Is it safe to connect a wire to the wire of a high power-drawing device?

Thread Starter

jonlim

Joined Mar 18, 2019
33
This maybe off topic but i'm posting anyway... I have a 1.6 mm, 600v flexible wire connected to a hot shower. I wish to tap a thinner wire into it, probably just open it but not cutting, and solder the thin wire, to be used as a power outlet for a washing machine and exhaust fan.

Is it safe to do that? Can i just cover the soldered parts with electrical tape? Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks in advance
 

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kennybobby

Joined Mar 22, 2019
75
That looks like a romex-type cable, likely containing 2 insulated solid wire conductors and a bare ground wire.

The proper way is to run a new cable from the breaker box to an outlet box and outlet near the washing machine.

Electrical code does not allow cutting into a cable to solder a wire such as you describe. It also prescribes that any junctions or breaks in a wire run must be done inside of a protected enclosure such as a junction box, plastic or metal.

The hot shower likely has a large current draw and should be on its own breaker.
 

Thread Starter

jonlim

Joined Mar 18, 2019
33
That looks like a romex-type cable, likely containing 2 insulated solid wire conductors and a bare ground wire.

The proper way is to run a new cable from the breaker box to an outlet box and outlet near the washing machine.

Electrical code does not allow cutting into a cable to solder a wire such as you describe. It also prescribes that any junctions or breaks in a wire run must be done inside of a protected enclosure such as a junction box, plastic or metal.

The hot shower likely has a large current draw and should be on its own breaker.
Thanks a lot!
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
The proper way is to run a new cable from the breaker box to an outlet box and outlet near the washing machine.
Or disconnect the wire to the shower and put it into a junction box, then wire the new outlet and connect a new wire of the same gauge to the outlet and run it to the shower. Outlets are run in parallel all of the time, and a circuit breaker or fuse only protects the wiring not the device.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,495
Agree with posts above. Put in a proper junction box and outlet. Where I live I'm pretty sure any such junction box needs to be at least 8 feet from a tub or shower, for safety.

But find out first what might already be on that circuit. Add up the total "worst case" load that your intended devices demand. You may find that you're setting up a nuisance situation that will trip the breaker (or blow a fuse) every time that worst-case scenario happens. It will cluster when you're standing nude and wet in the shower.
 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,140
Read the spec. plate on your water heater. My heaters take about 20 amps each. You will probably be working with a similar current if using 220 VAC and should use a screw terminal strip rated at the necessary current plus some margin if you really want to do it. Be careful or maybe look for a different source of power.
 

Thread Starter

jonlim

Joined Mar 18, 2019
33
Or disconnect the wire to the shower and put it into a junction box, then wire the new outlet and connect a new wire of the same gauge to the outlet and run it to the shower. Outlets are run in parallel all of the time, and a circuit breaker or fuse only protects the wiring not the device.
Thanks!
 

Thread Starter

jonlim

Joined Mar 18, 2019
33
Agree with posts above. Put in a proper junction box and outlet. Where I live I'm pretty sure any such junction box needs to be at least 8 feet from a tub or shower, for safety.

But find out first what might already be on that circuit. Add up the total "worst case" load that your intended devices demand. You may find that you're setting up a nuisance situation that will trip the breaker (or blow a fuse) every time that worst-case scenario happens. It will cluster when you're standing nude and wet in the shower.
Thanks!
 

Thread Starter

jonlim

Joined Mar 18, 2019
33
Read the spec. plate on your water heater. My heaters take about 20 amps each. You will probably be working with a similar current if using 220 VAC and should use a screw terminal strip rated at the necessary current plus some margin if you really want to do it. Be careful or maybe look for a different source of power.
Thanks!
 
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