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using a 30 amp circuit for 120 duplex

int3414

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changing electric hot water heater to propane(power vent),can i use the 10-2 wire?....thinking 20 amp outlet and 20 amp breaker...thank-you!!
 
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int3414

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thanks again....thought it made sense,but was told by handyman,that this is against all and any codes??...so it makes a good dedicated circuit for a 40 or 50 gallon propane water heater.....happy holidays!!
 

Stuart in MN

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To be clear, he's talking about reusing the wire, but with a 20 amp breaker.

(note to the original poster, you didn't say where you're located so this advice assumes you're in the US - if you're somewhere else it may be different.) You don't need to use a 20 amp duplex receptacle, per the NEC if you have two or more receptacles on a 20 amp circuit they can be the 15 amp type, and a duplex receptacle counts as two.

As for the wire, it can be reused as well if it has black, white and ground (bare or green) conductors. Most standard receptacles will take up to #10 wire, although it may be difficult to bend and install.
 

exranger06

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OP is replacing an electric water heater (which is 240v) to a propane heater (which only needs 120v). The white wire in the 10/2 cable is currently being used for one of the hot legs. Terry D is saying that the OP needs to instead use the white wire as a neutral: remove white wire from the double pole breaker and connect it to the neutral bar instead. The breaker will be replaced with a single pole breaker.
 
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Stuart in MN

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It is confusing but the technical terms are 'grounded conductor' and grounding conductor' - the grounded conductor is the neutral wire and the grounding conductor is the ground wire.
 
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int3414

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so,bob the handy-man told me #14 wire for 15 amp ONLY,#12 for 20 amp ONLY, # 10 wire for 30 AMP ONLY....so on and so forth..........thanks again..............maybe i,ll buy my sister a hot water heater for Christmas$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 

sberry

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I just did this. Bob the handyman has used 10/2 for dryer outlet. I changed it to 120 gfci for laundry and ran new 4 wire dryer. Took a couple minutes to train it in to a deep box but not a problem.
 

exranger06

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so,bob the handy-man told me #14 wire for 15 amp ONLY,#12 for 20 amp ONLY, # 10 wire for 30 AMP ONLY....so on and so forth..........thanks again..............maybe i,ll buy my sister a hot water heater for Christmas$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

To be more accurate, Bob should've said: #14 for 15 amp MAXIMUM, #12 for 20 amp MAX, #10 for 30 amp MAX. If a wire can handle 30 amps, it can certainly handle 20 amps no problem.
 
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