House Electrical Guru`s...a question or two, ok three

[BCWolfen]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Red and black coloration is used to show 220V and if it is split to feed two 110 breakers some one has used 220 wire (or 3 strand if I am corectly assuming you have 1 copper, 1 black 1, red and 1 white wire in the bundle) now the good part, depending on what you want to do you have the capability of running 220 15 amp to that location or doing what I did and keeping the power split into 110 but running it to say 4 different GFI outlets that will trip independantly of each other. this will alow you to spread out lights, pumps, heaters so if you have a problem with 1 the rest will stay going and your tank won't die.

Steve

Almost Steve, but a bit off. You've got the right application and thoughts, but the wire is not incorrectly used 220V cable.

220V Cable has 3 wires. Red and black which is your 220V Line to line and your ground.
110V (14/2) Cable has 3 wires white & Black which is your 110V Line to neutral and your ground.

What Fudge has is definately (14/3) 110V wire on a split circuit. There are 4 wires: red, black and white and bare. Red to white makes circuit #1 @ 110V Black to white makes circuit #2 @ 110V and of course the ground wire.

This wire (along with 2 threeway switches) is also often used when you are wiring in a light that can be controlled from 2 separate switches (ie top and bottom of stairs)

Fudgeefinately use the existing wire. Red to one side of the breaker, Black to the other side, Neutral to your common neutral bar in the breaker panel. (and don't foget your ground) The benefit is you can wire 2 GFI outlets with each one carry a load from a different circuit. They will share the neutral. Another good option for extra plugs is to mount these 2 into a 4 plug box and piggyback another standard outlet off each of the GFI's. That way you have 8 plugs - 4 on each circuit and each of teh 2 standard plugs is also protected by the GFI.

hehe Just more wiring fun!!!