240v outlet wiring
- Thread starter aj2n
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glkingar
Bronze Member
First of all, if you aren't comfortable around electricity don't do it. Find someone who is. Having said that you will need 2 open slots next to each other in your breaker box. You will need to know the amperage required for the welder. Your welder manual should provide that information. Don't connect it to an existing circuit. Don't overload your panel either. If all of this is ok then buy a dual breaker that is rated for your welder. It should have a bar that ties the two legs or breaker switches together as well. You probably have one or two of these already in your panel. Your AC and electric stove for example. Depending on the connector you will have 3 pins or possibly 4 pins. Again your welder manual should have some info on this. There will be 2 hot wires 1 from each side of the dual breaker. There will a neutral wire that goes to a neutral bus bar. That will be the one with all of the white wires going to it. That will be all you need for a 3 pin connector. A 4 pin will have a ground wire that will go to the ground bus bar. The one with all of the bare wires. Make sure you use heavy enough wire for the connections to the plug which will be determined by amperage required and distance from the panel to the plug. Longer distances will require a larger gauge wire. Again be very careful and if you aren't comfortable with this DON'T TRY IT. Turn off the main breaker before you take off the panel face. I know a lot of electricians that work on live panels but it doesn't appear that is the case here.
Good luck and BE CAREFUL
Gerry
Good luck and BE CAREFUL
Gerry
mjncad
Super Member
Gerry:
Thanks for posting good general advice to the O.P. :thumbsup:
Thanks for posting good general advice to the O.P. :thumbsup:
What welder did you get? I'm about to undertake the same project (for a welder too), except I'm replacing an old 220 that will need heavier wire, a different plug and a different breaker to account for the more amps of the welder than what I'd had previously. Pretty much everything you have to do + ripping everything out.
pat32rf
Veteran Member
I try to never rip the old out if it is just undersized. (unsafe is different) Sooner or later that old run of wire will be just what I need for my next piece of equipment...saw, compressor, heater etc.
you'll need also to determine the gauge of the wire for the circuit. the distance from panel to the welder will also determine gauge of wire to use.
why not put your welder specs & circuit distance on the welding part of this forum for that input. the size circuit breaker is also important, think i put a 50 amp breaker, but yours may require different.
why not put your welder specs & circuit distance on the welding part of this forum for that input. the size circuit breaker is also important, think i put a 50 amp breaker, but yours may require different.
My barn is all open, no drywall or such, so if I need to put it back in I can. With the price of copper, I don't know if it'll stick around, though.
I was recommended to put a 50 amp breaker in and an 8/3 wire. So that's what I'm doing!:thumbsup: I'd recommend you do the same. But, if you have a different welder than I'm getting (I'm getting the Millermatic 211), then your needs may be different.
crazyal
Super Member
I think a 50 amp breaker for a 211 is over kill. It could come in handy for a larger welder in the future. For a 50 amp circuit I would use 6 gauge copper, not 8. 8 may not even be to code for a 50 amp circuit but I'm not an electrician so others can better tell you.
murphy1244
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All depends on how long of line you need.
Canada_CT230
Platinum Member
I put 8 wire in. My electrician said that was fine for hobby welding and for the 50 ft run.
I will caution the O.P on the instructions for wiring a 240v plug.
There is more to it than just 2 open spaces in the breaker box and some wire. You need to straddle both sides of the buss in the breaker box to get 240v.
If you don't know what I am talking about then you don't have enough knowledge to do the install of a 240v plug safely.
Remember...it only takes a few milliamps to kill you....never mind the 100A or 200A that is in your breaker box.
I will caution the O.P on the instructions for wiring a 240v plug.
There is more to it than just 2 open spaces in the breaker box and some wire. You need to straddle both sides of the buss in the breaker box to get 240v.
If you don't know what I am talking about then you don't have enough knowledge to do the install of a 240v plug safely.
Remember...it only takes a few milliamps to kill you....never mind the 100A or 200A that is in your breaker box.