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dogdog

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Here are the specs for the Plasma Cutter. So, any if any experts can advise on the proper gauge wire and circuit breaker amp I'd appreciate it. Thanks alot everyone. Be safe

Sorry to inform you that plasma cutter CUT-50D is a piece of ****... but anyways... I have run it on a 12Ga 120V 20AMP and never pop a fuse...saying that... don't confuse the output current with the input current... seems like a lot of people here seems to think they have a 200Amp welder, they will needed a 2/0 1000 Gazilion amp breaker installed to run it.... weird... but sure.

not sure if it is still true, Canada stills runs 110/208 :) Not sure why... at least the last ElectroVblog guy says so...Don't get your ******* in a bunch....
 

teamextreme

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That spec sheet, like most, *****. You only need 2 values to figure out the proper circuit to run, voltage and input current and they give you a whole list of worthless specs and fail to give you input current. Then you're forced to calculate based on kVA, and assume what voltage (220, 230, 240?).
 

sberry

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The spec sheet pretty much claims that the machine needs 20+ amps. (4.8 kVA input, which is 20-22 amps depending on whether you have 220 or 240V coming in at the machine).

That means that the DEDICATED circuit feeding the plasma cutter needs to be at LEAST a 30 amp circuit.

And depending on the wire length between the breaker/panel and the outlet, that means at LEAST 10 AWG copper wire (unless you attempt to go with some duty-cycle undersizing allowance, but then you have to label that the circuit is DEDICATED to just that piece of duty-cycle limited equipment).

Me? I'd skip the fussing and just go with a 50 amp circuit and #8 AWG copper THHN/THWN (depending on circuit length, you might have to go up to #6 AWG copper) and put a NEMA 6-50 receptacle on it and call it done. This way you can use that plasma cutter or some other one of similar input power requirements, or a choice of decently sized 240V welders, or a decently sized compressor, or almost whatever home-shop 240V equipment you want to run off of that circuit.
It means at LEAST the wire listed for it at 30A. It would be 12 for 60%, the 200 migs allow 14. Some comps could use the same circuit but the recept is limited to 3 hp. It would allow all 50A welders on it but other 240 equipment may be circuit breaker limited, not all stuff runs on 240 can be connected to a 50A circuit.
Alfred is probably right but there is exception for welders that pull well above the 80%.
 

American Locomotive

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but anyways... I have run it on a 12Ga 120V 20AMP and never pop a fuse...saying that... don't confuse the output current with the input current.
Dual voltage plasma cutters (like the CUT-50) will limit input power when operating on 120v. That's why you don't pop any breakers.
Sorry to inform you that plasma cutter CUT-50D is a piece of ****...
CUT-50s are decent enough machines, and work quite well when fed with 240V.
 

dogdog

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Dual voltage plasma cutters (like the CUT-50) will limit input power when operating on 120v. That's why you don't pop any breakers.

CUT-50s are decent enough machines, and work quite well when fed with 240V.

LOL, still Rubbish Not because of COO, it's actually crapped out on me just sitting around for not being used for 3 or 4 years...:(.
... I have one laying around dead just from sitting around... but I got them 15+ years ago... when it first came out though... used a few times and bam.. dead as a door knob... too expensive to buy replacement mosfets and or send out to be repaired... cheaper than to buy another for $200-ish now... still rubbish...
FWIW... the seller was from Chicago, not an over seas seller...



BTW there was a group buy of this thing two or three years back here at GJ... I think some of those people can chime in a bit... from their experience... I am pretty sure it sucked as well....Not sure if you were one of the participants.

as far as OP's thing... 10 ga, 30 AMP 240 would be enough to run most welders without a finch... unless you are running that lincoln tomb stone stick welder transformer machine lol.... that is a beast...
 
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Lassen Forge

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Sorry to inform you that plasma cutter CUT-50D is a piece of ****... but anyways... I have run it on a 12Ga 120V 20AMP and never pop a fuse...saying that... don't confuse the output current with the input current... seems like a lot of people here seems to think they have a 200Amp welder, they will needed a 2/0 1000 Gazilion amp breaker installed to run it.... weird... but sure.

not sure if it is still true, Canada stills runs 110/208 :) Not sure why... at least the last ElectroVblog guy says so...Don't get your ******* in a bunch....

That Cut50 was worth what I paid for it... and it worked for a while after I did all the recommended upgrades. Got me thru one job, so I was happyish.

Someday I'll harvest that anchor for parts. :evil:

Funny... I've got #8 wire feeding my 220/230/240 outlet. The wire on my welder's #14.
You got your bases covered.
LOL no you didn't you forgot 208.....

No no no, it's 234.7 VAC... that's what my meter says on shore power. Of course, when I'm on generator it's 241 and change (depending on ambient temperature).

Unless it's the lights at the local shopping center, which runs on 277. Which is actually 276 and a dingus smidgen in a building they just tore down.

Anything else is wrong, wrong, wrong... so says the empress of electrical Doohickey Power supply thingamajigs... and because I live 4.3 miles from one generating station, and 12.7 from a distribution facility, what I say goes. Period.

:lol_hitti :shocking:
 

Norcal

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Sorry to inform you that plasma cutter CUT-50D is a piece of ****... but anyways... I have run it on a 12Ga 120V 20AMP and never pop a fuse...saying that... don't confuse the output current with the input current... seems like a lot of people here seems to think they have a 200Amp welder, they will needed a 2/0 1000 Gazilion amp breaker installed to run it.... weird... but sure.

not sure if it is still true, Canada stills runs 110/208 :) Not sure why... at least the last ElectroVblog guy says so...Don't get your ******* in a bunch....

110/208 is not possible with 110 line to neutral voltage it would be around 190V L to L. The line to line voltage is 1.73 X the line to neutral voltage. 208/120, 220/127, 480/277, 400/230, exist but not all in North America.
 
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moparkid440

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Thanks everyone for the responses. I realize the plasma cutter I'm borrowing isnt the greatest but I have a sheet of steel I dont need and would like to use it instead of just getting rid of it.

Couple questions.

I'll go with 30 amp fuse and 10 gauge wire...I realize 8 gauge may be better but is there a danger with using 10 gauge for this.?

Also, for most of these 250 volt plugs there is no green ground screw (obviously it just utilizes the neutral wire for the ground back from the outlet back to the panel. One of the outlets even said on the back, that it is not designed for grounding the outlet.
My question is why don't those outlets use a green ground ALSO, or at the very least ground it to inside of the metal box like im used to with the regular 120 volt outlets? Thanks. Alot.
 

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mike93lx

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No. You don't use the neutral as a ground. It should be two hots and a ground, no exceptions on modern equipment.

What plug is on the machine? I would guess 6-50.

10 gauge is plenty. No need for 8.
 

sberry

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The 10 wire is fine for this machine. It's at least a size bigger than the factory cord that comes on it. The outlet in the pic is not the right one for it. It will work but that is a neutral and is an old style electric dryer and the N is not bonded to the yoke,, the frame of the plug,, hence no ground screw. I have used them and if cable is used jump a wire to any metal box it may be in to bond it,,, but,,,,,, it should have a grounding type, 6 50 R.
 
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moparkid440

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Hey thanks for the reply. So that plug in the picture is the plug that my friend uses for the same plasma cutter that I am going to borrow. I asked him to send me a pic of the plug and outlet he uses for it and that's what he sent me. So now I'm having doubts on using it because of what you said.
Is there another outlet that would work with the plug for his plasma cutter? (pic below). That 6 50 R wont accept the plug unless I'm mistaken...I would like to use an updated grounded outlet for this. Thanks
 
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moparkid440

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Hey thanks for the reply. So that plug in the picture is the plug that my friend uses for the same plasma cutter that I am going to borrow. I asked him to send me a pic of the plug and outlet he uses for it and that's what he sent me. So now I'm having doubts on using it because of what you said.
Is there another outlet that would work with the plug for his plasma cutter? (pic below). That 6 50 R wont accept this plug unless I'm mistaken...I would like to use an updated grounded outlet for this. Thanks
 

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TRWham

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You could temporarily install a 10-30R receptacle at your new outlet for use with your friend's machine, then install a 6-x0R receptacle for use afterward. There is no real electrical difference if a 3 wire (2 hots plus ground) appliance is connected using a NEMA 10 receptacle with no neutral wire connected. There is no need for a neutral at the appliance and the equipment ground conductor is connected in the panel to the same ground bar it would be regardless.
 

sberry

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If this is wired to a 4 wire fed sub the center pole needs to be at the ground bar. On a main service the neutral bar or a ground bar if there is one. . Whoops, we say the same thing. Other than metal in the outlet it can be connected the same as the proper recept. The electric wont be able to tell the difference.
 
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brewchief

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What is the 6-x0R receptacle you mentioned before? I tried researching it but couldn't find it. Thanks

6-x0r could be a 6-30r or a 6-50r, I think he just used the x as a placeholder.

6-50r is the common plug supplied on a lot of welders.
 

TRWham

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What is the 6-x0R receptacle you mentioned before? I tried researching it but couldn't find it. Thanks

6-x0r could be a 6-30r or a 6-50r, I think he just used the x as a placeholder.

6-50r is the common plug supplied on a lot of welders.

Yes, the "x" is a wildcard. I meant you could install the appropriate NEMA 6 receptacle, they run from 15 to 50 A ratings, depending on your future needs.
 

wyliesdiesels

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Thanks everyone for the responses. I realize the plasma cutter I'm borrowing isnt the greatest but I have a sheet of steel I dont need and would like to use it instead of just getting rid of it.

Couple questions.

I'll go with 30 amp fuse and 10 gauge wire...I realize 8 gauge may be better but is there a danger with using 10 gauge for this.?

Also, for most of these 250 volt plugs there is no green ground screw (obviously it just utilizes the neutral wire for the ground back from the outlet back to the panel. One of the outlets even said on the back, that it is not designed for grounding the outlet.
My question is why don't those outlets use a green ground ALSO, or at the very least ground it to inside of the metal box like im used to with the regular 120 volt outlets?
Thanks. Alot.

That is the wrong outlet for 240v rated equipment.

What plug does the plasma cutter have on it? A 10-50p? That is old and obsolete. It should have a 6-30p or a 6-50p which ARE grounded outlets.
 
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