Work Bench Outlets.

[Micscience]

Never mind I think I'm good. The breaker panel service has thicker gauge wires and it gets stepped down in gauge so I don't see any problem doing the same thing from an outlet.

 

[2ManyProjects]

I had one more question. Could I add a 12 gauge circuit off of a 10 gauge circuit near my work bench? The 10 gauge circuit is only dedicated for when I use my welder.

The short answer is "NO!"

The somewhat longer answer is, you COULD; but then you would have to replace the circuit breaker feeding that circuit with one which is rated for no more than 20 Amps -- which would near-certainly make that circuit useless for the welder.

 

[2ManyProjects]

You posted the following as I was composing my previous reply...

Never mind I think I'm good. The breaker panel service has thicker gauge wires and it gets stepped down in gauge so I don't see any problem doing the same thing from an outlet.

HUH?!?

First, as noted in my previous reply, such "step downs" ARE problematic. Second, if you see such a thing INSIDE your breaker panel, you near-certainly have some MAJOR issues which need to be addressed IMMEDIATELY.

(The third possibility is that you are either grossly misunderstanding what you're looking at, or doing such a poor job of explaining it, that things are not really as you've at least implied they are. But at this point, I'm not counting on that.)

I strongly suggest that you post some clear, sharp, well-exposed pictures of whatever it is you're talking about.

 

[mark5767]

I agree with 2ManyProjects, I thought about doing something similar recently but you risk melting the stepped down wire if it's after the too big breaker. Always match wire gauge to breaker size, no exceptions period. At least that's what my Pappy said!

 

[Micscience]

Well my welder doesn't use more than 20 amps that is why I am thinking of using 12 gauge off of the 10 gauge circuit/outlet. I have a 10 gauge circuit with a 20 amp outlet and breaker on that circuit. As far as the breaker panel, what I meant to say is the service wire that comes from outside providing power to the panel to the buses in the panel is thicker than any of the circuit wires that feed off of it. That is what I meant as a step down.

 

[2ManyProjects]

Well my welder doesn't use more than 20 amps that is why I am thinking of using 12 gauge off of the 10 gauge circuit/outlet.

Are you VERY sure of that? Welders can be something of a special case; but even so, that would be an unusually light-duty welder.

I have a 10 gauge circuit with a 20 amp outlet and breaker on that circuit.

Again, I have to ask, "Are you sure?" While I mean no insult, your comments to date in this thread don't exactly inspire confidence in your technical prowess. Normally, a 30-amp breaker would be installed to protect AWG 10 wiring, not a 20-amp one. In addition, there are tighter restrictions as to what sort of outlets (and how many of them) can be installed on circuits rated for 30 Amps or more.

As far as the breaker panel, what I meant to say is the service wire that comes from outside providing power to the panel to the buses in the panel is thicker than any of the circuit wires that feed off of it.

Well... Of course. But that's because the incoming service feeder has to supply ALL the current to ALL the branch circuits. More importantly, it is not connecting directly to ANY of those branch circuits; but rather, it is connecting first to a bus bar, which in turn feeds an array of circuit breakers (one for each branch circuit). Those branch breakers then protect the smaller wires used on those individual branch circuits.

That is what I meant as a step down.

OK. But that was far from clear from your description. It sounded like you were talking about splicing a heavy wire (presumably fed from a breaker appropriate to that heavy wire) more-or-less directly to a lighter one (for which the breaker would NOT provide adequate protection). That would be a HUGE "No-No".

 

[Micscience]

Sorry, I admit I can be unclear at times especially on the internet. I initially installed a 10 gauge wire for future upgrades. I am double sure about my welder's capacity also, unless the manufactures manual is lying. The circuit was setup with 10 gauge wire for when I get my 220v welder and all other 220v machinery.

 

[Micscience]

2ManyProjects I am referring to welder input when I say 20 amps. A 20 amp circuit is required for my welder. I think you are taking it as my welder has a 20 amp output. I just wanted to clear that up.

 

[2ManyProjects]

2ManyProjects I am referring to welder input when I say 20 amps. A 20 amp circuit is required for my welder. I think you are taking it as my welder has a 20 amp output.

Nope. I was referrring to the power required (from the building wiring) to operate the welder; and 20A is VERY low, as such things go. For example, even the cheapest model on this page: http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equipment/stick-welders/Pages/stick-welders.aspx requires 50A, and a few spot checks of other models turns up nothing less than 23-28A (for an "Inverter" model, which presumably has a higher-than-normal duty cycle); some are as high as 88 amps.

Now, because the typical DUTY CYCLE of a "normal" stick welder is relatively low, some folks advise undersizing the wiring to any outlet which is DEDICATED to welder use. But personally, I view this as a bad idea, at least usually.