Ask an electrician! (Need help)

I’ll start by saying that although I am fairly handy in most cases, I do suck at electricity…

- So I need a power outlet in my basement.

I have lights, but no outlets. I have access to a few wires, but due to insulation, it is not easy to ID what the wires serve up above so I cannot tap into an outlet above.

I have a switch by the basement entry. I figure this would be a good source of power, so I put a junction box and tap into the wire about a foot before the switch - I figure that I will alway have power for the outlet.

I tap into wire at that location, Matching neutral to neutral, ground to ground, live to live with a 3-wire connector each time.

I make my run, and wire the outlet at the desired location - white wire to silver crews on outlet, black to gold, copper ground to green screw.

The run is some 25 feet. Looks great. Breaker now back on. I put a plug in and nothing. - Lights (LED bulbs) do work fine as before.

The outlet does not power something plugged into it…

With multimeter, I see I have 120v between neutral (white) & ground which seems odd… No voltage between white & black.

I read that reversed wires will cause this. But I don’t see my wires reversed…

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. - but I suspect it is something stupid.

I disconnected the outlet and taped off the wires.

I’d appreciate any insight. Thanks!

 

This forum will be of much greater help in this topic than TacomaWorld: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forums/lighting-electrical.30/

 

Hi.

I am also searching for an electrician. I need to do a master panel upgrade to 200 Amp panel from a 100 Amp panel. A murray panel would do. It doesn’t have to be super expensive model.

How much would it cost? I know sky is the upper limit. I just wanted to know the bottom limit?

My house is super old. 1970.
Reason for upgrade is, I have two ADUs now on property feeding from my master.
Sorry to hijack your thread OP.
(I’ve asked on Thumbtack app for few quotes)

 

Shit 1970 is super old now. My house is from 1910, I don't even know if it had electricity when it was built haha. I still have remnants of knob and tube wiring in the basement (all not in use anymore). Most of my wiring is from the late 80s and early 2000s though thankfully it has been modernized enough. I can tell you if the other wiring isn't up to par they will often insist upon other work when swapping a panel. I've got multiple panels because of that.

 

@TXpro4X4 could possibly help.

 

If there is only one cable going to the switch then you are mostly likely dealing with what is called a switch leg. You wouldn't have a neutral at this location. Normally in this case the 120v is coming into the switch on the white conductor, this is a constant feed. The black is the 120v load side of the switch, feeding the lights.
If you can find the junction box where the switch leg originates, there will be a neutral in there. That would be the place to tap this circuit to add a plug. A good place to look would be in the box feeding the nearest light fixture. You can easily identify the switch leg by looking for a black wire(s) spliced with a white. Any neutrals in the box would be white conductors in a separate splice.
If you have older bx(steel) cables in your basement I would not recommend doing any of this yourself.

 

Also, if they followed code, you’ll notice black electrical tape on the white conductor in the switch box.

 

Do you have space for an additional breaker in your box? If so, I’d get a breaker and run a new circuit. Make sure the breaker is the same as existing.

 

what these guys said

@RustyGreen
@kmorgan3

 

Can't believe I didn't think about this before, but please make sure that receptacle is GFCI protected.

 

Agree, wiring probably looks similar to the image below although the source doesn't have to come in at the same box the lamp is located.

A better job and maybe easier is to run a new circuit with a dedicated breaker.

Make sure to get the correct breaker for your panel, the same brand and the following the type information found on the decal on the panel door. Stated another way, just because an Eaton breaker "fits" in a Murray panel doesn't make it correct.

 

thanks gents!
I understand now! (How badly I suck at wiring).

Makes total sense! I’ll have to have another look!

 

Pictures of the old panel would help, also knowing if it's underground or pole feed.
Can't give a cost without know what kinda work is involved.

Most panel changes run $3000-$4000 just to get an idea

 

@bacon_st
@AY_ARONTRD

 

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