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rstrucks
05-07-2009, 03:08 PM
Who has added 220v power to there garage? How hard was it or how much did it run you? Just curious - all I have now is my little welder and it can only do so much. The breaker box is in the basement garage already if that makes a difference.

MUDDTRACKS
05-07-2009, 04:19 PM
See if there is room to add a 220 plug off the braker. Then just get a extention cord for it. It's not that hard to do but make sure the power is off at the meter before u attempt anything in the box. If u are not 100% sure about doing it cal a pro.

goldensd
05-07-2009, 04:36 PM
Its easy stuff if the box is right there, and you either have or can make a couple poles open for it. For me, I just put in the 220 breaker, and attached the 220 plug to the wall at the side of the box, then built an extension cord to run to the plasma when needed.

I'd say it cost me about a $100, for the plug, 25' or so of wire for the cord, and the cord ends.

5.2ZJguy
05-07-2009, 10:43 PM
It also depends on the amperage you want. The laws have changed. My house was bulit awhile ago with a contactors garage so i had 220 run from my house out to the garage when i bought it. It was never hooked up or anything so all i needed to do was connect the ends of the wire. the only problem with this is its would only allow 30 amps before the breaker in the garage would fail. this is because my house only allows for 30 amps to be run out to the garage from the main panel in the basement. In order for me to bump up the garage to 50 amps i need to upgrade the house to allow 50 amps to the garage which means a new mai box in the basement allong with wiring etc. Im probably wrog on this but i think a garage is only allowed half of the total power to the house meaning if your house gets 60 the garage can only get 30 legally....i emphasize legally haha.

Pearce
05-08-2009, 10:09 AM
Buy a double pole 20 amp breaker that fits your style of breaker. Be sure you have space for a double pole breaker first. (check specs on your welder though as far as amp requirements)
Buy 50 amp outlet - this is the style plug your welder will have
Get some 10-2 wire. Thats 2 conductors and one ground.
Run one hot from each pole of the breaker to each side of the straight blades of the outlet. Then the single ground from the ground bar in the breaker panel to the ground on the outlet.
You'll have to decide if you want to run the wire out the top or bottom of your breaker panel and then through the walls. Be sure to cut the power to the house when wiring the breaker or cut the breaker main switch. Sometimes old breakers don't have a main switch though.
That should do it.

Good pictures here, only difference is you will be connecting both the black and white wires to each of the 2 pole breaker contacts and the bare wire to ground.
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/elect/panel/breaker/install.htm

ArloGuthroJeep
05-08-2009, 10:35 AM
It also depends on the amperage you want. The laws have changed. My house was bulit awhile ago with a contactors garage so i had 220 run from my house out to the garage when i bought it. It was never hooked up or anything so all i needed to do was connect the ends of the wire. the only problem with this is its would only allow 30 amps before the breaker in the garage would fail. this is because my house only allows for 30 amps to be run out to the garage from the main panel in the basement. In order for me to bump up the garage to 50 amps i need to upgrade the house to allow 50 amps to the garage which means a new mai box in the basement allong with wiring etc. Im probably wrog on this but i think a garage is only allowed half of the total power to the house meaning if your house gets 60 the garage can only get 30 legally....i emphasize legally haha.

I can't imagine a house having only 60 amps...typical out here is minimum 100 for a small house and 200 for a medium/large house. Yikes!

rstrucks
05-08-2009, 12:04 PM
Thanks fellas. I like the idea of attaching the outlet to the side of the breaker box and just using an extension cord. I don't have any walls to go through and my house is only 3 years old so hopefully it won't be too complicated. I also have a household wiring book I can reference to make sure I don't zap myself!

I'll add this to the looooong list of stuff I need to do. Too many projects not enough time and $$$:)

5.2ZJguy
05-08-2009, 04:40 PM
Yea your probably right arlo. It was at my parents house awhile ago so i dont rememeber the exact amperage at the house. I just wanted to bring to light the amperage and not just focus on voltage in a grage where a welder is being used along with compressors, saws, plasma's etc.

ZJ TINS
05-12-2009, 01:08 PM
I have a 220v heavy duty welder, needed 50 amp breaker and 6/2 with ground for code. Some guys have gone 40 amp and 8/2 for short runs but I go for safety.

My problem was I didnt look closley and turns out only the top few posts on my older home are 50 amps spaces. The bottom was all for 15-20 amp.

I suggest you look inside you box and map it out before you throw any 220V CB in there. Make sure the location you select has the capability to feed the 40-50 amps.


If your getting the lighter weight 220v machine (15% duty cycle at 100 amps or so) I would say dont waste your money. Once I am welding I can go for 30-40 minutes nonstop except to replace the sticks (then I am too hot not the welder, breaktime). Having to wait at 15% duty cycle would take forever.


Not sure of the mig currrent needs, smaller wire should take less current, I will let someone else pipe in about them.

chadjans
06-03-2009, 02:47 AM
I run my Powermig 215 off a 30 amp dryer circuit all day long. Never once have I hit the duty cycle with it or tripped a breaker.

albertazj
11-17-2009, 12:57 AM
I know this old but I would like to clarify two things. First the two pole breaker can fit into a breaker panel two ways. One way giving you 110 volts twice from the same feed and one way giving you 110 volts from two different feeds giving you 220 volts, make sure it is installed this way. Second, you should not use 2 conductor with a ground. You need 3 conductor with a ground, with the 3rd wire being your neutral and you can run a proper ground wire. Neutrals and grounds are different.

lifted-04-lj
11-17-2009, 09:19 AM
I know this old but I would like to clarify two things. First the two pole breaker can fit into a breaker panel two ways. One way giving you 110 volts twice from the same feed and one way giving you 110 volts from two different feeds giving you 220 volts, make sure it is installed this way. Second, you should not use 2 conductor with a ground. You need 3 conductor with a ground, with the 3rd wire being your neutral and you can run a proper ground wire. Neutrals and grounds are different.

Sorry but that's wrong... the poles alternate so any two side by side will give 220v.

Modern boxes will handle at least 30a breakers in every spot. Most will do more, The limit is usually the 200-300 amp rating of the service to the house not howmany breakers will fit in the box.

A 30 amp breaker will easily handle most anything that the hobbyist does in the garage. most 220v welders (I have a millermatic 251) run in the 12-30v range dc. I have never gone past 21v on my welder. 30A@220V=6600W or 330A@20v well above the rating of my production quality machine. If you're hanging it off the box a 6 or 8 ga wire will suffice. The longer the run the heavier the wire (lower gauge).

albertazj
11-17-2009, 09:14 PM
Sorry but that's wrong... the poles alternate so any two side by side will give 220v.

(lower gauge).
they alternate every second one if you use the small size breaker and why fill up twice the room

spykosshow
12-08-2009, 03:32 PM
I had an electrician buddy from work install mine a few months ago. He was in and out in honestly 15 minutes. That included running the wire to a new box he put in below the CB's.


Run the wires into the box, attach the wires to the breaker, attach the ground to the ground bar, click the breaker into place. Just don't touch the shiny metal in the middle of all the circuit breakers.