Circuit for Tire Balancer

[atvkid4eva]

I just picked up a Coats tire balancer. The electrical requirements are: 230V, 60 Hz, 20A, 1 ph.

Currently there is no male plug wired into the power cord.

I have an existing 50amp circuit that has 6ga wire run back to the panel. Am I able to use this circuit for the tire machine if I wire in the correct male plug at the power cord so it will plug into the existing receptical?

I could swap out the breaker in the panel, but I’m not sure 6ga wire would fit into a smaller breaker? I’m not sure if the balancer has any type of overload protection, obviously the 50amp breaker isn’t going to trip if the balancer exceeds 20amp.

I would like to utilize this existing circuit, the shop is finished and running a new circuit would be a ton of work. Let me know your thoughts!

 

[Norcal]

You can either run a new circuit or replace the breaker.

 

[belvedere]

I would install the correct male plug and use it as-is. The breaker is there to protect the wiring. Think about your typical 120V/20A receptacle: if you plug in a device rated for 5A, you don't look for a 5A breaker to install, right?

 

[rlitman]

The 6 AWG wire will likely fit your 20A breaker just fine. However, it will not fit a 20A receptacle. There are large wire nuts that will allow you to pigtail 12 AWG wires to be able to connect the correct outlet.

 

[atvkid4eva]

I was thinking I could get a 20A fusable shut off. I could then make a short cord with SOOW that would be 6ga and have the 50amp plug on the end. I would then hardware the balancer to the shut off. This would allow me 20amp service for the balancer and then if I unplug I would still have my 50amp service for a welder. Thoughts?

 

[rlitman]

I was thinking I could get a 20A fusable shut off. I could then make a short cord with SOOW that would be 6ga and have the 50amp plug on the end. I would then hardware the balancer to the shut off. This would allow me 20amp service for the balancer and then if I unplug I would still have my 50amp service for a welder. Thoughts?

I think the cheaper option would be to get a bargain basement panel, move your 50A wire into it, and use that to feed your welder and balancer outlets off two breakers.
Like this:

Square D Homeline 100 Amp 6-Space 12-Circuit Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover HOM612L100SCP - The Home Depot

Use this Square D Homeline Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover to distribute electricity supplied by the utility throughout your home.

www.homedepot.com

So long as your panel has no 120V loads (single pole breakers), there's actually no code requirement to have a neutral in it.

The cordage and fusable shutoffs get expensive fast.

 

[Mr_fixit]

make sure it works first , before spending much time on wiring.

 

[mike93lx]

I think the cheaper option would be to get a bargain basement panel, move your 50A wire into it, and use that to feed your welder and balancer outlets off two breakers.
Like this:

Square D Homeline 100 Amp 6-Space 12-Circuit Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover HOM612L100SCP - The Home Depot

Use this Square D Homeline Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover to distribute electricity supplied by the utility throughout your home.

www.homedepot.com

So long as your panel has no 120V loads (single pole breakers), there's actually no code requirement to have a neutral in it.

The cordage and fusable shutoffs get expensive fast.

I think this is a great suggestion if you want to use the circuit for anything else 240v

 

[atvkid4eva]

make sure it works first , before spending much time on wiring.

Good call. I just put the matching plug into the power cord and everything works like it should. That was my first though as well lol

 

[alfredeneuman]

I would install the correct male plug and use it as-is. The breaker is there to protect the wiring. Think about your typical 120V/20A receptacle: if you plug in a device rated for 5A, you don't look for a 5A breaker to install, right?

It's against the Code to put a larger breaker than the rating of the receptacle, and a bad idea.
The exception is a 120V 20A circuit, which can use a 15 A duplex receptacle.

 

[atvkid4eva]

It's against the Code to put a larger breaker than the rating of the receptacle, and a bad idea.
The exception is a 120V 20A circuit, which can

It's against the Code to put a larger breaker than the rating of the receptacle, and a bad idea.
The exception is a 120V 20A circuit, which can use a 15 A duplex rece

It's against the Code to put a larger breaker than the rating of the receptacle, and a bad idea.
The exception is a 120V 20A circuit, which can use a 15 A duplex receptacle.

I don't believe that was what he was suggesting. The breaker is 50amp which runs to a 50amp receptacle using 6ga wire.
He is suggesting that running a piece of equipment that is rated at 20amps on a 50amp circuit will be okay.

The only risk in doing this would be if the balancer were to malfunction, the breaker would not trip until it exceeds 50amp, which by then it would likely fry the balancer. the circuit would be okay.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I don't believe that was what he was suggesting. The breaker is 50amp which runs to a 50amp receptacle using 6ga wire.

Changing the plug from a 20A to a 50A is contrary to the UL, or any of the other NRTL's listing of the balancer. (which is another Code violation)

 

[atvkid4eva]

Changing the plug from a 20A to a 50A is contrary to the UL, or any of the other NRTL's listing of the balancer. (which is another Code violation)

Well..I technically wouldn’t be changing if the plug since there wasn’t a plug to begin with haha. But I agree with what you’re saying

 

[belvedere]

It's against the Code to put a larger breaker than the rating of the receptacle, and a bad idea.

Agreed...but no one suggested that.

 

[haveissues]

Unless the machine uses the breaker to protect it, which I doubt, I would wire up the correct plug onto the balancers cord to match your outlet and start balancing like others said. My welder for example draws 15 amps but came with a 6-50 plug on the end of it.

 

[Norcal]

Unless the machine uses the breaker to protect it, which I doubt, I would wire up the correct plug onto the balancers cord to match your outlet and start balancing like others said. My welder for example draws 15 amps but came with a 6-50 plug on the end of it.

Welders have some code rules that do not apply to any other type of machine.

 

[haveissues]

Welders have some code rules that do not apply to any other type of machine.

There are countless examples of things we plug in to circuits that draw way less than the circuit maximum and have cords that are much smaller wires than the circuits feeding them.

 

[mike93lx]

There are countless examples of things we plug in to circuits that draw way less than the circuit maximum and have cords that are much smaller wires than the circuits feeding them.

That is the appliance cord.

The exceptions mentioned for welder are for the wiring feeding the receptacles. You can use a #12 on a 50a circuit depending on the duty cycle

 

[alfredeneuman]

Unless the machine uses the breaker to protect it, which I doubt,

If a it draws 20A or more (which it does) it's fine to protect it with the 50A breaker alone.
Single phase motors can be protected by a breaker with up to 250% of the motor's load

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Well..I technically wouldn’t be changing if the plug since there wasn’t a plug to begin with haha. But I agree with what you’re saying

Its possible the machine came with a plug on the cord from the factory and someone cut it off.

Check with the manufacturer to see what came on it from the factory.

 

[Terry D]

I just picked up a Coats tire balancer. The electrical requirements are: 230V, 60 Hz, 20A, 1 ph.

Currently there is no male plug wired into the power cord.

I have an existing 50amp circuit that has 6ga wire run back to the panel. Am I able to use this circuit for the tire machine if I wire in the correct male plug at the power cord so it will plug into the existing receptical?

I could swap out the breaker in the panel, but I’m not sure 6ga wire would fit into a smaller breaker? I’m not sure if the balancer has any type of overload protection, obviously the 50amp breaker isn’t going to trip if the balancer exceeds 20amp.

I would like to utilize this existing circuit, the shop is finished and running a new circuit would be a ton of work. Let me know your thoughts!

Since this is a single receptacle on an individual branch circuit, as long as the receptacle amp rating is not less than the amp rating of the branch circuit, you are fine. You can leave that 50 amp receptacle there and replace the breaker with a 20 amp or just leave the 50 amp breaker in there also. Put a 6-50 plug on the cord and call it a day. Don't be worried about if the balancer exceeds 20 amps. The thermo overloads in the motor are there for that reason, to protect that motor in case it draws to much current. Your breaker, even being a 50 amp, will still do its job in case of a short circuit of ground fault.

Now if I was running this circuit brand new for this machine, I would size it for the machine. But since that circuit is there, use it.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I read that backwards Corrected below

 

[alfredeneuman]

The thermo overloads in the motor are there for that reason, to protect that motor in case it draws to much current.

Not all motors have internal overload protection

 

[Terry D]

Not all motors have internal overload protection

You are correct if they are not internal, i would hope it has a starter with overload protection

 

[Terry D]

Just FYI, just from the few manuals I looked at online, it looks like it might have came from the factory with a 20 amp 250 volt twist lock plug on it. L6-20P

 

[haveissues]

The balancer is a lot more than just a motor-there is a bunch of circuitry in there and pretty much guaranteed the whole thing is protected.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The balancer is a lot more than just a motor-there is a bunch of circuitry in there and pretty much guaranteed the whole thing is protected.

Read Wylie's post (#25) re: 20Amp Twistlock plug. The only breaker allowed is 20A The unit draws 20A. Aside from the electronics, there's no need for supplementary protection when a 20A breaker is used.