Another compressor wiring question

[malbojah]

As if there weren't enough on here already, here's mine:

220v compressor, wired up according to the diagram on the motor

But if I do that, the compressor sounds like it's fighting itself. I have it wired up like this and it works

It's been wired like this since I bought the motor and was wondering where I went wrong all those years ago.

Edit: after all these years, thinking that I bought a 5hp motor, turns out it's a 1.5 hp

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Cant quite tell but it doesnt look like u have it wired per the digram.

I assume youre running it at 240v since 220v is obsolete!

 

[malbojah]

Cant quite tell but it doesnt look like u have it wired per the digram.

I assume youre running it at 240v since 220v is obsolete!

Yeah, 240v. If I wiring up like the diagram for "Hi-Volt", the motor fights itself and goes nowhere.

 

[Zeke]

Look at the diagram. In both instances the Orange and Red are tied together with an additional wire. You missed that. 240v is Or, Rd and Wh

 

[Aceman]

1. Do you have the motor rotating the right direction?
2. When you power it up, with a meter insert the probes into the wirenuts and verify you are getting 240v.
3. Romex is not what you use to wire a compressor. Get some cord or flex/THHN and do it proper. AND GROUND IT BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELF!!

Look at the diagram. In both instances the Orange and Red are tied together with an additional wire. You missed that. 240v is Or, Rd and Wh

He has it wired for CW rotation Zeke, check the note at the bottom of the diagram.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Ok now that i look closer in better light i can see the blacks. Looks like its wired correctly. I second what aceman has said.

 

[malbojah]

Look at the diagram. In both instances the Orange and Red are tied together with an additional wire. You missed that. 240v is Or, Rd and Wh

Well I was about to argue with you about it (something about already trying it), but I took a breath and did it anyways and it works. Go figure. Now I need to get my pulleys lined up between the motor and the compressor.

AND GROUND IT BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELF!!

Take away all my fun

The ground wire is obstructed by one of the romex connectors. Just went back and checked it.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Well I was about to argue with you about it (something about already trying it), but I took a breath and did it anyways and it works. Go figure. Now I need to get my pulleys lined up between the motor and the compressor.



Take away all my fun

Did u not have the blk motor lead hooked to the wht/org?

 

[alfredeneuman]

You definitely ought to put some sort of cord connector in the sharp knockout of the terminal housing. It's a disaster waiting to happen

 

[bsaint]

Romex clamp?

 

[Zeke]

Romex clamp?

Well, I guess I was half right. But a Romex connector suggests that Romex is OK. I'm with the others that say to put THHN in flexible conduit with proper connections. Where is the switch or disconnect on this?

 

[bsaint]

Are you sure 220v is obsolete?

 

[malbojah]

Where is the switch or disconnect on this?

SquareD pressure auto/on/off switch right next to the motor

If guys want to see something scary, I should take a pic of the wiring job I did for the entire shed. Most (all) of you would petition to have me banned on general principle.

 

[Zeke]

SquareD pressure auto/on/off switch right next to the motor

If guys want to see something scary, I should take a pic of the wiring job I did for the entire shed. Most (all) of you would petition to have me banned on general principle.

Romex suggests hard wired. I've not seen too many plugs on the end of Romex although it's been done. The point is you have to have a disconnect other than the pressure switch and it needs to be within a sight line from the compressor and labeled if not painfully obvious.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Are you sure 220v is obsolete?

People still refer to it as 110/220 (or 115/230), but 120/240vac has been the nominal service voltage in the US since the early 1960s. However, it doesn't really matter what you call it, as everyone knows what you mean.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

People still refer to it as 110/220 (or 115/230), but 120/240vac has been the nominal service voltage in the US since the early 1960s. However, it doesn't really matter what you call it, as everyone knows what you mean.

However, 220v IS still used in other countries and sometimes people dont update their profile to include their locale so someone who 220v could very well mean220v...just sayin!

 

[alfredeneuman]

Well, I guess I was half right. But a Romex connector suggests that Romex is OK. I'm with the others that say to put THHN in flexible conduit with proper connections. Where is the switch or disconnect on this?

I didn't realize it was ROMEX , I just thought it was a yellow cord.

I agree with the others. It's got to go.

The household voltage in the US, Canada and Mexico is supplied 120/240 at 60 Hertz

In the Countries that use 220 all are supplied at 50 Hertz.

You couldn't just take a foreign appliance, change the plug, and expect to work.

 

[DC73]

People still refer to it as 110/220 (or 115/230), but 120/240vac has been the nominal service voltage in the US since the early 1960s. However, it doesn't really matter what you call it, as everyone knows what you mean.

Yep. Most people don't realize that power companies actually follow a standard for voltage delivery. I may have forgotten the exact number but I believe the acceptable voltage range is 108 - 132 (+/- 10% from nominal which is 120). Power companies don't like to supply power at the upper and lower end of the range and consider it acceptable only during abnormal system conditions.

One reason you hear 110 or 220 a lot is because old timers use that voltage to size equipment. Using 110/220 results in a higher amperage calculation which gives an additional margin of safety when actual voltage is closer to nominal. But it also means your equipment is sized correctly for those abnormal system conditions.

DC

 

[alfredeneuman]

Yep. Most people don't realize that power companies actually follow a standard for voltage delivery. I may have forgotten the exact number but I believe the acceptable voltage range is 108 - 132 (+/- 10% from nominal which is 120). Power companies don't like to supply power at the upper and lower end of the range and consider it acceptable only during abnormal system conditions.
DC

There's a rule called the "National Steady State Voltage Regulation Standards". It limits the voltage tolerance to +/- 5%.
It is 114 - 126 on a 120 volt circuit, and 228-252 on a 240 volt circuit.

 

[Aceman]

Here's the chart Alfred is referring to:

 

[malbojah]

he point is you have to have a disconnect other than the pressure switch and it needs to be within a sight line from the compressor and labeled if not painfully obvious.

Just to drive people up a wall (I'm good at it), here's my disconnect switch (sub panel)

If it wasn't for all the snow, it would be in my line of sight. Right now, I have 5ft snowbanks of the sides of my hoop house that I used for a garage.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

wtf

 

[C96]

Most (all) of you would petition to have me banned on general principle.

Hell, after this last picture your right, so…

 

[DC73]

There's a rule called the "National Steady State Voltage Regulation Standards". It limits the voltage tolerance to +/- 5%.
It is 114 - 126 on a 120 volt circuit, and 228-252 on a 240 volt circuit.

Correct. Thanks for refreshing my memory. The standard you referenced is for normal system conditions. The +/- 10% rule is only to be used during abnormal system conditions.

DC

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Doesn't look good to me. Orange, Brown, White and Red aren't even close to the diagram...

Tommy

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Doesn't look good to me. Orange, Brown, White and Red aren't even close to the diagram...

Tommy

Huh? what are u talking about?

 

[malbojah]

Huh? what are u talking about?

I think he's talking about my first post and skipping over #7 where i listened to Zeke and got the colors corrected

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I think he's talking about my first post and skipping over #7 where i listened to Zeke and got the colors corrected

Ok so i must be missing something. In your first pic, the wiring looks fine, unless black is missing from the wht/org wire nut...so what am i missing?

 

[malbojah]

Ok so i must be missing something. In your first pic, the wiring looks fine, unless black is missing from the wht/org wire nut...so what am i missing?

You're not missing anything. The first pix has the motor going clockwise, and I put it hack to counter-clockwise. I'm still unsure which way the compressor should be turning.

 

[alfredeneuman]

You're not missing anything. The first pix has the motor going clockwise, and I put it hack to counter-clockwise. I'm still unsure which way the compressor should be turning.

A Freudian Slip perhaps?

 

[malbojah]

A Freudian Slip perhaps?

In my case, everything is inferred as being intentional.

 

[sberry]

Boosting the voltage a pinch actually added another margin of safety for added equipment and to wire size. Same wattage, less amps. We see this with welding machines, the conductor is good for 100 ft of 208 its going to be absolutely fine at 50 ft of 240, we don't need to apply a lot of complicated math to add a little pinch of margin. I don't always upsize the wire a couple code classes.
Millions of simple welding circuits were installed with a 10 cable a few ft from a fuse box with 50A thru the range side in small garages.
I am sure it has happened, probably equally with other shoddy practice but I never seen a welder or a comp burn up a 10 cable or cords.
I am sure there are good reasons for derating a cable, probably partially to wire method but a range on full bore wont warm an 8. When a range really did require a 6 voltage was 220 and wire coatings had not evolved. Even a welder on old shady service used to pull 43, now 40 or 41. 5 or 6% less than when NYC rated 10 for 30A back in the day. It helped the cord that comes on it even a bit more by reducing current and increasing voltage.
If they would have left it 220 would have had to replace a lot of service wire for every upgrade.
Now what passes for energy efficient is simply a peak reduction, in plumbing it is the low flow head but stuff in general lights and circuits is easier on the wire.

 

[sberry]

Remember when one used to get scalded when someone flushed, now not ever with low flow stools, bringing on a gallon over a minute is way less demanding than a surge of 5, barely loads a pipe, very little pressure drop. Same for the shower, got a low flow head, 1/2 the drop, holds better line and system pressure especially on trunk and branch and even more so for shared lines.

 

[bsaint]

Haha I knew if I asked about 220 it would've invoked a bunch of replies. It doesn't matter what you call it, its just nominal voltage. If the outlet on my house read 250v or 219v, I would call it 230.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Huh? what are u talking about?

I think he's talking about my first post and skipping over #7 where i listened to Zeke and got the colors corrected

Ok so i must be missing something. In your first pic, the wiring looks fine, unless black is missing from the wht/org wire nut...so what am i missing?

You're not missing anything. The first pix has the motor going clockwise, and I put it hack to counter-clockwise. I'm still unsure which way the compressor should be turning.

OP is right. I referred to the pic of the wiring diagram. He was WAAAY off. Zeke got him back on track. Unless the pump has a gerotor oil pump or camshaft driven valves (VERY unlikely), rotation won't really matter. All you would need to do is make sure it's correct for the cooling fan on the pump pulley.

Tommy