# Undersized wire discovery.



## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

RodDriver said:


> Customer wants a 14-50 outlet for his EV moved to the side of the house from the garage. In planning the job, I found the required #6 coming from the panel. Then, I discover it drops to a #8 (Romex). I'm guessing the existing pipe to the garage wouldn't fit a #6. Or, the guy had some #8 on hand. Anyway, so we have 6 dropping to 8 and going around 100' in an overstuffed pipe. The kicker - 65A breakers. Guy was allegedly an electrician who worked in one of our auto plants. My guess is he wasn't. Told customer he is lucky his house is still standing.


how would a house spontaneously fall over due to this?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Earthquake?


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

five.five-six said:


> Earthquake?


oh so thats how those things are caused.....not by plates shifting...who knew!? lol


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Majewski said:


> oh so thats how those things are caused.....not by plates shifting...who knew!? lol


I think that if the wire catches fire, the house will fall over and cause an earthquake.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

five.five-six said:


> I think that if the wire catches fire, the house will fall over and cause an earthquake.


probably yeah....sure, idk...totes


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I've never seen 65 amp breaker. 

In the IEC world, 63 is a standard size but I've never seen a 65. What brand is it?


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

micromind said:


> I've never seen 65 amp breaker.
> 
> In the IEC world, 63 is a standard size but I've never seen a 65. What brand is it?


Clearly he used 60 - 5 amp breakers


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Southeast Power said:


> Clearly he used 60 - 5 amp breakers


Fo sho


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Maybe he used Canadian Romex ... It's fine for 50A here 😘

65A breaker to allow for inrush to charge the cable.


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## 205490 (Jun 23, 2020)

Majewski said:


> how would a house spontaneously fall over due to this?


Now you're just being coy


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## 205490 (Jun 23, 2020)

Charger space heater combo?


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## Slay301 (Apr 23, 2018)

Replace it or walk away


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

Did you fix it?


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

He probably didn't get the job after the HO saw how much it'll cost to do it right.


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

Bunch of comedians. Yes it was a 60. Two of them. The wire ran through a crawl space under the house. Perfect place for a fire.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

RodDriver said:


> Bunch of comedians. Yes it was a 60. Two of them. The wire ran through a crawl space under the house. Perfect place for a fire.


better call the news papers.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

RodDriver said:


> Bunch of comedians. Yes it was a 60. Two of them. The wire ran through a crawl space under the house. Perfect place for a fire.


60A ocpd on copper that can carry 80A? Yeah no fire will ever happen. But is it code? No. But wgaf?


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

#8 Romex overstuffed in PVC can carry 80A safely?


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

RodDriver said:


> #8 Romex overstuffed in PVC can carry 80A safely?


Are you an apprentice?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

RodDriver said:


> Bunch of comedians. Yes it was a 60. Two of them. The wire ran through a crawl space under the house. Perfect place for a fire.


This place isn’t MH, it ET and it can be brutal!


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

RodDriver said:


> #8 Romex overstuffed in PVC can carry 80A safely?


The wire in romax is most times THHN of some rating. It is rated for 80 amps but is de-rated due to cable jacket. 
Even though it will break down eventually if run at full load, I have never seen it overheat enough to cause a fire.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Tesla S or X charger can pull 40 amps and the guy has plenty of money so change the wire. If hes got a model 3 its only going to pull 32 amps so change the breaker to a 40 and call it good.


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

gpop said:


> Tesla S or X charger can pull 40 amps and the guy has plenty of money so change the wire. If hes got a model 3 its only going to pull 32 amps so change the breaker to a 40 and call it good.


Exactly, just because it’s a 50 amp outlet doesn’t mean it gets a 50 amp breaker. There is no 40 amp outlets, throw a 50 outlet on a 40 breaker and it’s good.

The 32 amps isn’t by mistake either, it’s 80 percent of the 40 amps so even at 125% the #8 Romex should be good.


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

Majewski said:


> Are you an apprentice?


You clearly don't know how to size wire.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

RodDriver said:


> You clearly don't know how to size wire.


Lol


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

Tesla requires #6 copper as per the instructions. You are using the 60C column. The long range battery draws 40A. A 240V appliance the next homeowner might plug in could draw more. Point is the breaker is too big for the wire. Not a controversial subject.


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

The 60 amp breaker might be big, but a 40 would be fine with the wire, the house won’t fall over.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

yankeejoe1141 said:


> The 60 amp breaker might be big, but a 40 would be fine with the wire, the house won’t fall over.


Nah man, entire developments are toppling over by the minute!


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

[


Majewski said:


> Nah man, entire developments are toppling over by the minute!


Don’t go looking after I wire a vehicle charger then! Lol


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

yankeejoe1141 said:


> [
> 
> Don’t go looking after I wire a vehicle charger then! Lol


How bout those 50a acs i wired with 12/2


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

Majewski said:


> How bout those 50a acs i wired with 12/2


All those houses must have fallen over long ago, lol.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

yankeejoe1141 said:


> All those houses must have fallen over long ago, lol.


I sell the reclaimed wood


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## poncho144 (Apr 7, 2018)

think it'll git rather warm but prob no combustion but it be just plain ignorance to do dat ****. Could cause Earths poles to shift also...


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