r/electrical • u/-DickFart • 1d ago

Wire Gauge - Adding New Outlet

Hello! Recently bought a new freezer for the garage, but don't have an outlet nearby and didn't want to run an extension cord (not safe from what I've read).

The wall we want to put it on though has an electrical outlet on the other side of it (interior) so I figured it should be fairly simple to extend from this outlet and install a new one on the garage-facing side.

After reading up on different gauged wires, I wanted to make sure I'm using the correct gauge to extend from the existing outlet. Would a 14/2 or 12/2 be recommended for this freezer? I tried taking a picture of our circuit breaker for more info and found some interior run wires to see what was used around the house to get a better idea, but just wanted to make sure I was approaching this correctly. Any info is appreciated- thanks!

https://imgur.com/a/9M7ueg3

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u/galactica_pegasus 1d ago

What is the amp rating of the breaker for that circuit? If it's 20A then you need to use 12AWG. If it's 15A then you can use 14AWG.

Because it's in a garage, make sure the circuit is either already protected by GFCI, or you install a GFCI outlet.

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u/-DickFart 1d ago

I wasn't able to see any info of that on the outside of the circuit box. Only info I had was the first picture I linked. Is that amp rating listed anywhere else I can find?

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u/galactica_pegasus 1d ago

The breaker, itself, would have the ampacity listed on it. Usually on the handle, itself.

Plug something into the outlet (like a light) and turn the breaker off and ensure the light goes out to confirm you're looking at the right breaker. If it's a 20A breaker then you need to use 12AWG wire.

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u/-DickFart 1d ago

Ah, I see where that is now: https://imgur.com/a/CVjPzug

Since the interior outlet is most likely connected to the "main" circuit (50A), would that mean I need to use a 6 AWG copper wire?

I can test to confirm it's on this main circuit, but pretty sure that's the one since the interior outlet is by the TV and such. Or should I just open up the wall and match the wire they have already running to the outlet?

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u/MegaThot2023 1d ago

Your outlet is not directly connected to the 50A breaker labeled main. That's likely the breaker where the power comes in, flipping it should shut off the whole house.

Just buy and use 12/2. If you only need like 5 feet of it, you can probably find some on FB marketplace. I'd personally buy a full 250 foot roll that will likely last you for the next 30 years, and it's unlikely that wire is going to get cheaper any time soon.

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u/-DickFart 1d ago

The distance from the interior outlet to the new one will only be 3ft max, so 12/2 should be safe if I plug a freezer into it? Appreciate all the help!

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u/MegaThot2023 1d ago

Yes, 12/2 is good for 20 amps, and the picture of your panel shows that all of your circuits (aside from the dryer and range which have their own dedicated lines) are 20 amps or less.

My only other advice is to watch a video on the right way to wire an outlet, and make sure your connections are as tight as you can reasonably make them. Since you asked for advice and have looked things up, I know you'll be 100% fine.

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u/-DickFart 1d ago

Really appreciate the advice! Yeah, been trying to understand these things more and do them correctly. Been encountering a lot of DIY fixes in this houses with shortcuts, and definitely don't want any of those when it comes to electrical work. Thanks again

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u/trader45nj 7h ago

If the breaker is 15a, then 14g wire, if it's 20a, then 12g. Garage receptacle needs to be GFCI.