Opinions wanted

[BC1]

So, my 2 car garage has a single outlet that's tied into my bedrooms (probably, not sure/doesn't matter) and I have a 220v 40amp outlet for my dryer that will never be used. Whats the best/safest way to just make that into 2 110v 20 amp circuits. I mean, whats the best way to split it up? If it's 4 wire can I just treat it as 2 separate circuits in the same box?

 

[pattenp]

I'd probably change the dryer outlet box to a junction box and extend the feed to a small sub-panel and go from there with more circuits. This is provided you have 4 wires.

 

[Steevo]

As pattenp mentions, you can't make the dryer outlet into a sub-panel unless it includes 4-wires, 2-hot, 1-neutral, 1-ground.

You also can't split it into 2 separate 120v receptacles unless it has all 4 wires, since you need hot/neut/gnd for each circuit.

If it does have all four wires (probably red/black/white/green), you could swap the breaker for a pair of independent 20A breakers, pull out the dryer receptacle, and wire a 20A 120v duplex receptacle in so that each is outlet is on a separate hot (break off the jumper clip and run black to one, and red to the other), and share the neutral (white) and ground (green) for both.

 

[pattenp]

As pattenp mentions, you can't make the dryer outlet into a sub-panel unless it includes 4-wires, 2-hot, 1-neutral, 1-ground.

You also can't split it into 2 separate 120v receptacles unless it has all 4 wires, since you need hot/neut/gnd for each circuit.

If it does have all four wires (probably red/black/white/green), you could swap the breaker for a pair of independent 20A breakers, pull out the dryer receptacle, and wire a 20A 120v duplex receptacle in so that each is outlet is on a separate hot (break off the jumper clip and run black to one, and red to the other), and share the neutral (white) and ground (green) for both.

If he does this the two 20A breakers will need a handle tie because the feed to the dryer outlet box will then be considered a multiwire branch circuit.

 

[Steevo]

If he does this the two 20A breakers will need a handle tie because the feed to the dryer outlet box will then be considered a multiwire branch circuit.

correct

mea culpa

 

[BC1]

it currently has two 20amp breakers feeding it with a handle tie. i think i'm over complicating this. basically as long as it's four wire i just share the neutral and ground and run it like two 20 amp circuits right?

 

[pattenp]

it currently has two 20amp breakers feeding it with a handle tie. i think i'm over complicating this. basically as long as it's four wire i just share the neutral and ground and run it like two 20 amp circuits right?

Yes. But to clarify, the two 20A breakers you have with a handle tie is most likely a 2 pole breaker. It is most likely a common trip breaker so when one side trips it takes out both sides. If you use two single 20A breakers and put on a handle tie then if one side trips it doesn't take out the other side. That is the set up you'd want on a multiwire branch circuit. It is not common trip. The reason the MWBC needs handle ties is to assure that power is cut to both side when servicing.

 

[BC1]

thanks, makes sense