20 amp. outlet?

Question

I want to put a fridge in my garage. I am running a 12/2 wire to the breaker box. I need to know how to wire the breaker.

Answer 1

TURN OFF THE MAIN BREAKER before working on the panel. (Ok so professionals don't do this but they know what they are doing and are very careful!) Note that even with the main breaker off there are still some hot wires in the panel so be careful what you touch. If you don't know what you are doing get some help or hire a professional.

The 12/2 enters the panel with a clamp (yes the clamp is important). The black wire goes to the circuit breaker. Both the white and bare copper ground wire go to the neutral bus bars. You may find that there are two bus bars, one with all of the bare or green wires connected and one with white wires only. If this is what you find just do it the same way. More commonly you will find white and bare connected to the same bus. If thats what you find you can just do the same.

Most breakers just snap into the slot. There is a little plastic hook on the bottom of the breaker on the end where the wire attaches. You hook this first and then press the breaker firmly on the bar at the other end. You should use a slot adjacent to existing outlets rather than further away. The breaker should be flush with the existing breakers not sticking up.

You will probably need to break out one of the metal tabs that cover the unused holes in the breaker panel cover for the new breaker.

The instructions below are for wiring the outlet itself.

Answer 2

Are you running 12/2 with ground? This is required by code. When you get to the breaker box, you need to take the cover plate off and inside you will see bus bars that have the ground wires and the the white wires attached to them this is where these connect. The black wire is the one that is connected to the breaker and then the breaker is plugged into its connection. I recommend that you turn the power at the main breaker off before you do anything inside the breaker box.

Answer 3

Same as a 15 amp breaker.

Black wire to breaker, white wire to neutral bar, copper wire to grounding bar.

If your wires are red and black, you are using 12 Gauge heater wire. Just use one of the colours as white. Adding some white electrical tape to the wire, " to change its color", is typically done in this situation so the next person looking in the panel will know what you were up to.

Make sure the breaker is off when doing this. Better yet turn off the main breaker to the panel

Answer 4

Strip the black wire about 1/2 inch. Loosen the screw on the breaker. Put the wire under the screw clamp bar on the breaker. Tighten the screw clamp on the wire.

I guess you know the rest of what you need to do to make it a safe and code compliant installation?

Answer 5

Black wire to the breaker, white wire to the neutral bar, bare wire to the ground strip. (Don't install wiring for a fridge without a ground!)

Answer 6

Very carefully! Seriously it's easy, but you have to be aware of every movement, inserting the black wire to the breaker.....white to the neutral slot, and the ground to the buss bar. Just be careful, and call an electrician, if at all uneasy about it.

Answer 7

When you hook up you breaker, it is important to hook up your hot wire last. If you don't, and trip the hot wire the electricity will ground thru you. If you hook up the ground and neutral first then they will serve as the ground.

Attach you ground to the ground bar first.
Attach your neutral to the neutral bar next
Attach your hot wire last.
Make sure that you really tighten down the screws when attaching your wires.
A clean pair of leather gloves can prevent electrical shock as long as there is no dirt or oil on them