Hooking up a new 230 Volt air compressor

[Ross/Kzoo]

I just bought a "new to me" 5 HP IR air compressor with a 60 gal tank:

http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Ingersoll-Rand-2340L5.230-1-Air-Compressor/p705.html

I have a couple of questions about wiring this. It has a draw of 28 amps and it can be wired about 5-6 feet away from the panel on the garage side of the basement wall. My other problem is that I've used up 39 of the available spaces on the panel. My thought is take up the spot that just just feeds my 230 volt table saw in the wood shop and run new wiring #8? to new junction box/outlet and run the #12 from the wood shop to the new junction box and put a 40 amp breaker in the box. Any comments or suggestions? This will only be for a year til I move in my new house and carriage garage.

 

[jvitez]

Is your woodshop a separate structure, or do you mean it's part of your garage? I'm not clear on your description. What is the 12 gauge wire feeding? What do you mean by junction box with a 40 amp breaker? Do you mean a subpanel? You need to give us more information before we can help you properly.

1. Please clarify the details of your house, garage, and woodshop.

2. Post a pic of the panel. Is this the service panel, the main panel to your house? We need the brand and model.

3. What other electrical loads do you have in your woodshop?

4. What other electrical loads do you have in your garage?

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I may have found the answer. The basement wall that the panel is on is adjacent to the garage but a level below, it is mounted high on that basement wall. I'm now thinking of mounting a 60 amp sub panel with 4 or 6 circuit capacity next to the 200 amp panel. Put a 40 amp breaker where the 20 amp to my saw was and run the wires from the saw to the new sub panel. Then run wire from the sub panel to an outlet about 6' away in the garage. It looks like the sub panel will be about $20 and then buy the 40 amp breaker and 230 volt outlet.

 

[chops101]

I also have an IR dual comp, I had to switch a couple of 1 inch breakers out with the dual 1" breakers, to make room for a new dual CB 240v feed.

I also mounted a very small sub box on the compressor and just use a CB to switch the compressor on and off.

 

[nehog]

Mount that sub panel in the garage/shop not the basement. The first time a breaker trips you'll thank me for telling you this!!!

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I also have an IR dual comp, I had to switch a couple of 1 inch breakers out with the dual 1" breakers, to make room for a new dual CB 240v feed.

I also mounted a very small sub box on the compressor and just use a CB to switch the compressor on and off.

I have forgotten all about those. I'll have to see if I can get some for my Westinghouse panel.

nehog, I'm moving to a new house in 1 year so anything that I do won' tneed to be a "Cadillac plan".

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You cannot have 12 gauge in a circuit protected by 40 amp breakers. If using different sizes of wire in a circuit, you have to breaker it for the SMALLEST size wire.

You also are required to use receptacles that match the circuit rating. (there are some slight exceptions but nothing that I suspect applies here).

Charles

Charles

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I may have found the answer. The basement wall that the panel is on is adjacent to the garage but a level below, it is mounted high on that basement wall. I'm now thinking of mounting a 60 amp sub panel with 4 or 6 circuit capacity next to the 200 amp panel. Put a 40 amp breaker where the 20 amp to my saw was and run the wires from the saw to the new sub panel with the 20 amp breaker installed in the sub panel. Then run wire from the sub panel to an outlet about 6' away in the garage. It looks like the sub panel will be about $20 and then buy the 40 amp breaker and 230 volt outlet.

Thanks Charles. I didn't explain myself correctly.