How to wire outdoor electrical outlet using old hot tub connection?

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kyleh

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Hello,

I would like to wire an electrical outlet outside for a fountain and also run the wire to a shed using an old hot tub connection. The wiring from the breaker to outside appears to be 6-3 wire. On the breaker it says 50, so i am assuming its a 240v 50amp connection from the old hot tub. Is it possible to use this existing connection?
 

Reach4

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I would think so. I would put in a sub panel in the shed. Not a pro.
 

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How would I tie in an outdoor receptacle to that thick 6 gauge wire? Is it okay to power a 120v receptacle with the 240v wire?
 

Reach4

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Tell us about your 6-3 wire. In particular, what color is the third wire. Is there an additional 4th wire? I figure you are thinking that if there were 4 wires, you would have said so. But that is not always the case. Regarding what you can do, some things are permitted or not based on local conditions. In some places, no protective/machine ground is require to run between the sub-panel in an outbuilding and the main panel.

I think you did not understand the sub-panel bit. Are you looking to put a just single 120 volt 20-amp circuit out to the shed which would also power your 120 volt 300 watt fountain pump?
 

kyleh

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I attached an image of the wire. Its black/red/white with a ground wire, there is also another green wire wrapped around it on the outside. Right now I mainly would like to install a receptacle beside the fountain to power it and other things if need be. This area is between the house and the shed. I was not planning to run power to the shed just yet because of the work involved, but I have already installed a sub panel. new size.jpg
 
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Reach4

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I was thinking of a small sub-panel in the shed fed with the 50 amp feed and neutral and ground. I would add a ground stake too. Then break off two 120 VAC circuits.

Too much work? Are you looking to put a just single 120 volt 20-amp circuit out to the shed which would also power your 120 volt 300 watt fountain pump?
 
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I attached an image of the wire. Its black/red/white with a ground wire, there is also another green wire wrapped around it on the outside. Right now I mainly would like to install a receptacle beside the fountain to power it and other things if need be. This area is between the house and the shed. I was not planning to run power to the shed just yet because of the work involved, but I have already installed a sub panel. View attachment 25028

This wire should be sufficient for all your needs. There may be a local requirement regarding the wire. Possibly UF is not permitted over 20 amps, certainly it must be buried 18 or 24", so that may color your decisions.

If you want to keep it simple for now: Pull out the two pole 50 amp breaker, save it for later. Replace it with a single pole 20 amp breaker. A GFI breaker would not go amiss. Decide to use either the red or black for the circuit, and put a nut on the other one. Don't cut it unless there is plenty of it in the panel.

Bring this cable up along some solid support to a weather proof box. The box to be a bit on the large side. A 4x4 weatherproof box with 3/4" openings will permit you to put a large cable clamp on that cable. You can extend the 6 ga with short lengths of 12 ga, and wire them to an outlet.

If you used a conventional outlet at the panel, use a GFI outlet.

Either way, use an "in use" cover on the box.

If there is a wall that you can mount on this on, good.

Use a piece of 2x6 pressure treated secured to the wall to carry the cable up the wall to the box, mount the box on the PT, and secure the cable near the bottom and near the box.

There may be a height requirement for the outlet. 24" should do it.

You could do all this on the cheap and wait to extend this cable to the new panel in the shed later.

I could also imagine an inspector insisting that the UF not be exposed above ground. In which case, some 3/4" plastic conduit (actually, that stuff may not fit into 3/4", you may be forced to go to 1") screwed into the bottom of the box and extending below the dirt by say 12" (or if the cable really IS buried deep, go all the way to it) would be good practice. Little to no chance that a stray tool could cut your cable.

But all that is much less of a worry if you have a gfi breaker.
 
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