220v outlet for welder powered by (2) 20 amp breakers

[MossRoad]

That's an option Moss, thanks! My garage is attached, but it's on the opposite side of my house where the panel is. The conduit coming out of the panel carrying all the garage wiring is also housing a bunch of other wiring, evidently splitting off somewhere who knows where...it's all behind drywall. But yeh, this a good option.

Well, if it's attached, there won't be an issue with multiple circuits. That's good. A sub-panel in the garage is always handy, though.

I also installed a disconnect ahead of the sub-panel in my garage so that I could kill the entire panel from the garage VS running into the house, then down to the basement to find the breaker. Proved pretty handy when wiring up the panel as well.

 

[GeneV]

No, not that panel. The garage panel

Oh, I ain't got a panel in there.

 

[GeneV]

The OP said that there were other GFI protected outlets fed from another 20 amp circuit.

That's correct. Man, I don't even know why I didn't think to use the neutral wire, what was I thinking?!! My only worry is that it's a shared neutral, which would be a problem in itself. The way the previous owner (or owner a few owners ago) wired the shed, I just can't be sure, it's a bit of a hot mess. We'll find out lol.

 

[grsthegreat]

Oh, I ain't got a panel in there.

Ahhh, i thought it was a separate building.....

 

[GeneV]

Well, if it's attached, there won't be an issue with multiple circuits. That's good. A sub-panel in the garage is always handy, though.

I also installed a disconnect ahead of the sub-panel in my garage so that I could kill the entire panel from the garage VS running into the house, then down to the basement to find the breaker. Proved pretty handy when wiring up the panel as well.

Disconnect is a good idea. I didn't mention it, but I actually have a sub-panel running out to my shop, which is a little 1-car garage. Disconnect mounted there, too. I know what you'll say, why don't I just weld in there?

 

[BigBlue1]

You do not need to fish another wire if you have a dedicated 120v circuit there now. Just use a two pole breaker and remove the wire from the neutral and connect it along with the
滴ot wire to the two pole breaker. You only need 2 wires plus ground for the 240 circuit.
(You would need 3 for 120/240).

But the wiring is still the weak point. It is 12ga and good for 20 amps. 20 amps isn't going to be enough for his welder unless he keeps it on lower settings. He really needs a higher amp circuit and that takes bigger wire.

If I'm reading right in these last couple of pages the OP has an attached garage and all circuits come from the house electrical panel (no sub panel) so that makes things more difficult. Where there's a will there's a way to run new wire though. Just takes creativity and possibly a willingness to demo and reconstruct some stuff.

Rob

 

[MossRoad]

No, not that panel. The garage panel

Oh, I ain't got a panel in there.

Sounds like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre....

"Panels? We ain't got no panels. We don't need no panels. I don't have to show you any stinkin' panels!"

 

[aczlan]

That's correct. Man, I don't even know why I didn't think to use the neutral wire, what was I thinking?!! My only worry is that it's a shared neutral, which would be a problem in itself. The way the previous owner (or owner a few owners ago) wired the shed, I just can't be sure, it's a bit of a hot mess. We'll find out lol.

That won't work if it's a shared neutral, shared ground will be fine but shared neutral will not work. Need to have two dedicated wires to use for your hots.

Aaron Z

 

[dragoneggs]

Just depends on how serious about 220v and how much you want to fight not having decent gauge wiring coming from your main to your garage. After way too long of running a heavy duty (10gauge) extension cord from my house dryer outlet to the garage (converted to gas dryer so it was available), I finally ran 6 gauge and added a sub panel in my detached garage. This allowed me to have multiple 220v and 110v circuits and no longer did I have to unplug one 220v machine for another.

It's a one man shop so there is no fear of overload but I can run a couple machines at once. I installed a 30amp outlet/breaker for my welder and I can run both my 220v plasma cutter and 220v air compressor at the same time on separate 220v circuits. If you can't you will not be happy.

Anyways... there are work arounds as already been described but if you are wanting to do it right... I say bite the bullet and put in a sub panel in your garage and run several circuits to power various outlets. Even if you don't need it now you can grow into it vs. cobbling together a couple 'hots' and making do. My :2cents:

 

[GeneV]

From what I see, the power that was going out to the shed (the circuit I want to use for the welder) appeared wired as an afterthought, that's why I'm kind of worried about shared neutral. The hot for it was connected to a switch, the neutral wire is spliced together, and then all that wiring is going out to the shed.

But then I also have the hot wire in there, capped off, from the other circuit (running all the other outlets in the garage). I guess that's there in case somebody wanted to install an outlet there on the garage circuit, instead of having the switch to the shed.

But if that's the case, how come there's no capped off neutral wire in there from the garage circuit? There's not, it's just the one neutral wire running out to the shed. That's why I'm worried that he borrowed the neutral from the garage circuit, for the shed.

Anyways, so guys, what you think is best way to trace that neutral at the panel? I'm thinking kill the power at the main breaker, connect neutral to hot at that outlet, and then back to the panel to check continuity between hot wire on the breaker and all the neutrals, unscrewing them from the neutral bus one at a time. Or does anybody got an easier way?