i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)

it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

In article , lid (aeneas1) wrote:
i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)

Wow. What is it?

it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.

The 6-50 is a grounding receptacle, and the 10-50 is not. So I suspect the
6-50 is the better choice. What does the manufacturer recommend?

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.

If you can't find 6-50 equipment for a lot less than that, you haven't been
looking very hard. You can buy a 6-foot cord with a 6-50 plug already molded
on it for less than nine bucks at Home Depot:
www.homedepot.com then search for item number 301471

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

Why would you, when the 6-50 is so much cheaper?

--
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?

"aeneas1" wrote in message
news:4d9e5$425508f8$455da0d2$8361@allthenewsgroups .com...
i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)

it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

If your appliance has a neutral then you need the 4 wire plug and cord. If
neutral is required, then you may need to upgrade the cable feeding the
appliance.

In article , "AlanBown" wrote:

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

If your appliance has a neutral then you need the 4 wire plug and cord. If
neutral is required, then you may need to upgrade the cable feeding the
appliance.

The 6-50 and the 10-50 are both three-conductor devices...

--
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?

Doug Miller wrote:
In article , lid (aeneas1) wrote:

i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)


Wow. What is it?


it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.


The 6-50 is a grounding receptacle, and the 10-50 is not. So I suspect the
6-50 is the better choice. What does the manufacturer recommend?

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.


If you can't find 6-50 equipment for a lot less than that, you haven't been
looking very hard. You can buy a 6-foot cord with a 6-50 plug already molded
on it for less than nine bucks at Home Depot:
www.homedepot.com then search for item number 301471



That's not a 6-50P. NEMA 6-50 has parallel blades, similar to an
overgrown 15A 120V device. I think the one you referenced is a 10-50P cord.

If "Aeneas1" has a Mill's Fleet Farm nearby, look in both the electrical
supplies and by the welding supplies. I don't remember which, but one
of them has both NEMA 6 and 10 plugs and recepticals for less than $10.
(They are available in both areas of the store, but one is packaged
different and a lot cheaper -- so check both places.)

Electric kiln, welder, large electric cooktop, or 7.5 HP electric motor?

Best regards,
Bob

aeneas1 wrote:
i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)

it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

The NEMA pattern that you want is numbered 14-50. That is a three pole
four wire pattern specifically meant for 120/240 volt grounded
appliances. These are used on four conductor circuits. For a new dryer
circuit it is the only code compliant pattern to use.
--
Tom H

HorneTD wrote:

aeneas1 wrote:

i purchased an electrical appliance that has electrical specs as
follows:

single phase
240 volt
11,500 watts
(47.9amps)

it requires that the user install the power cord, i.e., it did not
come with a power cord. i will be purchasing #6 AWG for the supply
connection but am not sure which plug to buy - a NEMA 6-50 (250v 2
pole 3 wire) or a NEMA 10-50 (125v/250v 3 pole 3 wire). both are
rated for for 250 volts and 50 amps.

the big difference is price. the 6-50 plug costs (on average) about
$50 with the receptacle costing close to the same. the 10-50 plug can
be purchased for about $15 with the receptacle costing even less.

can i use the 10-50 plug and receptacle?

The NEMA pattern that you want is numbered 14-50. That is a three pole
four wire pattern specifically meant for 120/240 volt grounded
appliances. These are used on four conductor circuits. For a new dryer
circuit it is the only code compliant pattern to use.
--
Tom H

He never said it was a dryer. At 50A, it would not be a dryer, but
might be a range. My guess is an electric kiln. If he hadn't called it
an "appliance" I would have guessed a welder.

Bob

What is it for? That kinda affect the answer...

In article , zxcvbob wrote:

That's not a 6-50P. NEMA 6-50 has parallel blades, similar to an
overgrown 15A 120V device. I think the one you referenced is a 10-50P cord.

Well, that's what comes up when you search Home Depot's site for 6-50. It's
kinda hard to tell from the photo which it is, though.

--
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?

"If you can't find 6-50 equipment for a
lot less than that, you haven't been looking very hard. You can buy a
6-foot cord with a 6-50 plug already molded on it for less than nine
bucks at Home Depot"

"range replacement cords" or "appliance replacement cords" are
[b:d0c61c15f8]much[/b:d0c61c15f8] cheaper than purchasing a separate
plug, cord, etc... i had no idea that such "replacement cords"
existed and therefore assumed that i would have to purchase the plug,
cord, etc. separately - that is why i posted that they were so
expensive.

[b:d0c61c15f8][i:d0c61c15f8]"The 6-50 and the 10-50 are both
three-conductor devices..."[/b:d0c61c15f8][/i:d0c61c15f8]

and, given this, can they i use either one assuming that the
manufacturer of my equipment recommends a 6-50? in other words, can i
use the third blade (pole) on the 10-50 as the ground? i ask because
the the 10-50 replacement cord is cheaper than the 6-50 and the 10-50
receptacle is considerably cheaper than 6-50 receptacle.

[b:d0c61c15f8][i:d0c61c15f8]"Electric kiln, welder, large electric
cooktop, or 7.5 HP electric motor?"[/b:d0c61c15f8][/i:d0c61c15f8]

commercial deep fryer...

---------------------------------------------------------

along the same lines, i have one more question that i would appreciate
your comments on:

along with installing the deep fryer (which will run 10 hours per
day), i will also be installing two other electrical appliances:

a flashbake oven rated as single phase, 240v, 42amp which came with a
6-50 plug and a panini grill rated as single phase, 230v 30amp which
came with a 6-30 plug.

since i will never use these two appliances at the same time, i was
hoping to install just one outlet which they would share. my plan was
to install a dedicated line with a 6-50 receptacle (50 amp circuit)
and change the 6-30 plug on the panini grill to a 6-50 plug. is it
safe to run a 30amp appliance off of a 50 amp dedicated circuit? my
electrician seems to think that i could easily damage my 30 amp
appliance if i do this.

------------------------------------------------------

thanks very much for your great responses,

robert

aeneas1 wrote:

"If you can't find 6-50 equipment for a
lot less than that, you haven't been looking very hard. You can buy a
6-foot cord with a 6-50 plug already molded on it for less than nine
bucks at Home Depot"

"range replacement cords" or "appliance replacement cords" are
[b:d0c61c15f8]much[/b:d0c61c15f8] cheaper than purchasing a separate
plug, cord, etc... i had no idea that such "replacement cords"
existed and therefore assumed that i would have to purchase the plug,
cord, etc. separately - that is why i posted that they were so
expensive.

[b:d0c61c15f8][i:d0c61c15f8]"The 6-50 and the 10-50 are both
three-conductor devices..."[/b:d0c61c15f8][/i:d0c61c15f8]

and, given this, can they i use either one assuming that the
manufacturer of my equipment recommends a 6-50? in other words, can i
use the third blade (pole) on the 10-50 as the ground? i ask because
the the 10-50 replacement cord is cheaper than the 6-50 and the 10-50
receptacle is considerably cheaper than 6-50 receptacle.

[b:d0c61c15f8][i:d0c61c15f8]"Electric kiln, welder, large electric
cooktop, or 7.5 HP electric motor?"[/b:d0c61c15f8][/i:d0c61c15f8]

commercial deep fryer...


Do you really need a cord-and-plug, or can you hardwire it?

There should be no problem unless the electrical inspector hates it.
("what if someone removes the deep fryer and replaces it with a 3-wire
clothes dryer?") The outlet is rated for 50A, and it's a dedicated circuit.


---------------------------------------------------------

along the same lines, i have one more question that i would appreciate
your comments on:

along with installing the deep fryer (which will run 10 hours per
day), i will also be installing two other electrical appliances:

a flashbake oven rated as single phase, 240v, 42amp which came with a
6-50 plug and a panini grill rated as single phase, 230v 30amp which
came with a 6-30 plug.

since i will never use these two appliances at the same time, i was
hoping to install just one outlet which they would share. my plan was
to install a dedicated line with a 6-50 receptacle (50 amp circuit)
and change the 6-30 plug on the panini grill to a 6-50 plug. is it
safe to run a 30amp appliance off of a 50 amp dedicated circuit? my
electrician seems to think that i could easily damage my 30 amp
appliance if i do this.


I might not leave a 30A appliance running unattended for hours on a 50A
circuit (if the appliance malfunctions and overheats I want the breaker
to trip, or I want to be there watching it to turn it off) but other
than that it will not hurt the grill to plug it into a 50A circuit.

Those big recepticles might not be made to plug and unplug them all the
time; the springy terminals might weaken and then overheat when you use
the higher wattage oven. This sounds like expensive equipment, and you
are trying to hard to save $10 by cutting corners on the installation.

My code book is out in the truck so I can't look up the special rules
for 50A and 60A circuits, but how about running a 60A branch circuit to
both appliances, and install a 30A fused switch for the grill?

Bob