Need an electrician?

[tom hintz]

I am getting a couple 220V machines in the next couple of weeks and while I have what appears to be a 220V socket on the wall, I am thinking that getting an electrician in to check this situation out would be a good idea. My wife always stands nearby whenever I work with wiring, holding the phone with 91 already dialed......
Does anyone have experience with a good electircian in the Concord, NC area? Cheap would be nice but good comes first.

Tom Hintz

 

[NCPete]

Tom, run a multimeter across that outlet, you don't need to pay an electrician for that, but in light of my recent experience, I may have a pro come do any additional wiring in my shop:saw:

 

[tom hintz]

I have the meter on the bench and am working up the courage. If you never hear from me again, you know this went very wrong!

The other thing is making up the cords for the machines. I also want to see about adding another 220 outlet along the same path as the existing one just to give me more options for plugging this stuff in.

 

[NCPete]

I have the meter on the bench and am working up the courage. If you never hear from me again, you know this went very wrong!

It's not so hard, one probe in the neutral/ground and one in either of the 'hot' should provide 110V, if you run the probes into both 'hot', then you get 220, if it is wired as such.

The other thing is making up the cords for the machines. I also want to see about adding another 220 outlet along the same path as the existing one just to give me more options for plugging this stuff in.

depending on the draw for these machines, you may be able to use a pre-made cord for a 220V window AC unit available in the BORG, sometimes good for as much as 20 amps. I think I found one in the HD here in Fayetteville the other day. Not sure why I didn't get it.... :eusa_doh:

 

[alleng]

also look in the breaker box for any two pole 220 breakers,if the recepticle is 220 it will have a dedicated 220 breaker.and this will also tell you what amp you are dealing with

 

[Travis Porter]

You also have to make sure the meter is set to AC voltage.

 

[NCPete]

You also have to make sure the meter is set to AC voltage.

yup, and that the range is for more than 200V.

 

[junquecol]

Pete, you are giving electrical advice now? Seems like you were the guy who shorted out to mains in a panel recently. Too good to pass up. Now you owe me one:slap: when (if) I do something foolish. Of course I won't be telling any of MY screw ups. I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong.

 

[NCPete]

Pete, you are giving electrical advice now? Seems like you were the guy who shorted out to mains in a panel recently. Too good to pass up. Now you owe me one:slap: when (if) I do something foolish. Of course I won't be telling any of MY screw ups. I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong.

sure, mistakes (also called experience?) are often the greatest teacher, besides, my hand is almost completely healed now, and it looks like there won't be any scarring:lol: maybe a little more 'scaring' but no scarring:rolf:


as a young child, my uncle stuck a bobby pin in an outlet. He later became a very successful electrical engineer

 

[junquecol]

When we were building the addition on our house, my grand daughter stuck six nails in a live recpt. One in each opening. Only the angels were looking after her.

 

[tom hintz]

I checked the existing outlet (looks like a dryer outlet) and it is 220 so that will work if I can match the plug.
My next concern is grounding the machines properly. After going through all this I want to do it as right as I can.
I also want to add another 220 outlet closer to the breaker box (same wall) to keep the cords as short as possible but that looks like it will be easy.

 

[NCPete]

a dryer outlet??? that means that is carrying about 30 amps, not necessary for most home shop 220V equipment, If you have another location for your laundry center, the previous home owner may have had a welder hooked up there. I would not think you need that much power to drive your equipment, and encourage you to have a few other outlets added.

 

[tom hintz]

It's like a dryer outlet but I think was used for somekind of woodworking machinery as the guy who built this house originally was a woodworker. I think they just used that style of outlet. There is a regular laundry area with it's own subpanel (heat pump there also) and dryer outlet in the house.

 

[McRabbet]

Tom,

Never assume anything. There are several receptacles that "look like a dryer outlet" and they vary in amperage and configuration. Here is a chart of Non-locking NEMA configurations for receptacles and corresponding plugs (these are all straight push-in/pull-out type plugs. Review this and check for any markings on your receptacle. Also check the circuit breaker serving this outlet for its amperage. Turn it to the off position before doing any changes!

I'd recommend that you select the proper Twist Lock plug and receptacle for your new equipment. If the machines require 220V at 20 Amps, then L6-20 is appropriate. If they are 220V at 30 Amps, then use L6-30. Here is a chart of those configurations. Both plugs and receptacles of these designations are available at Lowe's or Home Depot. For power cords, use 3-wire #10 wire for either type, which can handle 30 amps. I'm not an electrician, but I have consulted with several and this is what my shop has installed.

HTH -- Rob

 

[tom hintz]

The socket is a 50amp-250V, 6-50R on the chart. I'm waiting for the house to calm down so I can start turning off double pole breakers to see which one it's hooked to.

Tom

 

[cpowell]

The socket is a 50amp-250V, 6-50R on the chart. I'm waiting for the house to calm down so I can start turning off double pole breakers to see which one it's hooked to.

Tom

Tom, identify the breaker and read the wire size at the panel and the receptacle. A 50A plug style doesn't mean it's sized for 50A service.

Chuck

 

[walnutjerry]

I
The other thing is making up the cords for the machines. .

Tom--------I just made up 2-- 25' ext.cords for 220. I don't think you will find 220 ready made cords on the shelf.

The 50' of 12/3 cord and the 4 plugs (2 male/2 female) cost me 56.00.

Just check to see what amps the motors pull and check the chart in the manual for reccomended wire size for length of cord.

The electrician I use lives in China Grove if that is close enough for you.

Jerry

 

[McRabbet]

The socket is a 50amp-250V, 6-50R on the chart. I'm waiting for the house to calm down so I can start turning off double pole breakers to see which one it's hooked to.

Tom

Sounds like a good time to mark each breaker in your panel! If your receptacle has straight slots (each about 1/2 inch long and arranged in an arrow pattern), then it is probably a 50 Amp NEMA 10-5R. If the slots are arranged in a circular pattenr and are curved, then it could be a NEMA L6-50R. See if you can find markings on it. My suspicion is that it is the straight prong style, typically used for a Range Outlet (most dryers use a 30 Amp service).

Rob

 

[NCPete]

yeah, that sounds like a range outlet, and was probably installed to support a welder. Probably not the best circuit to run woodworking machinery off of. My shop is now wired with a few 20 amp circuits, one for 110, and one for 220. Soon I will add more, but that will require more wire than I had originally budgeted for, as I decided against surface mount with conduit - much of my wall will be torn out to put drywall in where pegboard now hangs. I will probably also have adult supervision around this time:rolf: