Compressor 230v with 115v plug?

[seber]

Years ago, it was fairly common to supply a 125 volt outlet with 240 and label it. 250 volt outlets were hard to get back then.

I don't know how common it was but my father had that in his shop running the RAS. That was a professional carpentry shop. It would have been done around 1955.

 

[micromind]

What?

How many years ago was this?

In the 60s and early 70s.

I remember some DeWalt radial arm saws that had a voltage change switch built in to the motor. 110 or 220. The factory cord was 125 volt, I can think of several shops that had a basic standard 125 volt outlet that was supplied with 240.

Often, one half of the duplex was taped over, sometimes not.

 

[johnre]

Years ago, it was fairly common to supply a 125 volt outlet with 240 and label it.

How many years ago was this?

In the 60s and early 70s.

I think this was the one that was available until the early 1960s. The problem it had was that both 120 V ungrounded plugs (NEMA 1-15P, NEMA 1-20P) and 240 V ungrounded plugs (NEMA 2-15P, NEMA 2-20P) could all fit into it:



I've seen these in old houses. You had to know what the device needed, and how the outlet was wired, before you plugged into one of these.

 

[Wrench97]

The old guy next door when I moved in had a standard 120v outlet labeled 220v for his small Craftsman compressor.

 

[RTM]

I think this was the one that was available until the early 1960s. The problem it had was that both 120 V plugs (NEMA 1-15P, NEMA 1-20P) and 240 V plugs (NEMA 2-15P, NEMA 2-20P) could all fit into it:



I've seen these in old houses. You had to know what the device needed, and how the outlet was wired, before you plugged into one of these.

And no ground plug. I remember seeing one as a child, in the 60s, probably a neighbor’s garage, never knew the excitement that was hiding behind that.

 

[johnre]

And no ground plug.

Correct; added that clarification to my post. NEMA-5 and NEMA-6 grounded systems didn’t have this issue, except with the old NEMA 1-20P and NEMA 2-20P ungrounded plugs when used with the newer NEMA-5R and NEMA-6R receptacles.

 

[seber]

My father's garage still had one of those for his radial arm saw when we sold the place a few years ago. At least he had tape over the other half with 240V marked on it.

 

[Bert_]

What's changed? Manufacturers no longer lie about power ratings?

13.1 A @ 230 V would be right for four hp.

Not even close. 13.1A isn't much over 2hp maybe 2.5

You can figure about 5A per HP on these small single phase 240v motors.

 

[Beerhippie]

Not even close. 13.1A isn't much over 2hp maybe 2.5

You can figure about 5A per HP on these small single phase 240v motors.

Oops. I was thinking 3 phase.