250 V 50 A sockets

[Adam McLaughlin]

Hi Guys

Can someone post a PICTURE of what several 250 V 50 A sockets should look like in a row on the wall?

I have double gang 125 V 20 A sockets every second stud, wanted to do the same for the 250 V 50 A stuff BUT need an example of what this should look like. My drywall friends told me that I should put the 250 V stuff much lower on the wall, but I do like the running strip look that you get with the electrical sockets all in a row.

Is there are rhyme or reason as to what the 250 V stuff should be regarding height above the ground?

Pics Pics Pics from fellow socket lovers

Adam

 

[Gregishome]

One reason for electricians favoring lower mounted, higher amperage outlets is they usually get heavy cords plugged in to them. The higher above the floor the outlets are installed in the wall, the more weight and strain the heavy cords place on the receptacle when they are plugged in. jmo

 

[Speedy Petey]

A 240v receptacle is no different from a 120v receptacle in this respect. I'm not sure why you think there is a difference.

 

[Socophreak]

The 6-50 will just be larger than a 5-15. It will have the same prong configuration.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

Well... how in the heck am I supposed to fit in two pieces of 8/3 w/ ground, wire nuts, and have a pigtail to still connect the 250 V 50 A sockets? That deep 4-11/16" box feels really cramped really quickly!

Adam

 

[rodm1]

Get a 42.0 Cubic Inch and or box extension then. If you fold the wire right you can cram quit a bit into those boxes.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/RACO-Square-Box-3LN25

 

[-JP]

Where did you get them there electric sockets?

Are they Craftsmen, Kobalt, Snap-On or what?

 

[rlitman]

Well... how in the heck am I supposed to fit in two pieces of 8/3 w/ ground, wire nuts, and have a pigtail to still connect the 250 V 50 A sockets? That deep 4-11/16" box feels really cramped really quickly!

Adam

It's really not that bad. Try it with a three phase, 5 wire connection. I do those occasionally at work (although mostly 20A L21-20C as a 5 wire, and 3 phase 4 wire CS receptacles at 50A).

One option, is to go with locking plugs, put the box on the wall, and drop a short length of SO cord from it (maybe a foot) with the locking receptacle on the end hanging from a squeeze connector. That leaves no stress on the cord.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

OK, well... am I setting this up right?

 

[WhoWhatNow]

What are you planning on plugging into this circuit? For home garages I assumed that you typically run one 220V line of each piece of equipment. This helps ensure that you do not overload the circuit by having two things plugged in at once. For instance a 30amp welder and a 5hp compressor. Even if the circuit is sized for each individually if the compressor kicks on when the welder is on you may pop the circuit.

That said, it does look like you are doing it correctly. It is going to be a pain in the **** getting the lines and pigtails in there. When I did my 50amp welding circuit with 6/2 I skipped the pigtails. It’s not code but it works fine for me. I also put a box extender on to give me a little more depth in the box. You will need to set your boxes back a little further to compensate for the extra depth. As fare as height, I put the 220V at the same height as my 120V outlets. I don’t leave my welder plugged in so I don’t think the weight of the cord is a huge issue.

 

[Speedy Petey]

OK, well... am I setting this up right?

Those boxes are NOT big enough, and why did you use 6/3?? Why not 6/2?

 

[Speedy Petey]

It’s not code but it works fine for me.

I love it when people say things like this. I just shake my head and laugh.

 

[rlitman]

Those boxes are NOT big enough

That's the first thing that came to my mind. With that much romex in a box, I'd want the ones that are twice as deep as that.

 

[-JP]

I love it when people say things like this. I just shake my head and laugh.

His entire message is just pure genius.

 

[Steevo]

When I did mine, I used the deeper 2-gang metal boxes, set them back farther into the wall, and added box extensions to the front to give me plenty of room to handle the 8g wire in them behind the receptacles.
It is still a PIA to manage the wires in there.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

I am using 8/3 because that is what was gifted to me; I didn't have to pay anything for it.

I'll swoop up some box extenders today; see if I can get most of this wrapped up if possible.

I have so many sockets for convenience; the air compressor and hot tank goes outside BUT the welder lives inside the garage. I turn on the welder once every year, the air compressors almost every day and the hot tank every week.

I ran a circuit breaker to each wall, i.e. south wall gets one breaker, east wall gets one breaker, north wall gets one breaker. really simple, nice and convenient.

All of the sockets are for convenience and easy of use - you guys are the LAST people whom I would ever have to convince of this! Ha Ha Ha

Adam