need some air compressor help
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Elder User
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need some air compressor help
my buddy just got a beefy old air compressor for the shop its a 115/230v motor can be hooked up either way. neither of us know wiring at all.
but its got a white and black wire on it but the guy who had it hooked up in his house said it was hooked up 230? shouldnt it have another wire a ground?
but he wants to hook it up 115 now theres wires labled 1,2,3,4
1 hooks to black
2 hooks to 3
and 4 to white in the motor housing
someone tell me where to put the right wires and if it needs rewired
also couldnt he run a 2 gang breaker with 2 seperate circuts of 115 to each white and black then run another wire for ground grounded off the mount for the motor? and then hed have 230 on it correct?
thanks a lot guys
but its got a white and black wire on it but the guy who had it hooked up in his house said it was hooked up 230? shouldnt it have another wire a ground?
but he wants to hook it up 115 now theres wires labled 1,2,3,4
1 hooks to black
2 hooks to 3
and 4 to white in the motor housing
someone tell me where to put the right wires and if it needs rewired
also couldnt he run a 2 gang breaker with 2 seperate circuts of 115 to each white and black then run another wire for ground grounded off the mount for the motor? and then hed have 230 on it correct?
thanks a lot guys
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
Maye you could post some more info on the brand etc -- somebody here might know. Might even find it on the web -- there are a lot of old manuals floating around.
If you do hook it up to 115, it will take twice the current as it did at 230-- might be pretty hefty.
You CAN get 220 from your breaker -- a 2 slot circuit breaker as used in central air conditioning systems will work. However, there are electrical codes that say how it should be done. I think that a lot of 220 outlets these days are 4 wire. That would mean that there's some kind of a neutral as well as a ground.
If you do run any new circuits, make sure that you know what you're doing.
Electrical wiring isn't hard, but you want to do it right.
hj
If you do hook it up to 115, it will take twice the current as it did at 230-- might be pretty hefty.
You CAN get 220 from your breaker -- a 2 slot circuit breaker as used in central air conditioning systems will work. However, there are electrical codes that say how it should be done. I think that a lot of 220 outlets these days are 4 wire. That would mean that there's some kind of a neutral as well as a ground.
If you do run any new circuits, make sure that you know what you're doing.
Electrical wiring isn't hard, but you want to do it right.
hj
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
26A at 110 will require 10 Ga. wire and a 30A breaker.
IMO you would be far better off wiring it 220 and using a 20A breaker w/ 12/3 wire.
Overkill perhaps, but it doesn't say anything about inrush (starting) current.
IMO you would be far better off wiring it 220 and using a 20A breaker w/ 12/3 wire.
Overkill perhaps, but it doesn't say anything about inrush (starting) current.
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Elder User
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well he said he didnt have 220v in the house i think he meant 200 amp.
but i saw the house box it got 220v
now the garage is a 110v box
i was thinking since the house is full run an extention cord from the house at the dryer to the garage in conduit? any input here
also what will be needed to run it as a 220 box in the garage he has a 220 box just not installed.
but i saw the house box it got 220v
now the garage is a 110v box
i was thinking since the house is full run an extention cord from the house at the dryer to the garage in conduit? any input here
also what will be needed to run it as a 220 box in the garage he has a 220 box just not installed.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
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I had a motor like that, and it had the instructions for wiring it one way or the other inside the wiring cover iirc.
NO extension cords. BTW.
The house has two 120v legs, and 240v is simply using both of those instead of one at a time.
Don't guess, don't experiment. Read, research, ask, etc. If it doesn't become clear, hire an electrician.
NO extension cords. BTW.
The house has two 120v legs, and 240v is simply using both of those instead of one at a time.
Don't guess, don't experiment. Read, research, ask, etc. If it doesn't become clear, hire an electrician.
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well i did rescherch i know a good bit about house wiring but im no pro i know 2 input lines from pole is 2 120s equaling 240 and if you put in a 240 breaker it will use both 120s
85 it dont got crap on it is the sad thing we looked and google of the part and serial numbers and still got nothing
85 it dont got crap on it is the sad thing we looked and google of the part and serial numbers and still got nothing
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Well, it could be and probably is quite old. Those old motors are huge compared to a similarly rated new motor.
Motor Manufacturers - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)
I would check the tank to make sure it's sound. A little water sitting in it for years could have turned it into a bomb.
If the tank is good, I'd get a newer motor.
Motor Manufacturers - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)
I would check the tank to make sure it's sound. A little water sitting in it for years could have turned it into a bomb.
If the tank is good, I'd get a newer motor.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,400
Likes: 319
From: Whittier, CA
my buddy just got a beefy old air compressor for the shop its a 115/230v motor can be hooked up either way. neither of us know wiring at all.
but its got a white and black wire on it but the guy who had it hooked up in his house said it was hooked up 230? shouldnt it have another wire a ground?
but he wants to hook it up 115 now theres wires labled 1,2,3,4
1 hooks to black
2 hooks to 3
and 4 to white in the motor housing
someone tell me where to put the right wires and if it needs rewired
also couldnt he run a 2 gang breaker with 2 seperate circuts of 115 to each white and black then run another wire for ground grounded off the mount for the motor? and then hed have 230 on it correct?
If you don't know how to get 240V out of your house panel, I strongly suggest you seek out professional services.
thanks a lot guys
but its got a white and black wire on it but the guy who had it hooked up in his house said it was hooked up 230? shouldnt it have another wire a ground?
but he wants to hook it up 115 now theres wires labled 1,2,3,4
1 hooks to black
2 hooks to 3
and 4 to white in the motor housing
someone tell me where to put the right wires and if it needs rewired
also couldnt he run a 2 gang breaker with 2 seperate circuts of 115 to each white and black then run another wire for ground grounded off the mount for the motor? and then hed have 230 on it correct?
If you don't know how to get 240V out of your house panel, I strongly suggest you seek out professional services.
thanks a lot guys
It is currently wired for high voltage, and the windings are in series. For low voltage you will wire the windings in parallel. You will wire 1&3 together and 2&4 together, with one of your 120V wires on each pair.
If you don't know how to get 240VAC out of your house panel, I strongly suggest you seek out professional services.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,583
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Won't running the windings in series boost voltage (cut current) and parallel cut voltage (boost current)? If you have a transformer with 10 windings on the input and 20 windings on the output you double the voltage. If you have 20 on the input and 10 on the output you cut the voltage in half. With the same wattage (electrical power) double the voltage is half the current, half the voltage is double the current (inverse relationship).
So if you have the windings in series there would be more windings = boosts the voltage higher. This to me would seem that it would be for the 110v configuration as the starting voltage is lower, therefore to get the pump motor to run at the same rate it needs to boost the voltage.
So if you have the windings in series there would be more windings = boosts the voltage higher. This to me would seem that it would be for the 110v configuration as the starting voltage is lower, therefore to get the pump motor to run at the same rate it needs to boost the voltage.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,400
Likes: 319
From: Whittier, CA
I think it works like this.
The windings in a dual voltage motor are always rated for the lower voltage. So wiring low voltage, the windings are paralleled, and each winding sees low voltage, but each draws its rated current load, thereby the motor draws double current.
When wired for high voltage, the windings are wired in series thereby doubling the length of the winding, and so they can handle double the voltage. And the current draw is only half.
The windings in a dual voltage motor are always rated for the lower voltage. So wiring low voltage, the windings are paralleled, and each winding sees low voltage, but each draws its rated current load, thereby the motor draws double current.
When wired for high voltage, the windings are wired in series thereby doubling the length of the winding, and so they can handle double the voltage. And the current draw is only half.
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