electrical breaker question

[scarface70706]

Hey guys, so im a little nervous about my 90 gal tripping my breaker since this house is old. They set up this particular breaker to where its connected to my kitchen and to the room my tank is going in. for me to rewire the current set up means i have to tear open the sheet rock and cut the wire, reroute, ect.which will really suck. is it possible (legal code) i can run another electrical socket onto a separate breaker in the room? im not too sure if thats up to code in CA but figured id ask some of you guys. thank you for your time.

[rayn]

Not sure about ca. You should be able to add a breaker and outlet/s if you have room for another breaker in your box.

I know you said breaker, but you do have breakers not the old screw in fuse type right.

[James77]

Additional lines are run all the time- id assume even in CA
So long as you have an extra slot in your breaker box and use the correct wire, you would be fine.

[souperman]

You're not going to get any more capacity splitting off the current breaker to another one in the room. Or were you planning on adding a breaker to the box and running a new cable to the tank?

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[scarface70706]

no i have a new box system since last year summer when i had the A/c installed. i do have extra slots in the box to add breakers. (i could be wrong) but i figured if i have two separate breakers attached in the same room it could be a hazard for someone in the future doing maintenance. for example, cut the power to that room and then perform what ever electrical they have to do and get shocked on the socket that was on the another breaker. If i can do this within code i was going to run one or two new sockets on a new breaker specifically for the tank. im just a little p*ssed that i spent hundreds of dollars to set up my tank and find out that room is connected to my kitchen which trips when using the microwave and toaster oven at the same time.

[rayn]

If you just got a new box it may be different, but they should all be on their own breaker. Each room to its own. Then it should be broke down further. Fridge by itself. Microwave by itself. If you had a full rewire of the house I would complain.

As for adding a circuit and outlets, make sure everything is marked put. Label the new circuit in the box and say what outlets it controls. Possibly marking the outlets would help too. Think if it was you going in there blind, what would help you know.

[bdr]

im in canada but our rules are usually a little more strick then the states (ive travelled and worked in the states so i do have experience with many of your codes as well but by no means an expert) There is nothing wrong with running a dedicated circuit to the tank if thats possible for you. Make sure you have the correct breaker and wire size or hire someone licenced to do it. The cardinal rule is check it before you work on it. Here the rule of thumbs is no more then ten devices on a circuit be it lights or recptacles so it is very possible to have two different circuits in a room depending on whats its used for. Or to have one circuit do two rooms. Im not sure if your area has moved into arc fault protection yet but here at least if its in your bedroom it would have to be on an arcfault breaker (similar to a gfci but detects arcs rather then grounds) Always helps when you label the panel too so someone knows what the breaker is for. But like i said nobody should be touching it if they dont know what they are doing and if they do they should know well enough to test that its dead before working on it!

[alton]

BDR you are correct it will have to be on a Arc Fault breaker or a GFCI breaker due to it connecting to an aquarium per the 2011 NEC Code. Arc Fault Breakers are not just for bedrooms anymore.

[scarface70706]

sweet im going to have to call my local electrician and ask him just to be on the safe side but you guys seam right and makes since to have a arc or gfci breaker dedicated to a fish tank. for the wiring, the house was on an older smaller box with a few breakers so when we added the new bigger box (not too sure whats the specific names for them) we needed the box to power up the a/c. all the other wiring was not touched; only the wires going to the a/c. one day i will have to fix all these wires but thats not going to happen till we sell the house in 5 years when i get my masters degree. thanks for all the help guys.

[bdr]

Well in canada at least the arc fault is required for bedrooms to detect plugs that arent in all the way and spark which can cause a fire. so if you had the same codes to be correct you would need a 15 amp arc fault breaker because the circuit is going to a bedroom then at the receptical you would install a gfci to protect yourself due to the proximity of the water and what it is servicing. If by code you dont need an arc fault breaker either a 15 amp breaker or 15 amp gfci breaker and #14 wire hth

[HV1990]

I just ran a dedicated line from my fuse box. I had an electrician do it. He said if there is an open spot on the breaker panel then it is okay. You need a permit if you replace the panel or add another one.

[plasmacon]

You can use 12/2 wire from the breaker, 15 or 20 amp, up to 10 outlets to be safe for a DIY. You can go 14 outlets as long as they are mostly low wattage. You don't want 14 refrigerators on that circuit. Every outlet should be GFCI, but you can allow one GFCI to control three or four other normal outlets, but it the GFCI trips, all the outlets loose power. They are like $30 for 3 outlets, but they are worth it.

I am currently putting two circuits, 20 amp breakers, with 14/2 wiring for the 9 GFCI switched outlets per circuit. It's built and ready to go, no permit required. If you are not sure, get help.

Anything you add to the house, done properly, will not be a hazard for anyone in the future. An electrician may come along one day and say you could have, or should have done a better job, but it shouldn't be a problem. Having lightening and outlets on different circuits in the same room is common sense, and common practice. Whenever I do a new build, or rewire, I put all the ceiling lights on one circuit, and the outlets on a different circuit, up to two rooms. That way, if you go to change a ceiling fixture in the future, you can still use the wall outlets for your utility lights, and vice versa.

I'm not an electrician, but I have had everything I've ever done approved on the first inspection. Electricians who have seen my work wished their guys would do such a good job. Many jobs don't require a permit, or inspection. Do your research, and learn how to DIY.

[bdr]

As to previous post #14 wire is good for 15 amps... not 20 and here at least its 10 device max. You cant safely say its ok to add more as long as they are low wattage. They put limits on it because you know what the number or recepticals are on the circuit and how to load it but the next person that buys the house will not and go plug regular load devices in which will in turn over load the #14 wire which will go over its current rating because it was incorrectly put on a 20 amp breaker letting it deliver more power then it was designed for which will let it heat up then burn up. Hopefully you just nicked the wire when skinning it and it breaks and seperates enough that it doent arc rather then hold on and cause a fire because thewire got too hot. There is a big difference between neat and tidy looking wiring and correct wiring. #14 for 15 amp #12 for 20 amp. Now this is all assumung your running it as a cable if you are running 3 single #14 wires free air with no jacket on them then you are good to go putting #14s on a 20 amp breaker but good luck getting that passed on an inspection. Codes vary by province/state usually an inspector is happy to talk to you BEFORE you do anything they are there to help!

[rayn]

Agreed! Check your local codes. Electricity is serious, if you're not sure have someone check it or do it for you. 12/2 is the lowest I'm allowed and also the lowest I would go.

[bdr]

*edit* reread the op initial post i read in the room as in my room forget the arc fault stuff

[gonorth16]

As a Licensed Electrician I would hire someone if you dont know what your doing.. One slip of the hands in the panel and POOOF!!! Here's Buckwheat!!!!!

[scarface70706]

i was going to have a electrician do it i was just making sure it was legal to add a dedicated line to the fish tank. in CA they said it will be ok and up to code. i do have extra slots to put in breakers so im good. thanks everyone