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GARY(OH/IN) 
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Joined: 19 May 2010
Location: Findlay,Ohio
Points: 917
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 Topic: Breaker box puzzle
Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 12:22am |
I bought a repo 1976 modular home on land a few years ago and have been using it for storage (5 AC's). Vandals (thieves) snipped all the wiring they could get at out of the breaker box before I bought it. Spliced in wire to get some circuits on the left side of the panel so some lights and outlets work to use as a shop doing lighter work. Now I want to get the electric up and running to use as a place to stay at times.
Question: How do I determine what wire goes to which breaker. Is there a meter that can be used at a outlet or a baseboard heater and check the stub at the box for current? I'll be using a couple of splice boxes above the breaker box with the push on connectors to neaten this mess up.
Any help appreciated!
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jaybmiller
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 22482
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 6:00am |
OK.. what I'd do.... 1) disconnect BOTH black and white of ONE wire from the box connections 2) short them out(twist together lightly, clip, jumper them) 3) use meter on OHMS( best with beeper mode) and test every receptacle.
eventually you'll find one that beeps or show zero ohms. THAT'S IT !
This costs you nothing... the 'pros' use a fox and hounds pair. It's a transmitter that you plug into the receptacle
and a probe that you use to locate which wire has the signal.
Whatever way you do it, WRITE IT DOWN !! Tape a copy onto the panel, store a copy in cutlery drawer, another in your shop,somewhere.......
Jay
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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bauerd44
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Wentzville, MO
Points: 350
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 8:12am |
Jay, what do you use to track down lights to find which breaker they belong to? Is there some kind of screw in tester?
Dale
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Missouri Allis-Chalmers Club
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Dave H
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Central IL
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 8:30am |
I would wire it up and let her rip.
Every time or if a breaker flips, i would then label the corresponding breaker.
I have a bunch of breakers in my box that are not labeled. 
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johnkc
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Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Location: KCMO
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 8:59am |
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Generally outlets and lights run on 15 amp breakers. Identify all the lighting and outlet circuits and put them to the 15 amp breakers, doesn’t matter which one. Then anything that needs a bigger breaker, stove for instance, gets its own big breaker maybe 50 amp.
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johnkc
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 9:00am |
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I am assuming the breaker are marked with their AMPS
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I support the development of hybrid automobiles and alternative fuels as I need DIESEL fuel for my ALLIS CHALMERS!
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thendrix
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Location: Fairmount GA
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 9:55am |
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I'd say wire one 15 amp at a time and test with a meter until you find where those wires go. If you happen to wire the stove or the washer or dryer into a 15 amp the breaker will trip and you'll know those need higher amp breakers.
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"Farming is a business that makes a Las Vegas craps table look like a regular paycheck" Ronald Reagan
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Coke-in-MN
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Afton MN
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 10:48am |
another problem is the Neutral on some of the circuits as they may have a parallel neutral (1 wire balancing 2 hots) . You can make a continuity checker using a buzzer of either low voltage and using a battery or 110 V using house current . Any splices need to be a solid connection and in a enclosure that allows access to check and maintain the protection of the wires and splice. Also a spliced wire is counted as 2 wires when figuring the content or % fill of a box or enclosure - as they are governed by the NEC guidelines
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
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TMiller/NC
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Lenoir, NC
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 11:05am |
AWG 14 wire to 15 amp breaker AWG 12 wire to 20 amp breaker
AWG 10 wire to 30 amp breaker
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jaybmiller
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Location: Greensville,Ont
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 11:10am |
re: to check a light circuit
1) disconnect the main power !!
2) turn light 'on'( check bulb first...)
3)connect ohmmeter to neutral, use other lead probe the black wires. One will go zero ohms and buzzer will sound indicating that the light. turn light switch off to confirm.
Jay
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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chaskaduo
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 1:51pm |
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Might just hire an electrician, a fire or worse yet a death could result if you get something wrong. Cannot change either after the fact, better safe than sorry.
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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Dave H
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Location: Central IL
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 1:59pm |
good info there TMiller, I forgot to mention the wire size in relation to the amp of the breaker.
Chas, No pain no gain lol. 
Edited by Dave H - 28 Dec 2018 at 2:00pm
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chaskaduo
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 2:15pm |
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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john(MI)
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 3:04pm |
Get someone to help you and use either walkies or cell phones to communicate. Otherwise you will be walking all over the place and end up forgetting where you found what. I borrowed one of the units Jay was talking about and between me and the wife it took about two hours to map out the breakers for the entire house, garage and basement. The PO had very little labelled.
Another thing I remember reading in the NEC was that lights are on 15A and receptacles are on 20A breakers . .. . supposed to be!!!
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are usually more than one receptacle or light on each breaker, and they are usually grouped in one room or nearby adjoining rooms.
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 28 Dec 2018 at 3:32pm |
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lights and receptacles are NOT supposed to be on the same breaker. That way when the table saw trips the breaker it WON'T get dark so you don't trip and 'get a nasty'!!
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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