Wiring for Air compressor, Questions.

[larryv]

Hey Gents, I went to see the New home being built and in the garage one of the corner outlets was to be 220v for an air compressor and to find it is wired 110v and will contact them tomorrow. The sheet rock is not up yet so what wiring is required to change the outlet? If an outlet is 240v can you use a 220v air compressor on it. As you can tell that I do not know anything about electrical. I always thought the wiring was either 110v and 240v until i read my compressor was 220v. Thanks guys.

 

[mrb]

what makes you think the outlet is wired 110?

 

[larryv]

One of the supervisors was on the site and I asked him. Thanks

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

larryv,

If it is done correctly, 110 will have 1-black, 1-white and a bare ground wire. It will also be on a single breaker in the load center.

220 will have either 1-black, 1-red and a green/bare wire for ground or 2-black and a green/bare wire for ground. If a 110 circuit is to be used from it, the wire will have 1-black, 1-red, 1-white (common) and a green/bare wire for ground. It will be on a double breaker in the load center.

For the voltages, you will hear 110, 115 and 120 with a single hot and 220, 230 or 240 used with two hots (double the single hot). They are basically the same voltages used around the world.

Edit: If you are having them set a receptacle instead of a disconnect switch, it will look like a dryer plug instead of a normal outlet.

 

[fordsteel]

Yeah Iff you are not sure post a picture of the outlet

there was no mistaking when i wired my compressor, had to run 4 gage wire to it.
21 hp on start up with magnetic starter..........bet I can make my power meter spin faster then yours

 

[tfi racing]

Its the size of the wire that matters in this case.Check to see what guage it is-should be marked on the outer jacket.At minimum,I would recommend at least #10,8 or 6 would be even better.

 

[Falcon67]

Yeah Iff you are not sure post a picture of the outlet

there was no mistaking when i wired my compressor, had to run 4 gage wire to it.
21 hp on start up with magnetic starter..........bet I can make my power meter spin faster then yours

I can hear your meter humming all te way down here in Texas LOL.

I would ask "220 what?" because 110 or 220 is only 1/2 of it. Voltage you can get, it's how much amperage that will determine the wire size. A 220V 3.5 HP compressor circuit can "look" just like a 110 circuit - it's just wired different.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My guess would be it has yellow romex running to the plug?

 

[larryv]

The wiring was black/white and a bare copper wire. They got it fixed. Insulation and sheet rock go up tomorrow. This forum is Great! Thanks guys...