DIYbanter - Black&Red Hot Bare to case and Neurtal? Connecting my 240v welder

On 16 Dec 2004 19:01:10 -0800, "daveseshop"
wrote:

Hello I just cant come up with an the way to wire my welder a new
circuit my uncle started and didnt finish for a dryer. I purchased a
welder and noticed it would work on this circuit for intermittent not
full power use 50amp welder but 30 amp circuit its wired up 2 30/amp
breakers and 10/3 wire has been run.

The bare wire is grounded to the case and the red and black and white
are left, this is in my basement and have been told that all grounds
and neutrals connect to the same box in the main panel and its only
listed as 60/amp I know its an old house anyway.

The neutral (white wire) is bonded to the safety ground (bare or
green wires) inside the breaker panel or fusebox with the main
breaker/fuses. This also bonds the metal conduits that connect to the
box and run through the house.

The only reason they want to split the duties between the neutral
and ground wires is, they don't want anyone deliberately running any
120-volt-load return current through the ground (bare or green wires
or the conduit) like the oven or dryer light or timer, the ground wire
is meant for emergencies only. On old dryer and range receptacles
they allow it to be 'grandfathered', but not on new ones.

Inside the main panel only, the neutral bar is also the ground bar,
and you can land all white, green, and bare wires there. If there is
another breaker panel in the house as a sub-panel, that sub-panel
needs two separate bars - one for the neutral wires that is NOT bonded
to the breaker box can, and one for the ground wires that is bonded to
the can. You run separate ground and neutral wires from the main
panel to the sub-panel.

There is supposed to be a grounding conductor (wire) going from the
main panel to a ground rod or the reinforcing steel in the concrete
foundation, and a bond to the cold water pipes where they come into
the house. Newer houses also bond the natural gas pipes to the power
panel ground.

I have read about grounding to water pipes but dont get that so that
means the 3rd round prong intended to ground gets run right to any good
earth with a long pole or pipe?

All you have to do is run the ground from your welder receptacle
(the bare wire in Romex cable, or a green wire in conduit) to the
neutral/ground bar in the Main Panel.

The ground bonding that is already in the main panel will take it
from there - but you should look to make sure they installed it when
the house was built, and all the connections are tight. Some old
houses slipped through the cracks in the permit & inspection system,
and not having it properly bonded & grounded can be dangerous.

I am confused of were the recept. ground come from and goes to as I
dont want to mess with neutral if it will cause problems with rf noise
and ground loops please help
thanks
David

It sounds like you have a bigger problem - if the house only has a
60-amp main service and is bigger than a one-bedroom apartment it's
probably due for an upgraded main service panel. I'll bet you can't
spit without blowing the breaker. ;-)

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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