ReplyNo.
Willie
Solderer
Hey folks,
I'm sure this topic has been covered but here goes anyway!
I want to make an ext cord for my HH175 (requires 230v 19a).
I only have 2 120v 30a round fuses available in my "Detached" garage.....
So, I plan to plug into my dryer recep. It is a 3 wire setup.
I have 15' from the house to my garage wall that I will probably bury in the sand.
I'd like to run about 75' of flexible cable so I can pull the welder outside if need be!
What wire is needed? 10-3 UF-B ?? I realize it needs to be a flexible wire, but, I don't know what to get!
What plug? NEMA 6-30 ??
What recep? NEMA 10-30 ??
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Master Welder
No.
Willie
An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
WeldingWeb Craftsman
This is the definition of sketchy.
Eventual master of the obvious, practitioner of "stream of consciousness fabrication". P.S. I edit almost every post because because I'm posting from my phone and my fingers sometimes move faster than my brain.
WeldingWeb Foreman
Rugbug, what exactly does that sentence quoted above mean? The way you wrote that I imagine you have a couple of these fuses sitting on a shelf, just like this.Originally Posted by rugbug61
So no, you can't hook your welder up to those. At the same time, I gotta believe you are smarter than that. I suspect you meant you have a small junction box in your garage, populated by two screw in fuses. It's possible, just possible you have an opportunity for success here.
I'd like to see three photos from you. Perhaps you know someone with a digital camera or cell phone that takes photos?
--I want to see a photo of the main junction box (with power main SHUT OFF FIRST and cover removed). I'd like for you to figure out which conduit leaves that box and goes to your garage.
--I'd like to see a photo of the junction box in the garage (again with power shut off and cover removed). It wouldn't surprise my that you have four wires in the conduit from the main to the garage (red/black/white and ground)
--I'd like to see how the wires arrive in the garage (I'm thinking you have no drywall installed.. somewhere is a place where the wiring comes up from the floor...) I'd like to see how that is setup. Is the garage junction box the first box in the system from there? If the wiring is covered by drywall inside the garage, stop.
Safety first. I you are unsure about opening up boxes, then stop. Have a professional look at the system for you. In fact, many electricians in my area will give free quotes. You can ask them 'What will it cost to add a 25amp 240v service to my garage?" When they open up the boxes, take photos! Again, be safe. Who knows, the price you get from they will be much cheaper than the mickey mouse dryer buried cord.
Let us know what you find.
Last edited by zipzit; 11-07-2016 at 10:22 AM.
Solderer
NO....
Either you have never ran an ext cord or made one.....or perhaps that's the extent of your English vocabulary....Thank you for your lame assed input!
Solderer
Exactly as it says, a small fuse box with 2 glass fuses that runs the lights and garage opener, which I didn't intend to use! I work 14-16 hour days so I'll get the pics you asked for! And yes the small fuse box has the 4 wires you mentioned and they're ran out of the main breaker box in the house under ground to the wall of the concrete garage.
Thank you for you earnest reply!
Rugbug, what exactly does that sentence quoted above mean? The way you wrote that I imagine you have a couple of these fuses sitting on a shelf, just like this.
So no, you can't hook your welder up to those. At the same time, I gotta believe you are smarter than that. I suspect you meant you have a small junction box in your garage, populated by two screw in fuses. It's possible, just possible you have an opportunity for success here.
I'd like to see three photos from you. Perhaps you know someone with a digital camera or cell phone that takes photos?
--I want to see a photo of the main junction box (with power main SHUT OFF FIRST and cover removed). I'd like for you to figure out which conduit leaves that box and goes to your garage.
--I'd like to see a photo of the junction box in the garage (again with power shut off and cover removed). It wouldn't surprise my that you have four wires in the conduit from the main to the garage (red/black/white and ground)
--I'd like to see how the wires arrive in the garage (I'm thinking you have no drywall installed.. somewhere is a place where the wiring comes up from the floor...) I'd like to see how that is setup. Is the garage junction box the first box in the system from there? If the wiring is covered by drywall inside the garage, stop.
Safety first. I you are unsure about opening up boxes, then stop. Have a professional look at the system for you. In fact, many electricians in my area will give free quotes. You can ask them 'What will it cost to add a 25amp 240v service to my garage?" When they open up the boxes, take photos! Again, be safe. Who knows, the price you get from they will be much cheaper than the mickey mouse dryer buried cord.
Let us know what you find.
Master Welder
You are welcome to my input. If I gave you sincere advice, you'd reject it. Indeed, I have made extension cords. My vocabulary is just fine. You are a rude, ignorant person. It is my hope that the law of averages doesn't catch up to you until you grow up. By then you might learn people skills, and the value of safety.
Willie
An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Master Welder
Willie has probably made a few extension cords
NONE of the wire/cable you mentioned is even close to being proper and for you to mention "bury it in the sand" sends off more red flags.
Anyhow- what you need is CORD- like the same stuff they make extension cords with. Preferably 10/3 SJO and then wire up a plug that matches the dryer receptacle and on the other end you'll need a 6-50 connector.
None of the surface mount receptacles are made for this application: plastic and not intended to be put on the end of an extension cord. they do make proper connectors but they are rather pricey.
You should get a box, strain relief etc like in this photo.
You will need to plug in and unplug this extension cord each time you want to weld.
If Zipzit's hunch is correct- you may have what you need already feeding the sub panel in the geerage. If that turns out to be true then you will be one happy camper.
Ed Conley
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Solderer
1) I asked a simple question and recv'd a ********ed answer as if you're Holier than Thow.....
2) I'm not ignorant as you implied, I asked a serious question with MY safety in mind....
3) Grow up huh....Piss Off A-Hole
You're the one that's RUDE and needs to GROW UP, it's possible not all of us are ELECTRICIANS and need the guidance from the GOD LIKE FIGURES such as yourself.....
Pull your head out of the clouds and offer sound advice to those that seek it, it's all that was asked in the first place! CYA
Master Welder
If there is a 2 circuit fuse box in your garage that runs lights and the opener and it has 30 amp fuses in it I can guarantee it is grossly over fused.
There is a thread about making a 240 volt extension cord here that is pages and pages long and pretty much covers it all.
http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...extension-cord
Miller Challenger 172
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Victor 100C
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Harris O/A
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No, that's not my car.
WeldingWeb Craftsman
Rugbug61, It sounds like you were asking about making a large extension cord and burying it for part of its length in sand. There is nowhere in the U.S. that would sanction this. Permanently installed (buried) wiring is never installed as you describe with a plug and recepticle. This is why you are getting so much grief. A long extension cord that run temporarily from your dryer outlet to your driveway is far less sketchy as long as it's used like any other extension cord, on an as needed basis. Store it indoors and inspect it before each use and coil it up when you're done with it. Folks on this forum obsess over doing things properly and safely. Your question flies in the face of proper and safe and people reacted accordingly. stick around, listen to the advice they give and maybe find a safe, proper solution to your problem.
Eventual master of the obvious, practitioner of "stream of consciousness fabrication". P.S. I edit almost every post because because I'm posting from my phone and my fingers sometimes move faster than my brain.
WeldingWeb Foreman
For all of this stuff there are building / electrical codes that you should conform to. Working to code ensures:
--Your safety
--Prevent home / shop fires
--Maintain home value at resale.
Generally, the "ampacity" for copper wiring is:
14 gauge wire = 20 amps
12 gauge wire = 25 amps
10 gauge wire = 30 amps
When I say there are many factors that can affect this..
Building / electrical codes for your location (different areas may have different safety factors built in)
The actual construction of the wire core and insulation.
The ambient temperature ratings of your location.
The length of the wire. (How far is your garage from the house? 20 feet or less?)
If you have aluminum wiring or copper clad aluminum wiring, all bets are off. No way will those gauges be safe at the above amperages.
To look at the next part of the conversation, fuses (or circuit breakers) are place there to protect your home by PROTECTING THE WIRING in the wall. They are NOT there to protect the thing you plug into the wall.
Its not clear on where you live, or when your shop was built, but I will say, generally home builders and contractors build the cheapest thing they can that meets code. Usually for a garage, they will add a circuit or two for lighting, light tooling and a garage door opener or two. Generally I'd expect to see 12 gauge wiring in most homes and garages in the USA. (again, this will depend on where your home is, what codes were in place at construction, what year the home was built, etc...)
I really want to know what gauge wiring you have throughout your garage.
The good news is, if you have four (red/white/black/ground) wires running to the garage, and they are 12 gauge wires (which is what I'd expect to see) then you can install a 240v plug which will handle 25 amps out in the garage. Good enough for your HH175 welder... likely good enough for most 200Amp inverter TIG machines... This will require a new box, a 25 Amp 240v socket, and a few feet of wiring. Much cheaper than building up an extension cord from your dryer. Again, this all depends on what wiring is already laid in place. Hopefully you will be able to read the wire gauge sizes on the insulation of your existing wiring.
Disclaimer: I've provided general guidelines. The specifics in your location may be different. You will definitely want to involve an electrician for this job.
Let us know what you find.
WeldingWeb Artisan
I believe Willie means that you are ready to go, but you have not the years of apprenticeship to get her done. Under ground requires a three foot deep trench. That trench can have direct burial wire, but I prefer rigid pipe. You can pull the direct burial through the rigid pipe, that is what I usually do. Pipe leaks and can capture condensation until it is full of water.
Once you are in your garage, you can put a 230 volt, thirty amp receptacle. And then run #10 for 19 amps, using SOOW, SOW, or SJO chord 75 feet from a male plug, to your welder. I Prefer SOOW I have never had it fail me. I have accidentally used the ground wire in #12 SOOW to weld with 100 amps more times than I would like to admit and it is still working. It dissipates heat very well, and really stands up to physical abuse.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
WeldingWeb Craftsman
I think the o/p took his ball and went home.
Eventual master of the obvious, practitioner of "stream of consciousness fabrication". P.S. I edit almost every post because because I'm posting from my phone and my fingers sometimes move faster than my brain.
Master Welder
Do you really feel it is better to wrestle the dryer loose from its duct, plug the extension cord into a circuit never intended for a welder, likely lacking the equipment ground the welder needs. Then he will shut this cord in a window, a direct violation. He intends to bury this, with no protection from the lawn mower, or weed eater. Then this "temporary" extension cord will be buried, making it other than temporary. Somehow, he'll enter the garage, likely shut in the door. Now the garage will have two power supplies, another violation. I bet there'll be another half dozen hazards in his installation.
He has a fuse panel illegal for at least 50 years. Might it make sense to update? Should we contribute to this ill fated plan?
Willie
An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
WeldingWeb Artisan
I was suggesting he goes to the main panel in the house not the dryer plug.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
WeldingWeb Artisan
All my electrician friends recommend metal conduit from the electrical panel to the welder, even inside the house.
That is what we did.
Sincerely,
William McCormick
If I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
