220v shop equipment

[Blazinzuk]

In wiring phase on my shop.

This is a minor fab/mechanical type shop. Not much woodworking and if I do get into that in the future, it will be in my garage not the shop.

The question is what 220v prices of equipment do you have? I currently only have my welder plasma cutter and air compressor. All which will be on dedicated circuits.

Only thing I can really think of is a big disc sander.

Any suggestions of other equipment that uses 220 that a small mostly hobby Fab shop needs lemme know. Would like to prewire for as much as possible

 

[koditten]

That's the same stuff I have running off 240v. I did cheat and install 1, extra plug per circuit. I've never tripped a breaker.

I have 3 circuits with 2 plugs. 3 walls have 2 plugs and in between my over head door there is 1 plug. Now that I think about it, there is 3 plugs on one of the circuits.

 

[GarageGuy89]

I have a 200amp welder, 2hp dust collector, and 5hp compressor, all on 220. I ran two 220 circuits, one 50 amp for the compressor and one 20 amp for everything else.

I strategically placed the compressor to be as close to the panel as possible to limit the length of 6 gauge wire as that ish is spendy. It is on a dedicated circuit and hard wired, since it is a 5hp.

The 20 amp 220 volt circuit has a plug on all four corners of the shop. This allows me to plug everything I need into it, and only requires 12 gauge wire. I don't run more than one 220 machine by myself so I have never tripped the breaker on 20 amps. I plan to add a 220 grinder, lathe, and mill. Until it pops a breaker I wont be installing a larger circuit. I have a 50 amp to 20 amp extension cord made up to plug my welder in to any wall of the shop.

If you want to spend the money on larger copper put in the 50 amp circuits, otherwise a 20amp is plenty for me as a hobby guy running one machine at a time. I think it will depend on your amp loading and more then one running at a time.

 

[longez]

230V 2-post Rotary lift
230V 7.5HP CP compressor
230V Miller Synchrowave 210 on a 50A circuit
230V disc/belt sander
230V Unisaw
230V Jet pedestal grinder
230V Big *** 14'ø ceiling fan

 

[jack stand]

Nothing wrong with several 220 outlets on the same breaker in a 1 man shop to save a few panel spaces and the cost of the wire. I made up a heavy extension cord to have some flexibility with the welder & plasma cutter. The compressor & iron worker are stationary.

 

[RWorth]

I wired my shop with 3/4" emt so mods would be easy later.

 

[matt_i]

A vertical or horizontal bandsaw ~could~ be 240vac but not for sure. Most would fall into the 120vac crowd.

If you ever got a mill and or lathe you would be likely shopping for 240vac outlets unless they are benchtop models.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Mill
Lathe
Two bandsaws
Blast cabinet blower
Lift table
Heat pump
2 Air compressors
2Welders
Plasma cutter
All are 240 volt

 

[jetnow1]

I ran a couple of dedicated 12 gage outlets that can easily be switched over to 240 volt if
my needs change down the road. They are not big enough for a 5 horse motor but will
be able to run most anything else I would ever get. Wire in larger sizes is expensive but
it is much cheaper to run when the walls are open.

 

[n20junkie]

I put 240v outlets down both main walls every 8 feet. Most are 30amp outlets for things like lathes and mills. A few are 50 amp (6ga wire that can be uprated for welders) for the smaller welders. Also I pre-wired for the lift and AC compressor.

Sure it took more breakers and a bit more wire, but options to move equipment around easily will make things easier when I am older and less motivated to string more wire because of machine additions or moves.

 

[Fix Until Broke]

If every outlet box is a "quad" (holds two standard 120v receptacles for a total of 4 places to plug something in) and you run three wires to each one (Red, Black & White), then any "quad" box can be either a pair of 120v circuits or a single 240 volt circuit.

Back at the breaker box, white goes to neutral, black and red go to breakers right next to each other.

With this setup, you have two separate 120v circuits in one box so you can wire one to each 120v receptacle for a "normal" 120v outlet and they will share a neutral wire.

When you have a 240v need at that location, just remove the two 120v receptacles and install a 240v one in the same box. The 220v is already there since the two 120v wires (black and red) are on opposite phases back in the breaker box (being on adjacent breakers) and you use the white for ground.

This is a bit more work/cost up front, but has more flexibility for future use wherever you want 240v.

 

[firebirdparts]

That's interesting.

I have mill, lathe, lift, compressor. If you are going to generate 3 phase, then you would have a separate consideration for machine tools (I do).

 

[jimindm]

If every outlet box is a "quad" (holds two standard 120v receptacles for a total of 4 places to plug something in) and you run three wires to each one (Red, Black & White), then any "quad" box can be either a pair of 120v circuits or a single 240 volt circuit.

Back at the breaker box, white goes to neutral, black and red go to breakers right next to each other.

With this setup, you have two separate 120v circuits in one box so you can wire one to each 120v receptacle for a "normal" 120v outlet and they will share a neutral wire.

When you have a 240v need at that location, just remove the two 120v receptacles and install a 240v one in the same box. The 220v is already there since the two 120v wires (black and red) are on opposite phases back in the breaker box (being on adjacent breakers) and you use the white for ground.

This is a bit more work/cost up front, but has more flexibility for future use wherever you want 240v.

You could use the white for ground in a 240v application. But you had better add a fourth ground wire in there when putting in new. To get the 120v you will need, or should want a ground.

I am sure some one will say you can just run the common and ground on same wire, But I would want a dedicated ground in a 120 setting.

 

[marinusdees]

A few years back, I was fishing in Baja. A couple of Mexicans were welding on a home made portable fishing pier that was put in and out of the water with a big front loader. I was curious as to how they had accessed 240 volts. Turns out they had two 120 volt cords run from two receptacles on opposite sides of the bus. Voila! Two hots = 240 volts. Why didn't I think of that??
Do you think OSHA would approve??

 

[metalmagpie]

Phase converter (to generate 3 phase power)
Single phase 220 machines:
air compressor
2x72" belt grinder
welder
plasma cutter
spot welder
3 phase 220v machines
mill
lathe
ironworker
10" pedestal grinder

House has 2 200A panels.
Go big or go home.

metalmagpie

 

[Norcal]

You could use the white for ground in a 240v application. But you had better add a fourth ground wire in there when putting in new. To get the 120v you will need, or should want a ground.

I am sure some one will say you can just run the common and ground on same wire, But I would want a dedicated ground in a 120 setting.

If you want to comply with code that is not permitted.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I have a 200amp welder, 2hp dust collector, and 5hp compressor, all on 220. I ran two 220 circuits, one 50 amp for the compressor and one 20 amp for everything else.

I strategically placed the compressor to be as close to the panel as possible to limit the length of 6 gauge wire as that ish is spendy. It is on a dedicated circuit and hard wired, since it is a 5hp.

The 20 amp 220 volt circuit has a plug on all four corners of the shop. This allows me to plug everything I need into it, and only requires 12 gauge wire. I don't run more than one 220 machine by myself so I have never tripped the breaker on 20 amps. I plan to add a 220 grinder, lathe, and mill. Until it pops a breaker I wont be installing a larger circuit. I have a 50 amp to 20 amp extension cord made up to plug my welder in to any wall of the shop.

If you want to spend the money on larger copper put in the 50 amp circuits, otherwise a 20amp is plenty for me as a hobby guy running one machine at a time. I think it will depend on your amp loading and more then one running at a time.

#6 is way overkill for 5HP. How did you come up with needing #6 wire?

For 5HP, max wire you need is #10 THHN or 8/2 NM-b...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A few years back, I was fishing in Baja. A couple of Mexicans were welding on a home made portable fishing pier that was put in and out of the water with a big front loader. I was curious as to how they had accessed 240 volts. Turns out they had two 120 volt cords run from two receptacles on opposite sides of the bus. Voila! Two hots = 240 volts. Why didn't I think of that??
Do you think OSHA would approve??

Has NOTHING to do with OSHA approval.

Obviously its NOT NEC code permissable...