Gfci outlet in garage

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

Hello, I am new to this forum and a new home owner. Thank you for this service!

I have electrical service in my garage but no outlet is connected to this box.
I opened up the box and there is three thick stranded wires. 1 RED, 1 WHITE, and 1 YELLOW, I think they are 10 gauge. The wires are too thick to connect to the outlet. My solution is to pigtail 14 gauge stranded wire to them using the Hot side to the Red and Neutral Side to the White using the line connections of GFCI. The Yellow Cable I left with a nut on it and is not being used. My circuit breaker for this line is at 15 amps. Is this safe or should I use thicker wires to pigtail? Thank you for your help!

2

Hello sir,
As much as we would like to help, this is not a DIY forum.
There are plenty of DIY forums out there, with lots of helpful folks eager to lend a hand or an advice.
Helping DIY’ers with an advice on a NACHI board is a matter of liability for the latter, and even though I’m not a member, I still have to abide by those rules.

3

A quick answer to you question is, NO. 14 gauge wire is for a 15 amp circuit only and that 10 gauge wire is likely connected to a 30 amp breaker. You current plan is a potential fire hazard. Please call an electrician.

4

Thank you for the response. The breaker on the box is rated at 15 amps for this line.

5

Find the breaker . It may be 240 .

6

Are you sure that 3 wire 10 guage is connected to one 15 amp breaker?

7

Ok, if its 240. Is this safe?

8

It must be 240

9

Sounds to me like it is a newer home and this could be pre wired for a charger for an electric car.
Please follow the advice above and get an electrician to help you get a proper plug

10

Thank you, I will take that advice. Getting in an electrician right away!

11

Thanks for answering Glad to see you took our advice … All the best… Roy C

12

Just to satisfy our curiosity could you post a photo? The yellow conductor is somewhat unusual.

13

It sound like sound system wiring to me.
Red,White…Yellow! Yep !

14

Thank you all for your help. I found out that the wires are in a Conduit system and is grounded that way. I took off the 14 gauge pigtail and connected the 10 gauge stranded wire into a 10-12 gauge Grainger fork terminal connector and wired it to the outlet. I followed the wires and they are connected in a sealed electrical service box that connects them to 12 gauge wires before they go into the panel. These 12 gauge wires are about 5 feet long before entering the panel.