4 wires need to connect to a circuit breaker terminal

disneyjoe7

Help how to do I do this?


At best I still need at lease 3 connected to breaker. Which I believe is 1 too many.

If it makes any difference in pool sub panel connecting Pump, Heater, Blower, Salt chlorinator.

mesquitehead

In my exp.it is best to isolate each piece of equipment to it's own breaker. If the heater is gas it is less worry but if it is electric it needs to be stand alone. What are the amp ratings (recommmended or max. breaker listed on nameplate) for each individual piece of equipment? Are they 110v, 220v? Most pumps of any size are 220v. Say the combined load is 38 run amps and you stick it all on a 30 amp breaker, it will be fine until the load hits 30 or close and starts heating things up...then pop goes the breaker. Best case is always put such components on individual breakers rated properly for the recommended amp rating, if there is no room in the box you may need a bigger box for a sub-panel and then need to be sure the run amp load is within the total amp load for the main breaker in the sub (some do not use a main in sub) or at least in the main panel. Example, if you have a 150 amp service main box and have a total potential load that is higher things can get ugly. Say the sub panel is rated or carried on a 50amp breaker you want to stay under that load with the breakers running said components, in other words you do not want to exceed the rated load for a panel/box or a breaker...nor do you want to oversize a breaker. Say the pump is rated for a 30amp breaker and you stick it on a 50amp...pump locks up or the windings short out a properly rated breaker will trip in a heartbeat, an oversized breaker will maybe not trip and allow the pump to possibly catch fire or damage other components...especially if you have more than one thing connected to the breaker. FWIW, I am a licensed HVAC contractor and did such work for near 20 years until a couple years ago when health issues made me change careers, I now work in the pro audio business.
Shoot me a PM if you have any questions and I'll do what I can to help. Good luck and be safe!

disneyjoe7

Ok I knew I should explain everything and confuse everyone. But this is how it's wired now. Breaker 240vac 20amps to relay which is doubled wired to feed another relay for a spa blower. The spa blow relay is doubled to a salt chlorinator. The first relay is for pump, the relay is for the blower.

Pump is to be replaced with an Intelliflo which is powered all the time so just to breaker, its controlled via rs485 data cable. The salt would be wire to breaker as it is now, the heater which is wired with pump side of relay to be wired directly to breaker controlled by Intellitouch and all it's safety switches.


So in the end same breaker feeding it all just removing one relay.

*Needed to call tech support to verify the devices which need to wired constant.

mesquitehead

Alrighty then, go get a split bolt splice connector (Home Depot or Lowes in electrical) and a piece of copper wire (8 or 10 guage) splice the 4 wires in one side of the split then run the new piece of wire to the breaker, tape the living sheet outta the splice and make sure it all lays nicely in the box.
Here is a link to what a split bolt looks like http://www.summitsource.com/product_info.php?ref=7&products_id=5151

Don't even bother with a wire nut, split bolts are the way to go for outdoor high current stuff and much better for longevity...wire nuts get hot and melt sometimes!

dkg999

Joe - pm me your next of kin, just in case :eek: Audio and relationship advice from CP is scary enough, but high voltage wiring with no pictures involved ............ :cool:

disneyjoe7

Ok then I have one more question...

Could I or should I have a larger guage wire feed this split bolt or should all wires be the same guage. I assume the same, but you confused me with the 8 or 10 guage wire thing.

mesquitehead

Oddly enough pool parts are the same as A/C parts, we just call those relays contactors, most are double pole with 24v coil for control circuit. PS our cost is about $10 each for those little dudes....the site below is marked up a good bit.
Look like this? http://bestbuyheatingandairconditioning.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=C1

mesquitehead

10 guage is more than enough, I said 8 just to cover my...errrr, you're tail!:eek:

Seriously, I'd get a piece of 8 just to be safe and keep everyone in there flowing easily...and keep it from getting warm.

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

Ok then I have one more question...

Could I or should I have a larger guage wire feed this split bolt or should all wires be the same guage. I assume the same, but you confused me with the 8 or 10 guage wire thing.

disneyjoe7

dkg999 wrote: »

Joe - pm me your next of kin, just in case :eek: Audio and relationship advice from CP is scary enough, but high voltage wiring with no pictures involved ............ :cool:

LOL:) No one in my next of kin love my new 2 channel music speakers. Carver Amazing speakers are loved my most Male people but not one Female love them. Next to kin won't be a be any one who I related too.

mesquitehead

If you do have relays/contactors like the ones in the link they are rated for a minimum 30 amps so I have no worries there if a 20amp breaker is/has been carrying the load.

disneyjoe7

mesquitehead wrote: »

Oddly enough pool parts are the same as A/C parts, we just call those relays contactors, most are double pole with 24v coil for control circuit. PS our cost is about $10 each for those little dudes....the site below is marked up a good bit.
Look like this? http://bestbuyheatingandairconditioning.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=C1

No it looks more like this but mine are just 4 terminals not the 8 shown for a 2 speed pump control.

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/2-speed-3hp-relay-for-intellitouch-easytouch-and-suntouch-control-systems.html


I believe they are 9vdc relays, but they can be 5vdc relays. Not sure I was going to use one of those control output for another relay, but I didn't go that way. Instead I used an original relay to switch 120vac to another 120vac relay to get a dry relay output for X10 transmitter. I use X10 for outside light controlling.

mesquitehead

See figure 2-10 (B in graphic)
http://www.tpub.com/neets/book4/12b.htm

disneyjoe7

Got it Thanks

I may get some pictures old and new who knows, when I work on it.