Electrical advice needed

[LD1]

Does the motor or piece of equipment have its own overload protection?

Circuit size shouldn't matter as long as its big enough. 40a/8ga or 50a-60a/6ga.

The breaker in the panel is designed to protect the circuit, not the equipment. Otherwise you wouldn't plug a 0.5 amp fan in a common 15 or 20 amp household circuit.

 

[newbury]

I am going to put a piece of woodworking equipment in my garage. It has a 220 volt 30 amp motor. I am going to need to install a 220 volt receptacle. Couple of questions: should the breaker in the box be 30 amp? Will I need 10-3 wire from the box to the receptacle. I assume a two pole breaker. I know just enough about wiring to be dangerous. Thanks for any advice.

OP - I was at about that electric education level years ago. Remember, 120 hurts, 240 can kill. Try and get your set up OK'd and looked at by someone with a lot of experience. It reads like you don't have building inspectors. It's a lot cheaper to hire an electrician than a doctor in the emergency room.

 

[teejk]

When it comes to woodworking equipment you might want to post a question on lumberjocks.com. They have a few "sparkies" there with not much else to do. And funny when you bring up anything to do with electrical you will be swamped with replies...99% "snark-free".

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Usually equipment mfr will list the required circuit required, including the breaker amperage. Like the shaper someone referenced, the manual says install a 30 A receptacle and breaker, full load is less. Don't always assume you need it to be more to derate it, maybe that has already been done for you.
You get the whole range of responses, from people who are scared to death of electricity and always say "get an electrician", to others that are totally comfortable around power and say do it yourself. I'm in the later group, electricity isn't rocket science, there are plenty of how to books.

 

[techman]

If it is 220 volt, you do not need a neutral, but you do need a ground !

paul

 

[teejk]

If it is 220 volt, you do not need a neutral, but you do need a ground !

paul

Electrical code is "morphing" on 240v (not 220v but that's a different topic) I think...a lot of stuff now requires a 4 wire set (dunno why but I don't understand arc-fault requirements or those ugly "bubble caps" on outdoor outlets or tamper resistant outlets either). The plug on the tool will dictate the wiring...if only 3 prong then "hot" "hot" "ground" (which is funny because neutral and ground typically come together in the panel) but some stuff does now require a "neutral" which I guess is a "back-up" in case the ground gets damaged. OP has yet to explain his machine...240v 30A must be something pretty big.

 

[Qapla]

Electrical code is "morphing" on 240v (not 220v but that's a different topic) I think...a lot of stuff now requires a 4 wire set (dunno why but I don't understand arc-fault requirements or those ugly "bubble caps" on outdoor outlets or tamper resistant outlets either). The plug on the tool will dictate the wiring...if only 3 prong then "hot" "hot" "ground" (which is funny because neutral and ground typically come together in the panel) but some stuff does now require a "neutral" which I guess is a "back-up" in case the ground gets damaged. OP has yet to explain his machine...240v 30A must be something pretty big.

It depends on the panel. If it is the primary/main/first panel, then, yes, the Neutral and the Ground are, essentially the same, since the Neutral bus is "bonded" to the panel case as is the ground.

If it is a "sub" panel, then the Neutral is NOT bonded, so, the Neutral and the Ground are, at this point, not "exactly" the same. Although this may not seem like it should be so, it does make a difference.

 

[teejk]

It depends on the panel. If it is the primary/main/first panel, then, yes, the Neutral and the Ground are, essentially the same, since the Neutral bus is "bonded" to the panel case as is the ground.

If it is a "sub" panel, then the Neutral is NOT bonded, so, the Neutral and the Ground are, at this point, not "exactly" the same. Although this may not seem like it should be so, it does make a difference.

Never understood that "bonding" stuff either (it's only that green screw that comes with the panel). Took me awhile to understand "single point" grounding (which I'll guess that most satellite TV/Internet dish installers violate) but why the need to isolate the neutral/ground on a subpanel?

 

[LD1]

Neutral and ground are not the same.

240v only can be ran with just 2 hots and a ground. The hybrid stuff that has both 240v and 120v, like a range with 240v elements and 120v display, requires the extra wire needed to carry the neutral current of the 120 circuit so you aren't running that on the ground.

 

[teejk]

Neutral and ground are not the same.

240v only can be ran with just 2 hots and a ground. The hybrid stuff that has both 240v and 120v, like a range with 240v elements and 120v display, requires the extra wire needed to carry the neutral current of the 120 circuit so you aren't running that on the ground.

Thanks...that explains why I'm seeing more 4 wire sets lately. Like I said, you almost need a picture of the plug to determine what it plugs into. My Menard's has a little bit of everything and it's easy to buy the wrong one (as it is for the cover plates that come with them).