compressor electrical hookup qestions
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
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From: St George, SC I-95
compressor electrical hookup qestions
Hey guys,
Ive got a Powertrain 6hp 60gal 2stage compressor and today I moved it from my parents house to mine (shouldve done this 5 years ago but thats another story). At their house I pulled juice from my welding machine plug - 6/2 with a double 50 amp breaker- using 12/2 to the motor. Today I hook it up using 10/2 directly to a 20amp breaker thats on a circuit by itself and the motor turns very slow. It doesnt throw the breaker it just turns slow. Any ideas? Regardless Im thinking the breaker is too small but I cant see anywhere in the specs what size I need.
Ive got a Powertrain 6hp 60gal 2stage compressor and today I moved it from my parents house to mine (shouldve done this 5 years ago but thats another story). At their house I pulled juice from my welding machine plug - 6/2 with a double 50 amp breaker- using 12/2 to the motor. Today I hook it up using 10/2 directly to a 20amp breaker thats on a circuit by itself and the motor turns very slow. It doesnt throw the breaker it just turns slow. Any ideas? Regardless Im thinking the breaker is too small but I cant see anywhere in the specs what size I need.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
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Silly question, but your 20 amp breaker is a double too, right? Which means you have 220v just like the old set up, right?
Length of run, other loads, voltage from the pole? Drop the motor on it's head at some point?
Length of run, other loads, voltage from the pole? Drop the motor on it's head at some point?
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
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From: St George, SC I-95
no its a single 20 amp. The 10/2 is about 4 feet from the breaker box and its the only thing run to that breaker. Ive got a double 30 breaker at my main service with about 100' of 10/2UF to my shop where I have a 100amp mini box. Im currently only using 3 20 amp breakers in there. 1- for receps on the left side + 3 8' flourescents 1- for receps on the right side + 3 8' flourescents and 1- dedicated to the compressor.
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If I am understanding you correctly:
Old set up: 50 amp double breaker, two hots and a ground, 220v. (a double breaker pulls from both legs)
New set up: 10-2 from the main, either you don't have a neutral, don't have a ground, or have run 110v.
New set up: Single 20 amp, can only pull from one leg, can only supply 110v.
Look at the way that 6-2 wires into the box in the old application. Your welding plug was 3 prong, right? Two hots, one from each leg of the main box, and a ground. This is the way a lot of 220v is wired. Newer stuff requires 4 wires, but it will work fine with 3.
Look at your 10-2 from your box to the compresson on the new set up. One wire on the breaker, one wire on the neutral buss bar, one wire on the ground buss bar--am I right? If so, you have 110v.
Old set up: 50 amp double breaker, two hots and a ground, 220v. (a double breaker pulls from both legs)
New set up: 10-2 from the main, either you don't have a neutral, don't have a ground, or have run 110v.
New set up: Single 20 amp, can only pull from one leg, can only supply 110v.
Look at the way that 6-2 wires into the box in the old application. Your welding plug was 3 prong, right? Two hots, one from each leg of the main box, and a ground. This is the way a lot of 220v is wired. Newer stuff requires 4 wires, but it will work fine with 3.
Look at your 10-2 from your box to the compresson on the new set up. One wire on the breaker, one wire on the neutral buss bar, one wire on the ground buss bar--am I right? If so, you have 110v.
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
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From: St George, SC I-95
Im a real newblet when it come to electrical. I can do simple stuff but I guess Im learning.
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
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From: St George, SC I-95
Ive got a double 30 breaker at the main. Ill have to check how I did it because its been a while.
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With 10-2 you have a hot (black) neutral (white) ground (bare)
You would normally have the black on the breaker, white on the neutral buss bar, ground on the ground buss bar.
You would then have 110v.
If you have 10-2 as I describe above, and you have wired two of the wires to the breaker, then depending on where you put the 3rd wire, you either have no neutral or no ground. You should turn off the breaker and either hire an electrician or get ready for some more wire purchase and some digging....
You would normally have the black on the breaker, white on the neutral buss bar, ground on the ground buss bar.
You would then have 110v.
If you have 10-2 as I describe above, and you have wired two of the wires to the breaker, then depending on where you put the 3rd wire, you either have no neutral or no ground. You should turn off the breaker and either hire an electrician or get ready for some more wire purchase and some digging....
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From: Rhode Island
Sorry mate but that compressor is not going to run on 120, 6HP is just to much at 120, assuming the motor was 100% effecient (which it is not), it would be trying to draw 37 amps of current.
Dual voltage 120/240 motors typically max out at 1.5-2HP.
Dual voltage 120/240 motors typically max out at 1.5-2HP.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
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First, you have to be safe, or you jeopardize anything (lights) you run or plug in.
JMO, but if you have to do this again, consider using conduit and pulling number 6 for your new sub panel.
There are a number of other cautions here regarding grounding for example:
Code here requires that the neutral buss and ground buss be joined in the main box only. They must be separate in the sub panels. In a separate building, a separate ground rod is good idea, even if not required by code.
Anyway, see what you have and you'll know what lies ahead.
JMO, but if you have to do this again, consider using conduit and pulling number 6 for your new sub panel.
There are a number of other cautions here regarding grounding for example:
Code here requires that the neutral buss and ground buss be joined in the main box only. They must be separate in the sub panels. In a separate building, a separate ground rod is good idea, even if not required by code.
Anyway, see what you have and you'll know what lies ahead.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
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From: Blue Hill Township
First, you have to be safe, or you jeopardize anything (lights) you run or plug in.
JMO, but if you have to do this again, consider using conduit and pulling number 6 for your new sub panel.
There are a number of other cautions here regarding grounding for example:
Code here requires that the neutral buss and ground buss be joined in the main box only. They must be separate in the sub panels. In a separate building, a separate ground rod is good idea, even if not required by code.
Anyway, see what you have and you'll know what lies ahead.
JMO, but if you have to do this again, consider using conduit and pulling number 6 for your new sub panel.
There are a number of other cautions here regarding grounding for example:
Code here requires that the neutral buss and ground buss be joined in the main box only. They must be separate in the sub panels. In a separate building, a separate ground rod is good idea, even if not required by code.
Anyway, see what you have and you'll know what lies ahead.