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Nordic1
01-28-2005, 06:50 AM
Anybody know of any good howto guides for wiring 220v?

OverkillZJ
01-28-2005, 10:13 AM
I do.

But if you have to ask, you shouldn't get near it.

Just telling it like it is.

Nordic1
01-28-2005, 11:13 AM
yea I know and that's why I'm looking for a little info and stuff on how to go about getting 220 installed. I won’t be considering the 220 install for a little while (after GSSW) but I was shooting to learn quite a bit more about it before then. Worst case scenario if I don’t feel comfortable about installing it, I’ll hire an electrician.

OverkillZJ
01-28-2005, 11:34 AM
In all honesty, it's really not hard at all to to it right (up to code.)

It's just a matter of if you mess up - it's not like 120 where it pops and the breaker goes out. You can wire 220 so wrong that the breaker won't trip but the whole wire acts as one nice, big, hot fuse :lol:

I'll be doing my 220 install in the next 2 weeks, I'll take pics and do a lil' writeup, but no way I'm getting it done before then!

Nordic1
01-28-2005, 12:09 PM
In all honesty, it's really not hard at all to to it right (up to code.)


Thats what I figured... its 3 lines coming from either the main breaker or the breaker box, to the 220 plug... lol thats about it in a nutshell

OverkillZJ
01-28-2005, 12:46 PM
In all honesty, it's really not hard at all to to it right (up to code.)


Thats what I figured... its 3 lines coming from either the main breaker or the breaker box, to the 220 plug... lol thats about it in a nutshell

4 wires, CA code (PA too) requires that you run 4 conducter, 2 hot, one neutral, and a ground. By the old code, the neutral acted as the ground, but the problem with that is that using a metal box, if a hot were to hit the metal box the plug is installed in, the box is NOT grounded, and you WOULD be the path of least resistance for the electricity to follow (read: human light bulb.)

I'm running 6 gauge 4 conductor to my gargage and tent (yes, totally overkill) but I'm running the 220 heater off of that line as well as the welder.

I can't wait to see my electric bill...

Nordic1
01-28-2005, 01:18 PM
In all
I'm running 6 gauge 4 conductor to my tent


hahahaha even though I read project phoenix, I still find that funny

nate
01-30-2005, 05:56 PM
It's 240 damnit. Take a multimeter to your breaker box and tell me what it reads. It will be around 120 on each leg, 240 on both.

LouisianaZJ
01-30-2005, 07:46 PM
i think you could save alot of loot and run the wiring yourself (time consuming) and just pay the electrician to wire the boxes and the breaker

that is if you know an electrician cause i dont think most would do the work if you ran the wires

OverkillZJ
01-30-2005, 08:59 PM
It's 240 damnit. Take a multimeter to your breaker box and tell me what it reads. It will be around 120 on each leg, 240 on both.

Actually, no. Depends on a whole lot of factors. Anywhere from 110-120 a pole is common.

Jim311
01-31-2005, 08:32 AM
How much would it cost to have 220 wired roughly if you paid an electrician to do it for you?

Nordic1
01-31-2005, 11:00 AM
How much would it cost to have 220 wired roughly if you paid an electrician to do it for you?

No idea... my GF's uncle owns a local construction company and he said he would be more than happy to send his electrician over for a quote. I described the job and he said it would prob be like in the 500 range. 500 is a new ARB, more tools or hell part of next semester's tuition payment so if it's going to be that expensive, I'd rather do it myself.

Jim311
01-31-2005, 11:56 AM
500 bucks? Shit.. that's about what I was planning on spending on a new compressor. For 500 bucks I'll run a damn extension cord to my dryer outlet.

Tommy
01-31-2005, 06:07 PM
$500 is too high. I would say around $180.00 parts and labor. You have to know somebody who is a electrician. I paid my buddy $180.. parts and labor, + a few beers.

nate
01-31-2005, 11:42 PM
The wiring and sockets aren't exactly cheap. That 6-4 wire Matt is talking about is probably close to $2 a foot.

OverkillZJ
02-01-2005, 12:09 AM
The wiring and sockets aren't exactly cheap. That 6-4 wire Matt is talking about is probably close to $2 a foot.

Yup, and I'm taking it a good 70 feet (40 to garage, 30 further to tent out back. I found it for a pretty good price at Home Depot though, some contractor ordered 100 feet and never picked it up, I got it at a discount.

Plus breaker + boxes + plugs.

Add in the labor of a GOOD electrician (I cannot stress how much you shouldn't skimp here) - and it is a small investment.

Get it done right, even if you're doing it yourself.

Jim311
02-01-2005, 02:52 AM
My breaker box is in my garage. I can't imagine having to run more than 10 feet of wire from the breaker box to an outlet in my garage. Plus the laundry room is directly adjacent, so the wire might already be in the walls and just need an additional socket and larger breaker. Who knows.. I don't know shit about electrical work, and it's not my house. I'd feel pretty bad if I burned down a house I didn't even own due to my shoddy workmanship :lol:

LouisianaZJ
02-01-2005, 02:56 AM
I don't know shit about electrical work, and it's not my house. I'd feel pretty bad if I burned down a house I didn't even own due to my shoddy workmanship :lol:

WERD, that would be like puma297 rolling his mom's ZJ due to his own shoddy wheeling technique 8) :D

nate
04-03-2005, 01:49 AM
Yeah I just wired the garage for 240 the other day. Took me like 10 mins. I got some 8/3 wire and ran it into the breaker box (in the garage). I just tapped off the dryer's breaker since I didn't have room for more breakers. That's it.

viennatech
05-16-2005, 01:41 PM
There isn't really any difference when running the WIRE for a 220 vs. 110 circuit but I did get tripped up on the color code. My insepector busted me for using white NEMA wire instead of RED.

When you run 220V stuff you either need to use heavy guage wire or if you use 14/2 it must be red. Now for the amps you are all drawing then you're getting into 8 guage wire which is an entirely different animal.

But to simplify some of this here is a quick breakdown.

Coming into your house (most houses) are 2 phases of power. If you looked at your meter you'd have two black wires and one white wire. The POTENTIAL between the two blacks will be 220/240V. The potential between any black and a white will be 110/120V.

Now you want to run a wire from your breaker box to your welder. you'll run the 8 guage or 10 guage or whatever guage you like wire, you NEED 2 conductors but you'll WANT 4. You'll want 2 hot wires, a neutral (in case you'd like to have 120V) and a ground.

If you ran only the 2 wires it would work but you'd have NO safety involved. So get some good 4 conductor wire then run it from your shop to your breaker box.

Next you'll need a DOUBLE POLE breaker rated for whatever you need. If you're running a 30A plug you can use a double pole 30, for 50A use a 50 breaker. make sure that you size appropriately. Then your wiring will go pretty well. black and red wires will each go to a terminal on your new breaker. the whie wire will attach to the neutral "bus bar" inside the panel and the ground will attach to the ground bar.

wire the plug at the other end following the color code then hit the switch.

i assume no responisibility for blowing yourself up but i hope that by shedding a little light on this it will take some of the mystery out...

Happy welding!