Woodworking (rec.woodworking) Discussion forum covering all aspects of working with wood. All levels of expertise are encouraged to particiapte.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

i just got done wiring my garage and as we forgot to buy one, he just told
me to go buy one later and put in a 220V 30A outlet. we wired it to the
panel and all, just left the wires loose in the box which is located right
below the panel.

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong instead
of the white wire. his reasoning was that a loose copper wire in the box
could accidentally touch one of the lugs that was hot, but you could just
wire nut the neutral and it wont touch anything. this way i dont have to
trim off the copper ground wire and if i ever need to i can switch to a 4
prong outlet instead of a 3 prong one.

now i know how the neutral and the ground are related and connected, and i
dont see a problem. but im not an electrician.

so my question is, is the inspector gonna have a fit or is this a common
practice?

randy


  #2   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

sorry, meant to post on home.repair. but if anyone knows the answer, would
be appriciated.

randy

"xrongor" wrote in message
...
i just got done wiring my garage and as we forgot to buy one, he just told
me to go buy one later and put in a 220V 30A outlet. we wired it to the
panel and all, just left the wires loose in the box which is located right
below the panel.

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong

instead
of the white wire. his reasoning was that a loose copper wire in the box
could accidentally touch one of the lugs that was hot, but you could just
wire nut the neutral and it wont touch anything. this way i dont have to
trim off the copper ground wire and if i ever need to i can switch to a 4
prong outlet instead of a 3 prong one.

now i know how the neutral and the ground are related and connected, and i
dont see a problem. but im not an electrician.

so my question is, is the inspector gonna have a fit or is this a common
practice?

randy




  #3   Report Post  
Roy Smith
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

In article ,
"xrongor" wrote:

i just got done wiring my garage and as we forgot to buy one, he just told
me to go buy one later and put in a 220V 30A outlet. we wired it to the
panel and all, just left the wires loose in the box which is located right
below the panel.

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong instead
of the white wire.


What kind of receptacle did you put in? "220V 30A" could be one of
several. Take a look at http://www.quail.com/nema.cfm. The receptacle
you bought should have a NMEA number, something like 6-30R, 10-30R, etc.
They get wired up different ways. Without knowing which you put in,
it's impossible to tell if you did it right or not.
  #4   Report Post  
Scott Lurndal
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

"xrongor" writes:

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong instead
of the white wire. his reasoning was that a loose copper wire in the box
could accidentally touch one of the lugs that was hot, but you could just


Assuming a metal box, you must mechanically bond the grounding conductor
(the bare copper conductor) to the box itself. The grounded conductor
(the white or gray conductor) must _not_ be bonded to either the box or
the ground_ing_ conductor.

wire nut the neutral and it wont touch anything. this way i dont have to
trim off the copper ground wire and if i ever need to i can switch to a 4
prong outlet instead of a 3 prong one.


For a plastic box, you can either trim the grounding conductor if you are
sure that the recepticle you have doesn't need it, or tape it or leave it
alone (unconnected). Were it to contact a current carrying conductor,
the circuit breaker will trip, so taping it will prevent vibration from
causing any future problems.

I personally would not connect the grounded conductor and grounding conductor
together at the device under any circumstances, but especially if the device
is downstream from a subpanel (where it would be a code violation).

scott
  #5   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"xrongor" wrote:

i just got done wiring my garage and as we forgot to buy one, he just

told
me to go buy one later and put in a 220V 30A outlet. we wired it to the
panel and all, just left the wires loose in the box which is located

right
below the panel.

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong

instead
of the white wire.


What kind of receptacle did you put in? "220V 30A" could be one of
several. Take a look at http://www.quail.com/nema.cfm. The receptacle
you bought should have a NMEA number, something like 6-30R, 10-30R, etc.
They get wired up different ways. Without knowing which you put in,
it's impossible to tell if you did it right or not.


after doing research, it seems i have a 10-30R type outlet. i want it for a
welder/heater/general use in the shop. so it sounds like the way its wired
is with no neutral and the third prong is a ground.

since i already have the 4 wires there, maybe i should replace it with an
outlet that accepts all 4 directly. the box is all fiberglass and there is
NO metal strap or hole to put a ground screw into.

i guess what i really want to know comes down to this. given that i already
have the 4 wires going to the box, if not simply using the 10-30R wired with
a ground and no neutral, which type of outlet would be the best to install
here for a general use garage 220V outlet?

thx
randy




  #6   Report Post  
Roy Smith
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

"xrongor" wrote:
after doing research, it seems i have a 10-30R type outlet. i want it for a
welder/heater/general use in the shop.


I don't have that much experience with welders, but I believe 230V/30A
service is just not enough for anything but the smallest machines. I
would recommend you look up the specs for the unit you're thinking of
buying and see what it requires.

so it sounds like the way its wired
is with no neutral and the third prong is a ground.


My reading of the diagram is that the third pin should be connected to
the neutral (white), not ground (bare) wire.

i guess what i really want to know comes down to this. given that i already
have the 4 wires going to the box, if not simply using the 10-30R wired with
a ground and no neutral, which type of outlet would be the best to install
here for a general use garage 220V outlet?


Once you get past 115V/20A, things get a lot less standardized. I'm not
sure there is a good answer to your question. The real answer is "you
need whatever receptacle fits the plug on what you want to plug in". A
6-20R is probably the right thing for most 230V woodworking machinery in
the 2-3 HP range, accepting either a 6-15P or 6-20P plug. But that's
just a guess, not a promise.

When you get into industrial equipment, and really high power draw
things like electric dryers and stoves, arc welders, and space heaters,
you'll find that many things don't even come with cords. They come with
terminal blocks, with the expectation that you'll supply your own cord,
or perhaps hard-wire it.
  #7   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

i think this is the meat of the issue. put whatever outlet you need on it
g.

the plug i have is wired properly for the heater i have. i only plan on
using a small mig welder so ill worry about it when i get it. worst case,
ill wire up two outlets. i have plenty of capacity in the shop (100A main).
so for now i think im good.

thx mucho.

randy

Once you get past 115V/20A, things get a lot less standardized. I'm not
sure there is a good answer to your question. The real answer is "you
need whatever receptacle fits the plug on what you want to plug in". A
6-20R is probably the right thing for most 230V woodworking machinery in
the 2-3 HP range, accepting either a 6-15P or 6-20P plug. But that's
just a guess, not a promise.



  #8   Report Post  
DarylRos
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

Now a more important question is this: Why are you trying to do this yourself?
If you have to ask how to run a 30 amp line, then you are asking for a fire,
electrocution or worse. You mess witha 110 15A line you get a shock. You start
at 220, and you up the amperage, you are asking for major trouble. And more
buckes then you save.
  #9   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

if you think 220 is really that dangerous, you cant know that much yourself.
much of the cilvilzed world has 220 to the outlets just waiting for kids to
stick knives and screwdrivers into them. they survive.... for some reasons
americans are taught that 220v=instant death.

i know how electrons work, i dont know the CODE.

and daryl, im finding out that wiring a 10-30R with the ground connected to
the third prong of a 10-30R and the neutral taped up is actually a common
thing to do because a 10-30R costs less than a 14-30R and things like
heaters and welders dont use the neutral anyway.

but hey, thanks for the input!

randy

"DarylRos" wrote in message
...
Now a more important question is this: Why are you trying to do this

yourself?
If you have to ask how to run a 30 amp line, then you are asking for a

fire,
electrocution or worse. You mess witha 110 15A line you get a shock. You

start
at 220, and you up the amperage, you are asking for major trouble. And

more
buckes then you save.



  #11   Report Post  
Greg
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

Since the grounded (white) and grounding (green/bare) wires are electrically
connected at the panel - both are attached to the same
bus - why is it significant if they are also connected together downstream
from the panel. In theory, they will both be at the same
potential (ground) due to the panel connection.


If this branch circuit originated from the panel with the main bonding jumper
and they were on the same bus that would be technically true but if it was from
a sub panel where grounds and neutral are separate, there would be neutral
current flowing in the ground. There is also a violation when you parallel
small conductors but I won't kick that tar baby here.
Since 1996 neutrals and grounds are not supposed to be confused in receptacles.
The range and dryer exception went away then. They decided WWII was finally
over.
  #12   Report Post  
Charlie Mraz
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

I personally would not connect the grounded conductor and grounding
conductor
together at the device under any circumstances, but especially if the

device
is downstream from a subpanel (where it would be a code violation).

scott


Paraphrasing a sig. line I've seen here, "In theory, theory and practice

are the same. In practice, they're not." In that light, can
a knowledgeable electrician in the audience explain a practical reason for

the above practice being a code violation?

Since the grounded (white) and grounding (green/bare) wires are

electrically connected at the panel - both are attached to the same
bus - why is it significant if they are also connected together downstream

from the panel. In theory, they will both be at the same
potential (ground) due to the panel connection.

The neutral and ground should only be connected at *ONE* point, being the
busses in the breaker box. This is why subpanels have the two busses
separated. The ground conductor is for safety, and should not carry current
under normal circumstances. If you connect the ground and neutral at the
box, they will share the current roughly equally (assuming similar
resistance). Also, it can cause ground-loop noise, which is not a concern
for motors and lights and the like, but it could make for a very noisy
stereo system.

Charlie


  #13   Report Post  
Chipper Wood
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

FWIW.
The key is the voltage that will be used...... If all of the devices that
will be used are single voltage 240 V. Then the ground should be used on the
third connection. Fire Underwriters requires any electrical device with
metal parts that might become accidentally energized must be grounded. A
neutral is not an acceptable grounding conductor. A ground conductor shall
not be used as a neutral. If any device to be used is 120/240 V. Then the 4
wire outlet must be used.

Usually 240 V. outlets are for a single device and serve as a disconnect for
servicing or emergency of only one unit. The amperage rating is for maximum
current disconnect. ( of course use also.) If one is using the outlet for
multiple devices, it must conform to the grounding rules for each device
used.
--
Chipper Wood

useours, yours won't work



"xrongor" wrote in message
...
i just got done wiring my garage and as we forgot to buy one, he just told
me to go buy one later and put in a 220V 30A outlet. we wired it to the
panel and all, just left the wires loose in the box which is located right
below the panel.

the electrician told me to run the copper wire to the neutral prong

instead
of the white wire. his reasoning was that a loose copper wire in the box
could accidentally touch one of the lugs that was hot, but you could just
wire nut the neutral and it wont touch anything. this way i dont have to
trim off the copper ground wire and if i ever need to i can switch to a 4
prong outlet instead of a 3 prong one.

now i know how the neutral and the ground are related and connected, and i
dont see a problem. but im not an electrician.

so my question is, is the inspector gonna have a fit or is this a common
practice?

randy




  #14   Report Post  
Tom Veatch
 
Posts: n/a
Default electrical question on 30A outlet

Thanks, Greg and Charlie.

I think that puts the requirement on a more rational basis. And Greg, believe it or not, I'd already figured out a logical reason
for the "don't parallel small conductors". I'm planning to increase the branch to my shop from 60 to 100 amps when I enlarge it and
add on an equipment shed. The existing line won't handle the higher load so a new, larger (read as "more expensive") wire will have
to be laid.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS USA
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Electrical question - vac with power take-off mike UK diy 8 January 31st 04 09:16 PM
another electrical question alan UK diy 8 September 29th 03 01:11 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:49 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"