Hello I was doing some remodeling in my kitchen and found a 2 pole 30amp 10-3 wire abandoned in a junction box under my kitchen island. its wired to my panel but the breaker was turned off and not labeled. I checked and it is live when the breaker is turned on. My question is can I branch out from this with smaller guage wire e.g. 12-2 or 12-3 for outlets and a sink with a disposal for my new kitchen island? I'm thinking no but not quite sure.
Electrical – branch off of a 2 pole 30 amp 10-3 wire found abandoned in a junction box
electrical
Related Solutions
You'll use a double pole 20 ampere breaker. It will have two handles that are tied together, and will say "20" on the handles.
It should look similar to this...
(source: homedepot.com)
I'm not sure why you're planning to run 10 AWG conductors, but typically 20 ampere circuits only require 12 AWG conductors.
From experience an extra wire with a different shield color might indicate it as the "Positive" wire in a circuit (or Hot). The electrician may have been planning ahead and to save time ran the extra wire. What I would do is to pick the most likely route of the yellow wire starting from the opened junction box. I believe you said there was a spa circuit included in this box; start there. I'm guessing that the yellow wire my be for the spa motor. Possibly a speed or rotational direction setting. Or an accessory that has been removed. Either way a safe accurate diagnose/ repair includes a DVM.
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Best Answer
As long as the existing cable has a grounding conductor what you propose is absolutely fine, although you must replace the breaker with the proper two-pole 20A breaker. Although not required I would definitely place a label on the wire in the panel stating it is to be used for a 20A circuit maximum.
I would place the 10/3 in a box and branch off with two 12/2's going to your new loads. This will give you the two 20A dedicated circuits you are looking for.