another Electrical question

[dj digigrow]

I'm hooking up a 240volt a/c... so from the panel I have a 40a 2pole breaker...
I know I have to use #8 for this.. now my Q is;..
can I run the #8 to a J box from the panel, then from the j box to the a/c use #10??...
the a/c only pulls 9.9amps.. I plan on running some lights 240 off of the same 40a breaker...
thanks for the help...

 

[Guest]

If the airconditioner only draws 10A you could get by with 14 wire but I'd probably use #12AWG.The only problem I know of with having power and lighting loads on the same circuit is when the power load kicks in,it often dims the lighting load

 

[cocktail frank]

you could do it, but like american says, you'll get dimmage.
when that a/c kicks on, the inrush of current will cause a lag in your voltage.
hopefully not enough of a lag that it will shut your lights off.

 

[dj digigrow]

well the way my house was wired when the central a/c kicks in the lights in the whole house dim.. really quick, if you blink you'll miss it..
brand newhouse btw...
150a panel....
25kv transformer outside..

 

[Guest]

Damn romex rangers lol..

 

[senseless]

heres an idea, you could run 8awg from the main panel to a junction box, then split the line into two 8wg with one going to a receptacle for your AC and the other line going to a grey heavy duty intermatic timer box then to outlets for your lights.

4 x 1000w lights on 240 draw about 20amps
your AC draws 9.9 amps.
thats about 30 amps all together wich is safe to run on a 40a breaker. 36amps is the highest you'd want to go with that breaker. its allways a good idea to use 10% less than what the breakers rated for.

good luck

 

[dj digigrow]

thanks....
I ended up running 12g to the a/c from the jbox.. and 8g from the panel to the jbox.. when I'm ready to put the lights up I will go out of the jbox to the timer as stated earlier by senseless propably only running 2k though....

thanks again...