Need Air Compressor and Bench Grinder advice.

[Turbys_1700]

Several years ago I wired my dad's work shop for my welder...
He had a 50 Amp breaker in the back of the shop and I needed to run a line 40 feet to the front for a 220V welder...
My local electrician sold me 40' of #6 wire to run the line...
It was expensive but the correct size...
I wanted enough capacity to plug in a compressor at a later date and thus the #6 size wire...

 

[George2615]

You should need only a 30A breaker and 10 gauge wire to run the compressor you choose.

 

[JOE G]

So you guys are saying I should take the 50 Amp breaker out and put either a 30 or 40 amp breaker?

Also when you get a new compressor does it come with a wire to hook to the wall?
Can I put a plug on the end or does it need to be hard wired?

How many amps can 12 3 Romex take?

 

[Bird]

Also when you get a new compressor does it come with a wire to hook to the wall?
Can I put a plug on the end or does it need to be hard wired?

I think you'll find no wire at all. At least that's the way it was with the only 220v compressor I ever bought. But I did rig up a power cord with plug so I could just plug it in, instead of hardwiring all the way.

 

[joshuabardwell]

So you guys are saying I should take the 50 Amp breaker out and put either a 30 or 40 amp breaker? How many amps can 12 3 Romex take?

No. The rule (in short, for non-electricians) is that the breaker must be no larger than the rated safe amp-carrying capacity of the wire. So if #6 wire is rated to carry up to 50 amps, then you can have up to a 50 amp breaker on a circuit using #6 wire. There usually isn't much reason to put a smaller breaker on the circuit than code allows. What people were saying is that your compressor is unlikely to need more than a 30 amp circuit, so your 50 amp circuit will be plenty. Regarding your second question, 12-gauge Romex is rated for up to a 20 amp breaker (I am not an electrician, nor am I an expert in the NEC, but I believe that's the short answer).

 

[joshuabardwell]

The rules r.e. wire gauge and breaker size make sense when you understand that the purpose of the breaker is to prevent the wire from overheating and starting a fire or burning through the insulation and creating an unsafe electrical condition. The smaller the wire, the less current it can carry without getting hot. The breaker's job is to cut off power to the circuit if the current draw exceeds the safe carrying capacity of the wire. That's why it's fine to have an under-sized breaker, but not an over-sized one.

 

[JOE G]

Yes I have a 50 Amp Outlet already mounted in the wall near, the other 220 on the 20 Amp Circuit, There both about 20 Ft from the 100 Amp sub panel. Do these Compressors come with a on off switch on them? Would I need a sub Plan or can I plug right into wall?

 

[Bird]

Joe, you'll need a power cord; there are a number of different 220v plugs. But yes, it will have an on/off switch.

 

[JOE G]

i''ll Prob pick this one up this week, Now I need Regulator help, I can' seem to find a decent one, I would like it to adjust to the full 175 PSI this Compressor will put out.

Ingersoll Rand® 5HP Air Compressor, 80 gal. - Tractor Supply Online Store

 

[whistlepig]

You shouldn't need to run at 175 PSI. Most air tools are rated for 90 PSI. CFM is what runs the air tools and it appears you compressor has plenty enough CFM. Sears sells regulators. My Sears regulator is ten years old and still works well.