Breaker Size?

[Fallon]

How pray tell so you obtain a ground , neutral and two live lines from a three prong plug and receptacle ? Anyone advocating the use of a double male suicide cord and without a fail safe transfer switch. Their opinions should be ignored .

NEMA 14-50 is a 4 pin plug (hot, hot, neutral, ground).

And I did say a sucide cord wasn't a great idea.

 

[dragoneggs]

I wonder if that's a recent change? When I built my house in 2000 the electrician put in a 50 amp 3 wire in the garage for my welder.

Don't know when the code changed but when a hot tub service panel was added (50amp) in 1998, it was 3 wire. This was before our time in the house. Our hot tub died earlier this year and when I spoke with the shop about putting a new one in, the guy said how old was your tub... I told him and he said I'd better check if you have 3 or 4 wire.

 

[dougtrr2]

The breaker is to protect the wires to the outlet and should be sized accordingly.

Doug in SW IA

 

[buickanddeere]

The breaker is to protect the wires to the outlet and should be sized accordingly.

Doug in SW IA

Short circuit protection or thermal protection? It depends . Do you agree that a 90 amp breaker is acceptable on a 38 amp motor with #8 R75 copper .

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Short circuit protection or thermal protection? It depends . Do you agree that a 90 amp breaker is acceptable on a 38 amp motor with #8 R75 copper .

You will burn up that #8 wire, maybe cause a fire, long before the breaker will trip except for maybe a solid short circuit. There are motor rated breakers that will withstand the starting inrush w/o tripping unless the rotor locks up.

Ron

 

[Fallon]

Short circuit protection or thermal protection? It depends . Do you agree that a 90 amp breaker is acceptable on a 38 amp motor with #8 R75 copper .

Breakers & fuses protect wire from overheating & starting fires. They aren't there to protect devices plugged into ir connected to the wires. Sockets are considered part of the wiring in that aspect.

 

[buickanddeere]

You will burn up that #8 wire, maybe cause a fire, long before the breaker will trip except for maybe a solid short circuit. There are motor rated breakers that will withstand the starting inrush w/o tripping unless the rotor locks up.

Ron

You are not up to date on the electrical code . Perfectly legal and safe with 38GLA , #8 R75 wire and a 90 amp breaker . . Do you know the difference between thermal protection and short circuit protection ? Why would the wire burn up?

 

[buickanddeere]

For a random 50 amp wall receptacle use a 50 amp breaker and #8 R75.
From that 50 amp wall receptacle and 50 amp breaker it is legal to use #10 SOW Cab Tire cable rated for 30amps if the welders FLA is 24 amp.