Myquestion is I have a residential tanning bed in my home and it is currentlyrunning off of a 30 amp double pole breaker/ 12-2 wire. This goes to a wallmounter timer, from there it goes to two double box outlet (4 outlets). I amupgrading to a tanning bed that only needs a 15 or 20 amp not sure which one iam purchasing yet, but I want to remove the 30 amp double and replace with one15 or 20 amp single breaker. Can I reuse the 12-2 wire as long as I don'texceed over 20 amps? Will the existing wall timer still work the same way for alower amp draw. My big question is I want to keep everything the same exceptchange out the breaker to 15 or 20 amp single and change out the outlet box toonly a single 15 or 20 amp outlet box, will this tanning bed still be able tohave the timer in place to be used??

Most of your questions will hinge on the manufacturer of your new tanning bed.

However, you cannot simply remove the 30 amp breaker and pop in 15 or 20 amp breakers.

The wiring between the panelboard and the timer will have to be removed if you want this done properly.

Just guessing but it sounds to me as if you have a 204V/30 Amp tanning bed?

If you do, then removing the breaker is a simple task, replacing the breaker with either 15 or 20 amp breakers is another story.

30 Amps require a 10 AWG cable. 20 amps require 12 AWG cable and 15 Amp uses 14 AWG cable.

Under no circumstances can you use 14 AWG cable in a 20 amp circuit unless the entire circuit is reduced to 15 amp. That is a fire waiting for the time to start!

Most of your questions will hinge on the manufacturer of your new tanning bed.

However, you cannot simply remove the 30 amp breaker and pop in 15 or 20 amp breakers.

The wiring between the panelboard and the timer will have to be removed if you want this done properly.

Just guessing but it sounds to me as if you have a 204V/30 Amp tanning bed?

If you do, then removing the breaker is a simple task, replacing the breaker with either 15 or 20 amp breakers is another story.

30 Amps require a 10 AWG cable. 20 amps require 12 AWG cable and 15 Amp uses 14 AWG cable.

Under no circumstances can you use 14 AWG cable in a 20 amp circuit unless the entire circuit is reduced to 15 amp. That is a fire waiting for the time to start!Don, your post is very confusing. Why can't he simply replace the 30 with a 20A? The 30 is already too big for the #12 wire he's got, so going to a 20A is the right thing to do.


Myquestion is I have a residential tanning bed in my home and it is currentlyrunning off of a 30 amp double pole breaker/ 12-2 wire. This goes to a wallmounter timer, from there it goes to two double box outlet (4 outlets). I amupgrading to a tanning bed that only needs a 15 or 20 amp not sure which one iam purchasing yet, but I want to remove the 30 amp double and replace with one15 or 20 amp single breaker. Can I reuse the 12-2 wire as long as I don'texceed over 20 amps? Will the existing wall timer still work the same way for alower amp draw. My big question is I want to keep everything the same exceptchange out the breaker to 15 or 20 amp single and change out the outlet box toonly a single 15 or 20 amp outlet box, will this tanning bed still be able tohave the timer in place to be used??The only way to know if you can use the timer is to get the model number off it. Some timers are voltage rated and some are not. If it is a strictly 240V timer then no, it cannot be used for a 120V circuit.

Other than that your plan is sound.

My question then is why in the world would you want to use a tanning bed?! You'd probably be better off taking up smoking.

Stan,

I knew what I wanted to say, but forgot how to say it.:)

"but I want to remove the 30 amp double and replace with one 15 or 20 amp single breaker."

My assumption was that this is a 240 V 30 A breaker. If that is true, then he cannot simply replace the double pole breaker with a single pole breaker as it would create an open socket on the panelboard. At least two breakers would be needed or a breaker and a cover to meet code. And since he made no statement about setting up a multi-wire branch-circuit the existing cable should go in part because it might have been damaged by using 12 AWG on a 30 amp circuit.

If you can believe all of the above, I have effectively conned you. :)

If you have a 12-2 wire now it has a hot and a neutral and a ground. If your new bed requires a dedicated outlet which is 20 amp you already have the wiring in place.
You will need to replace the dbl. breaker with a single, place the neutral wire on the neutral bus and wire the hot wire to the new breaker. I'm not sure what the confusion is here. You also say this circuit goes to 4 receptacles. If you truly have 12-2 you have a few problems. These outlets can't have a neutral if the 12-2 is wired as a 240v circuit. The timer, will probably not work unless it's mechanical
Can you post a picture of the tanning bed plug or is it hard wired? What you need to do is call an electrician... and not the one who wired 120v outlets to a 240 volt circuit.