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[Jonathan Johnson]

On a home improvement forum, I ran across this thread:

https://advice.thisoldhouse.com/showthread.php?129059-Convert-a-dedicated-50-Amp-GFCI-Breaker-to-an-outlet-for-a-wedding!

Hello, I have a dedicated 50 Amp GFCI Breaker for my hot tub outside. It's fantastic and everything I need for the hot tub.

The problem is, I am hosting a wedding for 150 people in my backyard, in August, and I need all the electrical power I can get. My thought is... the DJ uses a tremendous amount of power... and if I could switch this breaker over to usable power for my DJ (and some exterior lighting), this would greatly free up some of the other power in the home for additional items, such as the caterer, air conditioning, etc.

I would appreciate it if you would consider answering this practical question. It's a problem I'm sure other homeowners have been faced with, with seldom anyone actually taking on the task.

Thank you very much
Mark

My response is the one named "Fencepost". What do you guys say?

(The guy deserves kudos for actually trying to get proper power ahead of time!)

[Mike Sokol]

On a home improvement forum, I ran across this thread:

https://advice.thisoldhouse.com/showthread.php?129059-Convert-a-dedicated-50-Amp-GFCI-Breaker-to-an-outlet-for-a-wedding!

Basically, the homeowner is asking about temporarily converting a 50A GFCI hot tub panel to supply power for the DJ at a wedding.

My response is the one named "Fencepost". What do you guys say?

(The guy deserves kudos for actually trying to get proper power ahead of time!)

I would check to see if the hot tube was wired with 2-hots, a neutral and a ground. If so, then install an outside rated 14-50 RV pedestal (stove plug). Tell the DJ he needs to find and bring a stove-plug 50-amp distro.

The hot tub "should" already have a 50-amp GFCI breaker installed, so the electrician should swap it out for a non-GFCI breaker for this hookup. If there's no GFCI installed, then the electrician should (and is probably required to) bring this up to code when he reconnects the hot-tub power. To be really safe for the wedding they should provide a few contractor GFCI extension cords.

[Jonathan Johnson]

The hot tub "should" already have a 50-amp GFCI breaker installed, so the electrician should swap it out for a non-GFCI breaker for this hookup. If there's no GFCI installed, then the electrician should (and is probably required to) bring this up to code when he reconnects the hot-tub power. To be really safe for the wedding they should provide a few contractor GFCI extension cords.

I edited my original post above to quote the post from the other forum. The present breaker is a 50A GFCI, which I advised may not be suitable due to cumulative losses, but GFCI is still needed (in distributed form).

[Stephen Swaffer]

I agree with Mike-if a neutral is present.

One hesitation on my part is that "temporary" hookups tend to take shortcuts-stuff like boxes pigtailed out of without proper closure, etc.  (Especially by non-electricians that don't know the easy/inexpensive ways to do it right).  Something like that in the proximity of a hot tub is a really bad combination.

[Dave Garoutte]

Use your Real Name.

Make a new thread.

This sounds more like a home improvement issue than a PA power issue.  Therefore, basement.

[Craig Hauber]

On a home improvement forum, I ran across this thread:

https://advice.thisoldhouse.com/showthread.php?129059-Convert-a-dedicated-50-Amp-GFCI-Breaker-to-an-outlet-for-a-wedding!
My response is the one named "Fencepost". What do you guys say?

(The guy deserves kudos for actually trying to get proper power ahead of time!)

The reason we force backyard DJ's onto a single outlet is that if they get too carried away it trips and saves all us neighbors from the torture of the Macarena at 1am!

[ProSoundWeb Community]