Wiring 4 wire feed to 3 prong outlet

[Daddy454]

So I just bought a new Hobart 210 MVP mig welder.My feed is a 4 wire cable fed from my house main panel w/ 50 amp breaker.The 230 plug/outlet for the welder is only 3 prong.How do I convert from 4 wire to 3, and can I still run it both 115v,and 230v off the same plug in,or do I have to alternate between outlets depending on the voltage I am running?

 

[dogdog]

If you read the manual correctly the miller @240V single phase does not use neutral.... my Dynasty 200DX is that way... At 240V setting I just use hot hot and ground.

So since mine is a dual voltage, I make a pig-tail converter in case I needed 120V.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

If the plug you are using on the welder is a 3 prong 240v plug, you need a 3 prong 240v outlet. If you use 120v plug, you need a 120v outlet. Your panel with 4 wire feed should accommodate both types of outlets. You can use a 240v 4 wire to 24v 3 wire adapter as well but If I were you, I would install a 3 prong 240 v outlet and a 120 v outlet off the sub panel.


good luck.

 

[Norcal]

You cannot just tap off a 50A circuit for a 15 or 20 ampere receptacle, not a safe situation. Since a neutral is not needed just insulate it & use the 2 lines & the grounding conductors for the receptacle.

 

[Tim C]

If the Hobart MVP is like my Miller 211 MVP, and I think they're basically the same company so it should be, you change the end of the cord to switch from the large 50a 240v plug to the small 120v standard wall outlet plug.

The machines cord and the screw on cord ends do the conversion between voltages for you. If you use a standard outlet it's a hot, neutral and ground like usual. If you're using 240v it's just two hots (black and red) and a ground. You'd just put a wire nut over the neutral in the box behind the outlet so it's capped off and can't accidentally contact any hot terminals.

In other words you'd install a three prong outlet to match the welder plug and not use the white neutral wire in the box.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Daddy454]

I have separate outlets from a sub panel in the shop for 115v operation.The 4 wire feed is off the house main panel.I was just unsure how to go from 4 wire to a 3 prong outlet.So just cap the neutral,and switch plug ends depending on the voltage demands when welding?On the welder it has 2 interchangeable plug ends that can be switched out.

 

[Daddy454]

If the Hobart MVP is like my Miller 211 MVP, and I think they're basically the same company so it should be, you change the end of the cord to switch from the large 50a 240v plug to the small 120v standard wall outlet plug.

The machines cord and the screw on cord ends do the conversion between voltages for you. If you use a standard outlet it's a hot, neutral and ground like usual. If you're using 240v it's just two hots (black and red) and a ground. You'd just put a wire nut over the neutral in the box behind the outlet so it's capped off and can't accidentally contact any hot terminals.

In other words you'd install a three prong outlet to match the welder plug and not use the white neutral wire in the box.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

You took the words right outta my mouth.

 

[Daddy454]

Thank you all for the help.

 

[matt_i]

In my opinion you always want to run a welder from a 240vac input if its available. The 120vac adapters are nice to have if doing a job offsite where this isn't available.