In ,
John Grabowski typed:
"Twayne" wrote in message
...
In ,
John Grabowski typed:
Hey Guys, I have a double 20 amp breaker that is connected to each
other. I have one side running the kitchen and one side running the
washing machine in the garage. I was told this is a standard
practice, however, I have a portable hot tub that I use in my
garage that I only use when not using the washing machine. The hot
tub is plugged into a GFCI outlet located about 5 feet down the
wall off the washer receptical that was installed before I moved
in. Here is the big problem, I have just noticed a piece of conduit
that comes off the furnace that was buzzing, getting hot and it
stopped after turning off the hot tub, the other day I was running
items from the kitchen and the conduit got so hot it was burning
paint off the wall. I shut off the double 20 amp breaker and it
cooled down. It now gets hot with that breaker off and running a
space heater upstairs that is on another breaker. I have the
breaker off on the furnace and am stumped to what is going on or
how this my be wired. The conduit going to the furnace goes to a
junction box on the wall that has some sort of relay on the top of
it. Any help would be great. Thanks


*This is something I would need to see to figure out what is going
on. Obviously there is a problem or perhaps multiple problems. My
first thought is that perhaps the neutral conductor is being
overloaded by having two circuits on the same phase sharing it. I'm
thinking that the two circuits are connected to a twin breaker
and not a double pole.

If it's a ganged breaker set approved for the panel, then it can only
connect to both sides of the line, resulting in 220 between the two
output screws. Two next to each other breakers in almost every panel
made will give the same results.


*The OP said a double breaker. Since he is not an electrican that
could mean a two pole breaker or a twin breaker. A twin breaker has
both loads connected to the same buss and requires separate neutrals.
If he has one neutral for both loads on a twin breaker it can get
very hot depending on the loads and would not trip a breaker.

I agree that a pro is the best way to go, but some people will insist
on doing things themselves. I apologize for trying to be helpful.

No need to apologize John. You obviously know your stuff pretty well and
you've raised only salient points. I've seen posts from you in the past that
exhibit the same virtues, too. I haven't seen the OP respond anywhere, not
that I blame him now, and except for myself (I don't recall your previous
post; maybe you too) I'm about the only one who tried to allow for
differences in meanings of the OPs descriptions. The number of spoken and
non-spoken problems could well contain many different things due to the lack
of information. I may have made a mistake in that I didn't ASK direct
questions but instead tried to leave responses open ended for him.
For example the hot conduit: It takes a hell of a current to heat conduit,
assuming it's metal and not plastic, which wasn't mentioned but was assumed
to be metal. What length of conduit got hot? Was it just heat transfer from
the furnace? Or was it due to current flow? I kind of doubt current flow,
but ... it's not safe to ignore the possibility. And then the "double
breaker" clarification you pointed out; excellent point as the OP left the
audience to guess again. And then of course you have the egos and
narcissists who crawled out of their hiding places. It's interesting to see
how that happens but I assume it's something to do for them during their
holiday season. Some of them might not be very happy people.
Anyway, I'd think you were one of the last who should be apologizing; you
stayed on track from what I can see and added useful thoughts. Yes, I know
this will bring on more of the egoes and narcy's but they don't bother me. I
simply say what I mean and mean what I say, assuming I don't make too many
typosg.

Cheers,

Twayne`






That relay might be a transformer for the low voltage control for
the furnace.

You would need to start at one end or the other and identify each
conductor and determine what it is being used for. I would probably
start at the circuit breaker panel. An electrician could do this
faster than you and identify everything that is not safe and code
compliant.
Do you know if the previous homeowner did his own wiring?

With a conduit getting hot you prescribe troubleshooting? Nuh, uh!
He needs a pro and quickly. Else they could be searching thru
basement rubble for keepsakes rather soon.

Twayne
--
We've already reached
tomorrow's yesterday
but we're still far away from
yesterday's tomorrow.



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