HELP! Need pointers on how to wire compressor

[Mr9two9]

Hi guys ,sorry for the long post, just trying to relay as much info as possible... New guy here. I do light mechanic work in my spare time , and got tired of my sears compressor, so I brought a real shop compressor off cl. it works (saw with my own eyes) guy alleges it was hooked up to 220v. it was wired directly to a big on off switch he cut those wires (bx cable w/2 wires in it) sold it to me and off I went.

Now I can change a light switch/ electrical socket, can wire cars with no problem and the vibe i get from things is i could do this too, if I'm steered in the right direction.

My breaker box is at the front of the house, the compresser will be mounted at the rear of the house (21ft wide x 45 ft long) on the oppisite side, under the porch. I am including pix of the tag on the compressor motor, and my box..

Inside of my breaker box, there is one open slot. there is a unused 20 amp breaker on the left, and two of the 15 amp double breakers only have one line, so i could conslidate them opening up another slot, making 3 open slots.

I would like to run a line to the rear (outside) of the house and mount some sort of 220v socket so i could unplug the compressor and switch to a welder to be used at same 220v plug -welder is my next purchase.

What is the best way to accomplish this? Discuss at length.

 

[Aceman]

The first thing I would do is a service change. You have 18 circuits in a 12 space panel with almost every different kind of breaker they make. I'd upgrade to a 30 space panel minimum as well as do a load calc to see if a 100 amp panel would still cut it.

Then after that, I'd talk about how to wire a compressor.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Panel replacement would be easy, not being in a wall, but out in the open. Biggest problem is that in many cases the wires won't reach in the larger panel, but it looks like it would not be a problem in this one.

Its odd, not a 240 circuit in the house? I don't see any DP breakers at all. No A/C, no elect stove, no elect water heater? How do you survive? Whats that double pole breaker laying on the box to the right of the panel? Lemme guess, someone took out a DP 240 breaker, and installed two of those tandems, then split the 240 circuit between the two tandems and then added two 120v circuits. Now, when one side of the existing 240v circuit trips, the other side won't, since the handles are not tied together.

Charles

 

[darkk]

Yup, time to set up the box....

 

[Falcon67]

Amateur hack guy even says "Oy, geeze". I would not do anything until I replaced that service box.

 

[SteelHorseHD]

I would check and see how many amps your compressor is going to pull. I have a 60 Gal Matco compressor that only pulls 14A 240V. I just used 12/2 wire for it. I dont have a welder yet but i ran a 50A 240V outlet for when I do acquire one. You don't want to run your 15A compressor off of a 50A outlet you would probably be better off running two seperate outlets. Also, Matco reccomends that the compressor is "hard wired" for warranty purposes but i'm not sure what the advantage is to that. Just something to think about.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I would check and see how many amps your compressor is going to pull.

Not trying to be a smart a$$, especially with a new member, bbbuuuttt...... does this make it ANY clearer for you? 115 VOLTS - 20 AMPS ..... or..... 230 VOLTS - 10 AMPS

The OP has about FOUR different choices.....................

1) install a single pole 30 amp breaker in the one remaining position and run some 10/2 w/grd to a properly rated 30 amp/120v receptacle and plug and CORD on the motor (NEMA 5-30P and 5-30R)(or hard wire if within sight of the panel, which he says it will NOT be), and set the motors internal jumpers for 115v operation. PROVIDED the motor has a terminal diagram on it so he can verify the terminal connections for 115v or 230v (Do we even know what it was running on before the OP bought it?)

2) Run a 12/2 w/grd wire and remark the white as red (or whatever you prefer so long as it isn't yellow, grey or green) and remove the four breakers on the lower LH side, install two more of those tandem breakers and run the four circuits into them, then install a 20 amp double pole breaker in the bottom most two positions........... yes, it will work, is it safe...... depends on the remaining electrical loads and some other factors.................. NO, its really NOT SAFE

3) Buy a quad breaker that has two single pole breakers (top and bottom most) and a double pole (handle tied together) in the middle two positions, and replace the bottom two LH breakers............... yes, it will work, is it safe...... depends on the remaining electrical loads and some other factors.................. and again, NO, its really NOT SAFE.

4) replace the panelboard and do the whole thing right, for peace of mind

Now, for the catch(s), the panel has, as Aceman has already noted, 12 original circuit positions. The panel is fairly old, possibly before tandem breakers were thought of. The placard on the inside of the door will tell us (if it exists) if the panel is rated for 12 circuits max, or is allowed more (by use of tandem breakers)............. most likely.......... its rated for only 12. The problem is.............. (yell out really loud........... so everyone in your house can hear................. F I R E, now, after everyone calms down, yell out I N S U R A N C E (who ain't gonna pay when they see that panel and how overloaded it was)........ Breakers generate heat, wires in NORMAL use, generate heat, you need so many cubic inches of free air space inside the panel for every circuit in it...... otherwise, it can get too hot. All those MIXED BRAND breakers (I see at least Siemens tandems, CH BR series tandems, a GE single, not sure what else), oh yes, did I mention, they fit, but technically (and yes I'm speaking technically because we all know that "they work") the code says that all devices and hardware, breakers, etc., used in a panelboard MUST be LISTED for that panelboard. In some cases stuff that is "classified" is acceptable (I found several Siemens manufactured double pole breakers at the flea market that are manufactured to fit Square D QO panels, not real common to find) but in MOST CASES, it basically ain't legal to mix brands of breakers in panelboards because the manufacturer says you cannot and that's good enough for the listing organization.

The problem with mixing brands of breakers, no matter how interchangable they may seem, is that they may not all be manufactured to the same dimensions. Possibly the lugs on a GE panel or .100" thick, and the lugs on a Siemens panel are .095" thick, and each manufacturer makes their breakers to fit their panels, so if you were to go and shove a Siemens breaker in a GE panel (and I'm making up this example as I go, I do NOT have the actual dimensions on hand) you have a breaker that doesn't fit tightly on the lug, and if too loose........... heat......... fire........... well you get the picture.

Now in some places, if you had a fire, just a minor one, you MIGHT get by with this, BBbuuuttT the OP is in civilization, Jamaica, NY (thats Long Island if my geography serves me correctly). Up there, they probably don't take kindly to such ****, and if the OP did have a fire, even a minor one, the Fire Dept. would probably direct the POCO (thats POwer COmpany) to CUT the wires at the mast or the street, and not reconnect them until the condition was fixed, current code, and re-inspected. Meanwhile, no lights, no TV, the food spoils in the fridge, and the wife gets mad and leaves........

This panel is way too easy to replace. It is out in the open, not inside a wall, and would be super easy to get the power removed (I'll bet there is not a separate disconnect other than pulling the meter) and three or four hours to swap it out. Buy a 150 or 200 amp panel with a main breaker and leave the original 100 amp main breaker and supply wires until service can be upgraded, then connect on the new main breaker and you are done.

Walk in the park.....................

Charles

 

[mtne]

I'd be listening to Charles

 

[SteelHorseHD]

Sorry, my computer at work won't let the images load.

 

[ford33]

Sounds like Charles been down this road a few times. He's speaking from experience.
Mr9two9, you got a good deal on an air compressor on Craigs list so maybe spending some of the money saved on a new panel and proper electrical installation would make a good deal a great deal in lives saved and property safe.
Kevin
Chicago

 

[pl_silverado]

definitely looks like time to upgrade the panel, if doing all that work, probably a good time to jump up to a 200 amp service.