10/2 wire question

[ampa]

Hmmmm not too sure if I post this in this section....but since it still refers to gettin' my Lincoln up and runnin'.....I guess it should be okay....now the question !....I bought 10/2 wire......and it turns out to be 230 volts.....a red a black and the bare copper.....which is fine for my 30 amp breaker...I just curious do I treat the red or the black as the neutral....the bare copper to inside the panel box...to the receptical.....I didn't realize the difference till I peeled back the tough insulation...I hate working with high voltage....but in a sense I'm not....just the same as wiring a couple or so wall recepticals to the hydro panel....which I've done lots of times....mind you I shut the mains off and double check my work to make quite sure everything is hooked up proper before switching the main back on....I had installed another adittional smaller 2 breaker 230 volt panel that I used only for 110 volt in my old 32' trailer....I was getting a little tingle from the receptical...decieded to call a buddy that was a licenced electrician to check it out....told I done an okay job...just didn't tighten the bare ground enough....and it was bleedin' through a bit....after that no more tingles.....I always check and retighten all my connections after that ordeal....thanks in advance the correct advice I'm needin'.....take care.....Ampa.....

 

[Fahmahdave]

Ampa,
The black and red are both "hot" wires. Neither goes to neutral. They both go onto seperate screws on your double pole breaker. The bare then goes to the ground bar. Ideally you would get 10/3 wire (black/red/white/and a bare), the white would then be a neutral.

 

[Carl_NH]

Get a 30 amp double pole breaker 230V, wire the red and black to the breaker terminals and the bare wire goes to the ground terminals in the breaker box. (make sure you have the break off when you are wiring into the panel!)

If your welder has a 4 wire connection and plug, then you need to get 10-3 which will have a red, black and white, and a ground wire. In this case the white and the bare go to the ground terminal in the breaker box. The white is the "neutral".

If this seems difficult or not clear then I suggest you might want to "phone your friend" the electrician.

 

[AlbertaDan]

Fahmadave is right. You should get a 10/3 wire. With out the neutral your Lincoln may not run righht. The control circuit may require the neutral to operate. Not worth the expense to have it fixed if you blow the controls. I am an a electrician and speak from experience.

I do have a question...when you say you peeled the tough insulation back it almost sounds like you are using a SOW cable. If htis is true it is not allowed in permanent construction...at least here in Canada it's not. Your jurissiction may be different.

 

[ampa]

I just went down the basement as I have the panel cover removed....so I'm gonna' answer my own question and do it in this order.... also as it's gonna' be a 30 amp breaker I think it be best to choose the red as the + feed and treat the black as the neutral/white...... and the bare copper as all the other.... to the panel grounding studs.....yes and I'll check that all connections are secure....my lady has accidents like leavin' rags or such in the laundry tube and gettin' water all over the place when the washer goes through it's spin and rinse cycles.....anyhow if I'm doin' something wrong please let me know for sure....I'd hate anything to happen to my lady.....only wish she would check the tub before leaving it....She's older than me....she hates me double checkin' everything she does...but I'll just have explain the dangers...and she should understand....for me a tingle is a tingle...but I guess standin' in water and touching this 30 amp receptical...would be an no no.....Ampa

 

[aczlan]

In a 120v system Black is always hot.
Red is also used for hot (or switched hot), but Black is ALWAYS hot.
I would use red (with a piece of white tape on each end to mark it) for neutral and black for hot

For the other posters: He is setting up a heavy 120v circuit for a 120v welder.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

I just went down the basement as I have the panel cover removed....so I'm gonna' answer my own question and do it in this order.... also as it's gonna' be a 30 amp breaker I think it be best to choose the red as the + feed and treat the black as the neutral/white...... and the bare copper as all the other.... to the panel grounding studs.....yes and I'll check that all connections are secure....my lady has accidents like leavin' rags or such in the laundry tube and gettin' water all over the place when the washer goes through it's spin and rinse cycles.....anyhow if I'm doin' something wrong please let me know for sure....I'd hate anything to happen to my lady.....only wish she would check the tub before leaving it....She's older than me....she hates me double checkin' everything she does...but I'll just have explain the dangers...and she should understand....for me a tingle is a tingle...but I guess standin' in water and touching this 30 amp receptical...would be an no no.....Ampa

You are way off. Stop and get a electrician. Really, you are going to hurt yourself or damage your welder.

For a 230 volt system you need a 2 hots and a common/ground. In your case your 2 hots would be red and black. Your common/ground is the bare wire.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

In a 120v system Black is always hot.
Red is also used for hot (or switched hot), but Black is ALWAYS hot.
I would use red (with a piece of white tape on each end to mark it) for neutral and black for hot

For the other posters: He is setting up a heavy 120v circuit for a 120v welder.

Aaron Z

Ok, its 120 volt. Then do as Aaron Z said. Black is hot, make Red neutral, and bare ground. Like Aaron said mark the red with some white electrical tape on each end.

Chris

 

[aczlan]

Ok, its 120 volt. Then do as Aaron Z said. Black is hot, make Red neutral, and bare ground. Like Aaron said mark the red with some white electrical tape on each end.

I am assuming that this is for the welder referenced in this thread: Linclon 125 DC 115 volt is tripping the breaker. If my assumption is incorrect and you are working with 220V, remember that Black and Red should both be hot, you probably need the 4th wire for neutral and I would recommend that you call your electrician friend to have him at least watch you do this.

Aaron Z

 

[hr3]

ampa :thumbsup: I hope you are kidding and this is a joke...:confused2: