> The issue I've had with this kinda thing is how to splice the (thick)
> wires together to be able to put a bunch of 220vac outlets in series.
>
> Love to get any feedback on proper methods for this.
For splicing really thick wires, use Burndy split-bolts. The usual home
centers carry these, or of course any real electrical supply. It's a bronze
bolt, split down the threaded end, with a mating nut that has a clamp piece
attached that rides in the slot and properly compresses the wires together.
Tighten with a couple of wrenches and tape well and you have a far superior
joint to what you can do with wire nuts.
> Also, if you size the breaker big enough for two loads, remember that the
> outlets all need to be rated for that higher amperage as well, which
> almost certainly means redoing plugs, etc.
Not really. For instance, you can have 15-amp receptacles on a 20-amp
circuit, but you can't have 20-amp receptacles on a 15-amp circuit. The
breaker primarily serves to protect the circuit TO the receptacle. The
receptacle limits the type of appliance that can be plugged into the
circuit. You physically can't put a 20-amp plug into a 15-amp receptacle
and overload that 15-amp circuit, but you can plug a 10-amp appliance with a
16-gauge cord into a 15-amp receptacle.
Any necessary overload protection in an appliance should be built into the
appliance. That's why motors have thermal overloads, for instance.
Breakers protect against too many amps being drawn on a circuit and against
shorts (which momentarily draw LOTS of amps).
Karl
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