"Doug Miller" wrote in message
m...
In article bf9ae.4309$lz1.517@lakeread01, "DL"
wrote:

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
om...
In article 2o_9e.3906$lz1.1060@lakeread01, "DL"
wrote:
I am curious as to what others have done for receptacles that are going
to
be used with different equipment that have different plug
configurations.

I installed receptacles with the configurations needed for the plugs on
the
tools that I have.

Sounds like you dont move your equipment around much. I do based on space
limitations.

Almost all of it's on wheels. Some of it stays put, some of it moves every
time I use it. And there are a *lot* of receptacles in the shop. :-)

While a good portion of the circuits will be dedicated to
specific equipment and I can match the receptacle to plug, some outlets
are
being installed with the expectation that several pieces of equipment will
be used on them. Just as one would wire 20amp 110v circuits instead of
15amp to be able to power all 20amp and below 110v equipment, I plan to do
the same with my 240v equipment. The rub comes in with the 240v
receptacles
and plugs is that they have different blade configurations depending on
whether or not they are a 15amp, 20amp, or 30amp and beyond pieces of
equipment.

Right, but since you're presumably installing multiple receptacles
*anyway*,
it seems to be that it's a lot less trouble to install, say, six
receptacles
of three different configurations, than it is to install six receptacles
of
the same configuration, *and* change somewhere between one and five plugs
on
your machines.


I will have 15 240v outlets in the workshop area. My original thought was
to go with the twist lock outlets so I would have been replacing all of the
equipment plugs anyway. Based on your comments that the Twist Lock P/R's
are not really required and can fall out if not properly locked, I will need
to assess what I am going to do. If I decide to go with a blade style plug
and receptacles and your recommendation of switching them up to match the
plugs, my equipment is tied to the locations of those outets. Another
thought would be to install both receptacles in a double gang box.

Less expense, too, because (a) receptacles are usually cheaper than plugs,
and
(b) n receptacles clearly cost less than (n receptacles + n plugs).


Given that I am doing the work myself finishing our basement, the savings of
not paying a contractor more than covers the cost of plugs for many
different pieces of equipment IMO. My comfort level that I have quality
easy to use connections to my equiment is worth the extra cost.

I probably didn't make it clear before, but I plan to run 10/3 wire with
ground from 30amp breakers for all my 30amp and below (multiple around the
shop) connections. I plan to run 6/3 wire with ground from a 50 amp
breakers to handle the equipment that runs at more than 30amps but less or
equal to 50amps (one for the larger air compressor as Lew H recommended
and
an extra for other equipment that requires up to 50amps).

Given that most of the equipment runs on either 125v or 250v, I will have
to
replace the power cords anyway. This will allow me to go to a common plug
and receptacle that gives me the flexibility to move my equipment around.

Why do you have to replace power cords "anyway"? I'm not following you
here.


If I compare the cord on my 240v air compressor with that of other the
equipment that is rated for 120v and 240v but prewired for 120v, the cable
difference is significant. I understand that the size of the cord varies
based on the amps required by the equipment, but since I will be switching
the wiring out at the equipment to make it run on the 240v power, installing
a better quality cord makes sense to me instead of just replacing the plug
end (obviously where needed).

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?