switch wiring question

[jay80424]

Hello there.

I have a question about switch wiring.

I added a heat tape for a pipe that freezez in winter, and want it on a switched outlet. I also think it should be on a GFI.

So I am going to pull power off another outlet, on a standard breaker, and wire a GFI outlet in with a switch with a pilot light. I don't have the instructions for the switch.

On the switch, there are three bronze screws and one silver.
Two of the bronze screws are labled "+Line"

I'm a little confused on what to do with those.

I believe what I want to do is tie all the neutrals together, run hot to the brass screw on the same side of the neutral of the switch, and send a switched hot (+Line I am guessing) to the brass screw on the GFI.

But then I have a +Line left over.

I don't have a meter handy.

Does this sound right?

Thanks

 

[SG-1]

Without more information on the switch I can only say that if the pilot light is intergral to the switch it will need an ungrounded conductor and a grounded conductor to operate the lamp.

I do see another issue with this purposed installation. I have experienced with some GFI receptacles that energizing them can cause a false trip. They do not trip every time, just sometimes when energized.

I assume the switch will be located remote from the GFI receptacle for convenience. The switch is "ON" and the light is "ON" and the heat tape is "OFF" because the GFI tripped...the pipe freezes.

If the GFI is located in the panelboard and trips, the pilot light will go off when the power to the heat tape is off.

Steve

 

[wireguru]

I thought heat tape needs 30ma GFEP, and will constantly trip a GFI.

 

[SG-1]

My heat tapes are all two wire. Appears to be nothing more than a long streached out wire wound resistor.

Please define GFEP for me.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[gar]

090830-1227 EST

jay80424:

Be innovative to figure out your switch. Get a lamp socket, a small bulb (maybe 25 W), and some wire. With these components, a power source, and your switch you can figure out the internal wiring of the switch.

.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I thought heat tape needs 30ma GFEP, and will constantly trip a GFI.

Unless you have a long length of heat tape, the leakage current will not trip a GFCI. In fact the supplied instructions with many plug in heat tapes specify the use of GFCI protection.

 

[Rockyd]

Please define GFEP for me.

Ground Fault Electrical Protection

GRCI trips at 4 to 6 milliamps, safe for people. Class A ground fault protection

GFEP trips at 30 milliamps, safe for equipment. Class B ground fault protection

Commercial and industrial heat tape systems, have a far different application than the residential sector.

Wait till you do some installs where testing heat tape is zapping the heat trace with 5000 VDC to insure product performance!

 

[480sparky]

Ground Fault Electrical Protection......

Equipment, not Electrical.

 

[Rockyd]

That's what I get for not having my code book here... Think "Charlie's Rule" is in full play.

After having installed thousands of feet, you'd think I would remember all the heat trace rules -

Memory is the first thing to go, can't remember what goes next

 

[SG-1]

Thank you, Rockyd & 480sparky.

I get to zap MV Switchgear with up to 80KV 60HZ to test perfomance.

Steve