, I do have 2- 15 amp lines tied to one breaker ( which is plenty to run an outlet and light) but most are individual besides the double pole of course.

[LPS]

Hopefully they are different colored wires and you can match them up.

[Jerkbiat]

What are the colors of the wires and how many wires?

[Pulleye16]

What are the colors of the wires and how many wires?

Jerkbiat,

Unfortunately, I'm at home and won't be up there for another two weeks.  I figured if I need to buy anything, now's the time to ask.

If my memory serves me right, there were 6 wires, which I'm assuming are a hot, neutral, and ground, all x2. Would white, grey, and black be common? for some reason those colors are stuck in my head. I "may" have a pic cause I sent my buddy photos of the sh!t show of my trenching conduit 18" down through solid clay with a hand shovel!  LOL. That was digging up and retrenching.



Thanks for all the help thus far.

[Pulleye16]

If there tied to the same breaker it shouldn't matter. If not start hitting breakers to find which hot is which. The neutrals and grounds go to the bar so that isn't a factor. The question intrigued me so I popped open my panel, I do have 2- 15 amp lines tied to one breaker ( which is plenty to run an outlet and light) but most are individual besides the double pole of course.

If on separate breakers, would a multimeter show continuity? or since the neutrals are all connected to the bar, it wouldn't matter?

I guess if I'm on two breakers, I'll pull all the wires off one breaker and test for continuity on the other. See any issues with that? In my brain it makes sense but I'm not that smart. LOL

[Bonus]

You might have already thought of it, but for future reference, tape or zip tie the different sets of wires together while taking things apart.

[Rodwork]

Make sure nothing is HOT before starting. The easiest way to find continuity is to remove the white neutral wires and connect them together. Check for continuity on the other end. Disconnect the white neutral wires from each other and tie only one white to the black (hot) wire and check the other end. Now you know what neutral wire is what. Use that same wire to mark all the other wires if that makes sense. It is a good idea to kill all power before doing this to be safe.

[Jerkbiat]

What are the colors of the wires and how many wires?

Jerkbiat,

Unfortunately, I'm at home and won't be up there for another two weeks.  I figured if I need to buy anything, now's the time to ask.

If my memory serves me right, there were 6 wires, which I'm assuming are a hot, neutral, and ground, all x2. Would white, grey, and black be common? for some reason those colors are stuck in my head. I "may" have a pic cause I sent my buddy photos of the sh!t show of my trenching conduit 18" down through solid clay with a hand shovel!  LOL. That was digging up and retrenching.



Thanks for all the help thus far.

So 6 wires total? 2 whites, 2 blacks and 2 whatevers that are probably ground?

[Pulleye16]

I’m having the hardest time uploading photos so there may be 20 posts popping up if they all decide to work lol.

Green, black, and white.  Standard.

[LPS]

Are any of them thermostat wires?

[Bobberineyes]

They look pretty thick, 12 ga anyhow.  Gonna be a 20 amp line if that's the case. I wouldn't sweat this temporary job if I were you. Probably not too many 20 amp breakers in your box , but I'm just assuming. You have enough wire exposed to say.

[LPS]

Just wear some heavy gloves.  Touch two wires.  When the wife yells you just tripped a breaker just label them and move on.  At least you will know which breaker goes to that wire.  Will be more effective and fun around HH.