I have a box at outside back of my house that was originally installed in case a hot tub was ever put out there. The box has a large white wire a large black wire and a ground wire going to it then a place for two RK5 fuses they come from main junction box with a 50 AMP breaker switch.Do I simply replace the 50 breaker with a 20 amp then run a black and white from the fuses to a 20 outlet. This seems right to me but just to be sure I am asking the experts... I need 20 AMP outlet for trailer that I park by my house. Would it be the same thing if I want to go to 30 AMP. i.e.. Just use a 30 AMP breaker and outlet??

Since the wire sounds like it can handle 50 Amps, and if you need 20 instead, You could change the Receptacle and the Breaker to 20 Amps. Verify all connections.
Probaby need to wirenut a couple of #12 Pigtails at Both ends(panel and recepticle).

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Originally Posted by Stratmando

Since the wire sounds like it can handle 50 Amps, and if you need 20 instead, You could change the Recepticle and the Breaker to 20 Amps. Verify all connections.
Probaby need to wirenut a couple of #12 Pigtails at Both ends(panel and recepticle).

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Help! I still need clarification. I have decided to go with a 30 amp receptacle. There are now two 50 amp breakers, one has a black wire that runs back to a fuse box where the receptacle will be. The other has a white wire that runs to another fuse in the same box, along with a ground wire. So just to make sure I don't burn the house down, do I replace both 50 amp breakers with 30 amp ones and then wire a 30 amp receptacle with the black wire, white wire and ground. Seems to me that both wires are carrying 110 and not a common or nuetral. As you can tell I am totally confused.

You can have 30 Amp Breaker at the first box or second box, It will need to be GFI Protected.
On 20 Amp Circuit breakers, use #12 or Larger.
On 30 Amp Circuit Breakers, use # 10 or larger.
On 40 Amp Circuit Breakers, use # 8 or larger.
On 50 Amp Circuit Breakers, use # 6 or Larger.
The 20 amp receptacle needs to be on a 20 amp breaker, provided you have #12 or larger.

This sounds like it was set up to be 50 amp 220 volts for a hot tub with electric heater. You need to verify what you have before we can tell you that it is safe. Turn your breaker on and test both black and white. If they each show 110 (black to grd= 110 and white/grd= 110)then you have a 220 receptacle. If so you can move your white within the panel and turn it into a neutral. Strat and Tkrussell can be more helpful from here on.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

This sounds like it was set up to be 50 amp 220 volts for a hot tub with electric heater. You need to verify what you have before we can tell you that it is safe. Turn your breaker on and test both black and white. If they each show 110 (black to grd= 110 and white/grd= 110)then you have a 220 recepticle. If so you can move your white within the panel and turn it into a neutral. Strat and Tkrussell can be more helpful from here on.

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All right, I do have both the white#6 and black #6 coming from what I believe is called a double pole 50 amp breaker, that is a wide breaker with both levers connected together, and both the white and black show 110 volts just as Ballengerb1 said.
So now how do I do this so as to be able to change it to just a simple 30 amp outlet? Do I replace the 50 amp double throw with a single pole 30 amp breaker and then connect the one #6 black to it. Then connect the #6 White with the other neutral wires in the panel, then just connect all three (black,white & ground to a new 30 amp outlet?
Thanks to all for bearing with me while I figure this out, I think I just about have it, RIGHT?

You have it correct in your last three sentences. Don't clip strands to get into breaker, pigtail #10's. Is this a 30 Amp twist lock? Do you have GFI? May be built in?
The ground at receptacle must also be connect to box ground.

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Originally Posted by Stratmando

Don't clip strands to get into breaker, pigtail #10's. Is this a 30 Amp twist lock? Do you have GFI? May be built in?
The ground at recepticle must also be connect to box ground.

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1. I don't understand the "don't clip strands to get into breaker" comment?
2. This will be a straight 30 amp RV type plug
3. Have not bought the breaker or 30 amp receptical yet, should the breaker be a GFI. Other breakers in box are GE brand. All breakers in my travel trailer are GFI.
4. basic ?---How do I remove breakers from my box.?

1) #6 may not fit in breaker or receptacle, don't clip any strands of wire to fit, Pigtail
Short piece of #10.
2)4 Wire?
3)This will need its own GFI, How many wires on unit?
4)When you turn breaker off, continue that off pressure and pivot the breaker out.
Have breaker off, maintain control of hands so not to touch live circuit.
If you go near a Home Depot or something like that. Try on an unenergized panel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stratmando

1) #6 may not fit in breaker or recepticle, don't clip any strands of wire to fit, Pigtail
short piece of #10.
2)4 Wire?
3)This will need its own GFI, How many wires on unit?
4)When you turn breaker off, continue that off pressure and pivot the breaker out.
Have breaker off, mantain control of hands so not to touch live circuit.
If you go near a Home Depot or something like that. Try on an unenergized panel.

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1. Thank you I understand!
2. 3 wire from new breaker 1black, 1white common, one ground
3. " this will need it's own GFI" breaker or outlet?" " how many wires on unit" what unit?
4. going to HOME DEPOT NOW!

If it were me, I would use a GFCI breaker instead of receptacle. That way your feeds are monitored too... not just the load plugged into the receptacle. Especially since you need to buy a breaker anyway. You also will more than likely need to buy a blank to fill the empty slot you will now have in your panel faceplate.