Help wiring an hour meter and a compressor please
- Thread starter Xicaque
- Start date
sberry
Banned
That is a really nice comp and in a home garage will have a long service life maintained or not, as long as it doesn't leak the oil out. The only reason I spout off in a thread like this is,,, there is a natural tendency to get too complicated ,, and it doesn't help, already running in to issues and it isn't installed yet.
You have a situation that is already ideal, its 10 ft from the panel, it doesn't get any better and the big reason to have an extra disconnect is a serviceman safety when its located remotely and out of sight of the panel.
You have a situation that is already ideal, its 10 ft from the panel, it doesn't get any better and the big reason to have an extra disconnect is a serviceman safety when its located remotely and out of sight of the panel.
I think Chuck's on to it now, the safest way to power that hour meter is to pull a 120v ckt from the panel with your feed wires. Then run it through the NO contacts on the auxillary contact block. That is, assuming you are going to pipe it. In which case be sure to flex from the disconnect to the compressor, or you'll rattle everything apart.
I believe you are referring to the other pic if I understand your comment above...
I am thinking of going this route (the first pic). Anything "bad or wrong" with this approach? Since I've been called an amateur when it comes to electric jobs, I do stick to code like flies on sheet.
I am using flex already like you have suggested. Thanks for your input.Service disco box...Neutral leg not in place yet... Can I terminate that neutral leg where the ground is? In the main house panel, I am seeing ground and neutral wires terminated to the same bar.
[/URL][/IMG]
Got to go to the store to get a lug to properly terminate the ground...
[/URL][/IMG]
Got to go to the store to get a lug to properly terminate the ground...
Last edited:
Aceman
Well-known member
Search fleebay for REDINGTON-722-0004-Hour-Meter-AC-Quartz/ since the link did not work.
Where exactly from the following pictures do I wire the hour meter to? I am not an electrician as you can tell but can follow directions quite well.
[/URL][/IMG]
That hour meter will work fine. It's rated for 90-264 volts. You don't need to pull a neutral or any other wires.
To wire it, take one lead from the hour meter and land it on the A2 terminal with the other red wire. Ideally, you'd land the other hour meter lead on the A1 terminal, but since there are already two wires under that screw I would land the hour meter lead on the NO terminal #43 immediately to the right of the A1 terminal.
Make sense?
jayrush13
Well-known member
As far as I can see you have no HOA switch so if you shut off your "service disconnect " which if your panel is 10' away and in sight your disconnect you put is useless and redundant. So if you shut it off then your compressor leaks air out when you turn it on it will power up the whole setup under full load which it is not designed for. In which case the breaker will wear out and fail eventually
Actually the 'service disconnect' pictured is a switch and not a breaker. I have the same one.
Switch info
lg
no neat sig line
sberry
Banned
Aceman tells you how to wire the meter. I figured maybe someone would get to it eventually and you could probably switch a control wire to turn it on and off.
Ace and Norcal could probably tell us about breakers as switches, I got a plug in to mine, they are smaller units but this nice new unit would be started once, big difference in using something on occasion and as a daily on off under load. Turn the main valve off and likely could come back weeks to a tank of air.
Personally would put a ball valve on the drain and could plumb at will downstream and a valve for a main, shove it to where it sits, Jbox and a piece of flex, wire nut it to the supply wire. Once its full of air its a done deal. Can work on it at any time by switching breaker off.
Ace and Norcal could probably tell us about breakers as switches, I got a plug in to mine, they are smaller units but this nice new unit would be started once, big difference in using something on occasion and as a daily on off under load. Turn the main valve off and likely could come back weeks to a tank of air.
Personally would put a ball valve on the drain and could plumb at will downstream and a valve for a main, shove it to where it sits, Jbox and a piece of flex, wire nut it to the supply wire. Once its full of air its a done deal. Can work on it at any time by switching breaker off.
jayrush13
Well-known member
regardless if its a switch or breaker it doesn't need to be there and is not ment to switch a motor under load thats what the starter is for
But to each there own if you want to wear a belt with suspenders that's fine
sberry
Banned
Its not going to hurt anything.
jayrush13
Well-known member
No it won't hurt having 2 disconnects in the same circuit to the same unit
But using a switch to switch a load like that it will eventually fail. In a normal home shop it might not be used enough to ever wear out. But if I where going to buy a compressor for 2k-3k and go through the trouble to add a hour meter I would do it right and put a HOA switch instead of 2 disconnects. But like I said to each there own
But using a switch to switch a load like that it will eventually fail. In a normal home shop it might not be used enough to ever wear out. But if I where going to buy a compressor for 2k-3k and go through the trouble to add a hour meter I would do it right and put a HOA switch instead of 2 disconnects. But like I said to each there own
jayrush13
Well-known member
You could put it anywhere they make small inclosures to put them in or you could put it on the side of the starter inclosures
You could also just use a switch to inturupt the control wire and use that to "shut down your compressor
IT's ALIVE!!!!
[/URL][/IMG]
Thanks to everyone who contributed with this fun project. It is very quiet and tolerable to work next to it. The vid does not do justice!
Quincy rocks!
How can I add video???
I now need help with the regulators! Keep it all 3/4 or downsize to 1/2? I am confused
Thanks to everyone who contributed with this fun project. It is very quiet and tolerable to work next to it. The vid does not do justice!
Quincy rocks!
How can I add video???
I now need help with the regulators! Keep it all 3/4 or downsize to 1/2? I am confused
Last edited:
soj
Well-known member
jayrush, a question about interrupting that control wire. This is what I want to do to control a compressor installed in a small attached room on the outside of my shop. I want to turn it off as I leave the shop, and don't want to use the breaker to do so. It is not convenient to get to, and it is not meant to be a daily use switch. I want a switch by the door so it will be convenient and easy to remember to do as I leave the shop. Can that wire be extended away from, and out of sight of the compressor, without any additional circuit protection?
Sorry for the hi-jack, but the answer could help the op, as well as others.
jp
At present the control wire is about 12" of extension cord between the starter box and the pressure switch. Can that be replaced with wire in conduit to a remote on/off switch, using only the 40A two pole breaker that protects the compressor wiring to protect that switch loop? Or would it require a fuse or inline breaker sized to protect 12 or 14 gauge wire?
jayrush13
Well-known member
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
Great to see it all works!
Enjoy.
Charles
Enjoy.
Charles
I hate to dig up an old thread, but I am about to order a new Quincy compressor for my home shop, and while I was researching compressors I thought I had come up with a novel idea which was to add an hour meter to it. I am happy to have found this thread and have someone else's experience to use for my install. Just an FYI: Some of the photo links are no longer working Xicaque.
I plan to use the same hour meter, can you possibly post an image that shows how you finally ended up wiring it? Also, possibly some info on the small enclosure that you installed it in?
Thanks a million!
I plan to use the same hour meter, can you possibly post an image that shows how you finally ended up wiring it? Also, possibly some info on the small enclosure that you installed it in?
Thanks a million!
WOW! That was a fast response to an old thread! I am currently in CO, moving to CA within ~2 months.
I am very heavily leaning toward the Quincy 2V41C60VC, have not yet placed an order though, I might have to wait until I get out to CA.
Thanks Xicaque
I am very heavily leaning toward the Quincy 2V41C60VC, have not yet placed an order though, I might have to wait until I get out to CA.
Thanks Xicaque
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
FYI- When wiring a motor circuit such as a compressor, here are some things to keep in mind.
Wire is sized at 125% of FLC in NEC tables.
Breaker can be sized at max 250% of FLC.
Disconnect is required if machine is not within 50' and in sight of breaker panel.
A starter is required if the pressure switch isnt rated for the HP rating of the motor.
An overload relay or overload heater is required if the motor doesnt have integral overload protection.
Wire is sized at 125% of FLC in NEC tables.
Breaker can be sized at max 250% of FLC.
Disconnect is required if machine is not within 50' and in sight of breaker panel.
A starter is required if the pressure switch isnt rated for the HP rating of the motor.
An overload relay or overload heater is required if the motor doesnt have integral overload protection.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
A HOA (Hand-Off-Automatic) is not a thing to be used on a compressor.
If you put it on the Hand (manual) setting the motor would continuously run, and the pressure switch would be cut out of the circuit.
A simple On/Off switch would suffice
If you put it on the Hand (manual) setting the motor would continuously run, and the pressure switch would be cut out of the circuit.
A simple On/Off switch would suffice
Last edited:
Thanks, it`s great to be part of this forum.
I`m not sure why myself, all the photos I saw of them had that wire.
I had a start issue with mine when there was air in the tank, turns out it was the amperage dial on the overload relay. It was set on 27, I turned it up just after the 32 mark like where yours is set and that solved that problem. I`m not sure how to read that dial the markings on it are not spaced apart even.
If you don`t mind me asking where did you purchase your hour meter and did you install an On/Off switch?
I`m not sure why myself, all the photos I saw of them had that wire.
I had a start issue with mine when there was air in the tank, turns out it was the amperage dial on the overload relay. It was set on 27, I turned it up just after the 32 mark like where yours is set and that solved that problem. I`m not sure how to read that dial the markings on it are not spaced apart even.
If you don`t mind me asking where did you purchase your hour meter and did you install an On/Off switch?
That's great that you've got it going. Did it come like that from factory? Or did someone mess with the settings??
The dial was purchased on eBay. Search for the exact model as I posted at the start of this tread. The box I got at lowes or Home Depot. Where are you located?
The dial was purchased on eBay. Search for the exact model as I posted at the start of this tread. The box I got at lowes or Home Depot. Where are you located?
Last edited:
It came like that from the factory. I have an Eaton breaker box for the compressor but was wondering if you installed a normal on/off toggle switch on your magnetic starter box, I wanted to install one for the compressor instead of having to use the breaker all the time.
I`m from Trinidad in the caribbean.
I`m from Trinidad in the caribbean.