110/220 tools?

[nicobkn]

Hello guys

How does 120/220 equipment actually works?? ie: compressor, scissors lifts.

I will be redoing all the electricity in my garage and I'm ordering a scissors lift and might get a 220v compressor in the future. I'm going to run a 30a with a 10awg cable for the lift. Now the questions is, how am i supposed to plug the lift into the wall? What kind of receptacle do i need? Can anyone provide me with pictures & specifications please?

Thank you very much

 

[Speedy Petey]

Only you will know the specifications of the lift. If you don't know the specs why are you running the wire?

120V loads require a hot conductor and a neutral conductor.
240V loads require two hots, but no neutral.
All circuits require a ground.
120/240V loads are those that have both 120v and 240v loads in the same appliance. An electric dryer or range is are examples.

None of this touches on amperage. Amperage is the draw a load pulls with relation to voltage. A 10A load @ 120V is half the raw of a 10A load @ 240V.
This can be explained in wattage.
A 10A 120V load is 1200 watts.
A 10A 240V load is 2400 watts.

Clear as mud?


I have to frankly say, if you do not even know the difference between 120V and 240V, do you honestly think you are qualified or experienced enough to redo all the wiring in your garage???
Electrical work is far more than connecting wire A to wire B, and so on.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Go easy Pete! LoL, just kidding! His question "how does 120v/240v equipment work" sums it all up. And nominal voltage is 120v/240v NOT 110v/220v or 120v/220v!

To the OP: I would put in a subpanel with a higher amperage service as you can't have more than one circuit ran to an outbuilding/garage. 30a might not be enough for a lift and a compressor much less anything else such as a welder, etc.

 

[rancherbill]

What kind of receptacle do i need? Can anyone provide me with pictures & specifications please?

Thank you very much

 

[bcradio]

120/240V loads are those that have both 120v and 240v loads in the same appliance. An electric dryer or range is are examples.

Don't get it??? Are you talking dual voltage units that can work on either or?

Never heard of something running on 120v and 240v at the same time. Do they have transformers built in or converters?

 

[Speedy Petey]

Don't get it??? Are you talking dual voltage units that can work on either or?

Never heard of something running on 120v and 240v at the same time. Do they have transformers built in or converters?

It's not that they work on either, it's that they work on both, only different things within the units. No transformers or converters.

Like an electric dryer will have a 120V motor, light bulb, timer and a 240V heating element. All wired within the unit.

 

[Norcal]

Then you have inverter machines that automatically switches between different voltages & single & 3Ø power supplies without the installer having to do anything but connect the leads to a power source, the Miller Dynasty welder is one such machine.

 

[ddawg16]

For the record....it's actually 120Vac, not 110Vac.....conversely, 240Vac, not 220Vac....give or take a couple of volts....

 

[Nostraquedeo]

For the record....it's actually 120Vac, not 110Vac.....conversely, 240Vac, not 220Vac....give or take a couple of volts....

The voltage source is 120 or 240, but the tools very well may be rated for 110 or 220. I think they do this, so that the equipment runs properly if any voltage drop is present. Same with 480 volt source and 460 volt equipment.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Don't get it??? Are you talking dual voltage units that can work on either or?

Never heard of something running on 120v and 240v at the same time. Do they have transformers built in or converters?

As Pete mentioned, the controller on a stove for instance will use 120 volts and the heating element will be 240. That is why you will typically find a neutral connection on this type of equipment.

 

[nicobkn]

hello everyone,

well it looks like some of you didn't really get what my question was or perhaps I was not clear enough.

the question is: why are some compressors rated for 120 &240v? do they come with a 120v or 240v plug ?

I will be buying a scissor lift that is also rated for 120/240. The guy on the phone said that it works perfeclty fine on 120 but they recommend having it on a 240v circuit. Since I'm getting new electricity done in the garage I'd like to put a 240v for the lift. Again most people run these in 120v with no issues

 

[Rigpig]

yup, the motor leads internally are wired for both configurations, you or the electrician making the connection will connect the leads to one 120volt leg a neutral and a ground, or two 120 volt legs and a ground for 240v. Pretty straight forward. I personally would wire it 240, but have a look at the panel and make sure you have space for a two-pole breaker first.
Cheers!

 

[ishiboo]

hello everyone,

well it looks like some of you didn't really get what my question was or perhaps I was not clear enough.

the question is: why are some compressors rated for 120 &240v? do they come with a 120v or 240v plug ?

I will be buying a scissor lift that is also rated for 120/240. The guy on the phone said that it works perfeclty fine on 120 but they recommend having it on a 240v circuit. Since I'm getting new electricity done in the garage I'd like to put a 240v for the lift. Again most people run these in 120v with no issues

Power is voltage times amperage = watts (a simplification with AC but the math is close.) So, something that can run on either 120v or 240v and provide the same output will use 1/2 the amperage on 240v as it will on 120. Therefor, the wire size required will be smaller for the same load.

Some equipment will be limited by the lower operating voltage. IE, as Norcal mentioned a welder (or my plasma cutter for example) will use a transformer that will automatically switch between the two (an inverter can probably do anything between or anywhere near as well). However, the maximum power of the machine cannot be used unless it is on the higher voltage.

For a lift, this means it may be designed to operate slower.. perhaps not a big deal. But on a plasma cutter, it can mean half the cut capacity is unavailable on the lower voltage.

The plug will be dependent on how you wire things and which you select. You need to know the amperage required at each voltage of this equipment before you make any decisions. If 240v is available, it will be best to install that. If it is a fixed piece of equipment it will be less expensive to hard wire the lift and not use a plug/receptacle whatsoever.

To answer your plug question - much of the larger equipment like welders, lifts and compressors does NOT come with a plug at all... it's up to the user to install it. On my plasma cutter, I installed a twist-lock (not pictured in the table above) for 240v usage as I was using it mostly with my generator, and I also had a pig tail to use it on 120v... most other people would likely be best off with a straight blade plug.