30 AMP home wiring Question
The previous owners of our home installed a 8/3 wire from the breaker box to the garage. I assume they intended to install a welder or something, but never did. The wire terminates in the breaker bo...
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I have worked both as a residential electrician and as a home inspector for real estate agents/sellers/buyers. Real Estate Home Inspections cannot stop a sale and I have never had a municipal electrical inspection stop a sale. I think that may have happened but I don't think it is very common or likely.
Not knowing if the wiring was done with romex or some form of tubing or conduit makes it hard to say, "just pull an additional bare copper wire and problem solved". If the wiring is in conduit or tubing that is the best all around solution of getting a ground. Installing a separate ground rod is another good solution.
If the wiring is romex, I would just do as several have suggested, using a green colored covering on the red or black wire and hook up the outlet in a normal manner. When I run into this situation, and it happens often, I use green shrink tube to cover the entire length the wire from the entrance into the service panel or the outlet box to the breaker or outlet. Using the Red and Black may signify that it is a DC circuit.
Using three wire romex without a ground is very common from a ceiling fixture or outlet that is controlled by a switch. Switch boxes are not required to be grounded. In fact 15 amp switches are seldom grounded. Wet locations are an exception. Most residential wiring in tract homes use plastic boxes almost exclusively. Try and ground through plastic.
Something that has not been mentioned is that it is against code to install wire from a service panel to another location and not have them hooked to a breaker and a light, outlet or other electrical devise.
You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the circuit so go ahead and wire it up if you do. Heck, if you're sure you know what you're doing get a permit and have the work inspected.
Not knowing if the wiring was done with romex or some form of tubing or conduit makes it hard to say, "just pull an additional bare copper wire and problem solved". If the wiring is in conduit or tubing that is the best all around solution of getting a ground. Installing a separate ground rod is another good solution.
If the wiring is romex, I would just do as several have suggested, using a green colored covering on the red or black wire and hook up the outlet in a normal manner. When I run into this situation, and it happens often, I use green shrink tube to cover the entire length the wire from the entrance into the service panel or the outlet box to the breaker or outlet. Using the Red and Black may signify that it is a DC circuit.
Using three wire romex without a ground is very common from a ceiling fixture or outlet that is controlled by a switch. Switch boxes are not required to be grounded. In fact 15 amp switches are seldom grounded. Wet locations are an exception. Most residential wiring in tract homes use plastic boxes almost exclusively. Try and ground through plastic.
Something that has not been mentioned is that it is against code to install wire from a service panel to another location and not have them hooked to a breaker and a light, outlet or other electrical devise.
You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the circuit so go ahead and wire it up if you do. Heck, if you're sure you know what you're doing get a permit and have the work inspected.
