220V Switch

[Bustedwheel]

This is not really garage related, but the same principals may apply. I am looking to put a normal wall switch to turn off power to my range in the kitchen.

It has front controls on it with no control locks, and our little guy will be able to reach them pretty soon (We bought the range pre-kids, so didn't even cross our minds)

In reading some of the posts on compressor switches, could I use something like this?

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LEVITON-Wall-Switch-2WEU3?Pid=search

I like the idea it is lighted so it is obvious if it is on/off.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Probably not big enough - an electric stove is generally on a 40 or 50 amp circuit, that switch is only 30 amps. I don't think you're going to find a regular light switch -style switch with a big enough ampacity.

 

[jeff000]

Your best option will be to have a switch control a contactor, the contactor could be right by the panel, just pull the cable out of the panel into the contactor and then get a small cut off to go from the other side of the contactor to the breaker in the panel, so when your kid is old enough to not need the switch changing it back will be simple.

Could use a 12v switch even if you wanted.

 

[FluxCore]

Ditto on the contactor.

You need a 250/240 VAC 50 amp 2 pole contactor with either a 110VAC coil, or a 24VAC coil.

The coil is what is switched...when energized, it closes the high amp contacts, so power to range only flows thru contactor contacts and NOT wall switch.

There is usually room inside range to mount both the transformer and contactor...If you go with a 110 VAC contactor coil you won't need a transformer, just feed if off one one the legs of the 220 going to range.


With either 110 or 24 volt contactor, a typical lighted wall swich will be fine.

If you go 24VAC, you will need a 110v to 24v transformer like used on your air conditioning thermostat controls..In fact both the contactor and transformer can be had readily and cheap enuff at a A/C supply house.

If you go 24v, you can feed the switch with small gauge wire, like bell wire....If you go 110v, the switch leg wiring needs to be at least 14AWG.

Either way, it is VERY simple to wire it all up....Configure it to where the switch interrupts wire going to coil of contactor.

 

[FluxCore]

Here is my shop heater showing the 250v 50A contactor and transformer I'm wiring up as I type this.....I'm using a 24V contactor coil because I will use a cheap thermostat to control it.

The contactor in on the bottom right, and the transformer above it.

The light orange wire is 110V feed to tranformer off one leg of the contactor. The brown and bright orange wires are the 24V wires that will go to the thermostat.

The 4 wires coming out of bottom of contactor are the heating coils and fan leads.

The white is neutral that will be bonded to the bare of the 10/2, then bare will return to breaker panel where it is bonded to all whites.

Heater also has a high limit switch you can't see, that HS switch along with the thermostat will interrupt 24 v coil signal if required. The high limit switch and thermostat are wired in series.

You can't see the high limit switch to the right, but you can see the two black leads going to it....All that's left in this pic is to feed 10/3 with bare into top(line) terminals of contactor, and a single light gauge wire back from thermostat to spade terminal on coil..It's a line voltage 240V tstat I got for free with only 2 poles, so I'll feed it 24V cause it ain't rated to pass full current of heater....the high limit switch is also 240v rated but it don't care if it's looped in a 24v circuit...it will open if tstat fails, or fan fails and protect heater from overheating

 

[Alchymist]

The white is neutral that will be bonded to the bare of the 10/2, then bare will return to breaker panel where it is bonded to all whites.

It appears that your heater is fed with 2 hot and a ground. If no neutral is included in the feed, you cannot (legally) use the ground as the neutral return for your transformer. Just sayin.....

 

[Aceman]

It has front controls on it with no control locks, and our little guy will be able to reach them pretty soon (We bought the range pre-kids, so didn't even cross our minds)

Are they knobs? Can you just remove them when you're not using the stove?

 

[FluxCore]

It appears that your heater is fed with 2 hot and a ground. If no neutral is included in the feed, you cannot (legally) use the ground as the neutral return for your transformer. Just sayin.....

LOL, just checkin to see if anyone caught that

I'll be using 10/3 with ground with bare going to case ground(green nut in pic).

It's only a 8 ft run so I'm sure I got some layin around.

He will run into same thing in his oven.

Oh, also for clarity, the light orange goes to black on the transformer
(it's wirenutted behind transformer so you can't see it)..I'll shrink wrap it black.

 

[FluxCore]

Oh, for the OP.....You can use a 3 phase, 3 pole contactor, just wire to and from only 2 of the poles for range line and load.....the 3rd pole can be left unused or can be a totally separate load that you need switched(as long as it's 110V)

 

[Bustedwheel]

I like to contactor Idea. I was talking to someone about it this morning, and he has one wired up to his hot tub. He actually uses a wireless switch from pico to control it.
Sounds pretty slick.

I talked to my electrician about it last night as this is a little over my head. He said it was no big deal at all. This morning he stopped by and dropped off these.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00068O22S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Smart as$.

 

[jeff000]

Lol. That would be the most cost effective for sure.