Installing a 220V outlet

[LakeCleElum]

I did this not long ago. My Panel (200 amp) had space for more breakers. I put a breaker on each side. A red wire to one side, black to the other, white to neutral and ground to ground. I ran 130 ft. of under ground wire to the detached garage I built and wired this in to a panel there.

Just make sure the "Main" is off when doing your connections and no danger. Works well.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks Bob. the main is out front, again, easy access.

[imcarthur]

Shaun

The triple gang breaker tells you it is 3 phase. Probably 120/208V. There is no room for more breakers which means a sub panel will be required. Get an electrician because this involves conduit etc.

Also, what voltage is the equipment you wish to connect? There should be specs with a voltage range. Does it say 208V - 250V or similar?

Ian

[rick-l]

Is that three phase?

Buy a lathe and milling machine.

[Andras Nagy]

Hi Shaun,

But I also have a 1983 911SC, and am an architect!!!!

Though I've built plenty of houses for myself, including a 7,000 SF for my family, when it came to the 220 V for the garage and laundery and kitchen, I hired an electrician. Everyone is really correct - 220 volts is a nasty amount of voltage to be "playig" with unless you are super careful and read up on how to do it. You don't have to hire them for the whole job, but I do understand about finding one to do such a "small" job.

But let's not forget that there is a huge slow-down in the construction industry (and architecture industry), so you should be able to find a licensed electrician willing to make some money to buy his groceries.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks Guys. Silkscreen Conveyor Dryers are typically 220V 1 Phase, putting out 5000 Watts or so. Same with a big air compressor, and then an industrial size clothes dryer, which are 200+.

Will also be running flash dryers, but those 110V.

It does sound more like I will need a qualified electrician. Running cable is pretty easy in the building, I've been up in the roof superstructure, doesn't seem that it would be that difficult.

[sammyg2]

Ron Richardson: Yeah? Are you gonna make it all 220?
Jack Butler: Yeah. 220... 221, whatever it takes.

[Tishabet]

Shaun,
I had a guy run a 220v plug in my home about 3 years ago, all of the work came to about $250. I'll PM you his contact info in case you want to get a quote from him.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks for the PM Grant, I'll give him a call later today. Much appreciated!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Exactly - do the rough in and have a licensed electrician make the final connections & call for inspection. Shouldn't be too expensive.

What??? You mean have someone just come out and connect the wires. How much will you pay for that? One, its not worth his time and people will never pay someone for 15 min. of work. Second, now he's responsible for all of the electrical work because the permit is under his / co's name. I am shock to hear that from you. I know you would not sign off or put your name on any drawings drawn by some non lic. architect or business owner for that matter. I was trying to be a nice guy once while working in some West Hollyweird condo (these were $700,000+ condos, not for the poor) The condo owner down below begged me to help him adj all of his out of wack kitchen cabinet doors. No one was dumb enough to come out to do it. Since we were there, I was thinking, what the heck. I charged him $100 and spend an hour or 2 doing it. When I got done in an hour, he refuse to pay and said it only took a little bit of my time, and that not even he made $100 an hour. So, he took $30 bucks out of his wallet and gave it to me. and Said,"I think this should be more then enough for what you have done." I return his money and wish him a nice weekend. I hate ******* cheap people. I had my men run the chipping hammer on some useless 2X4 on the floor extra early on that saturday morning and as late as possible during the rest of the week just for fun.

[ledhedsymbols]

The building is likely to have a 480/277 3 phase system. It is easily done w/ a transformer to get the 120/208 for wall outlets etc.

If you want it done correctly, safely, and up to code, hire a professional. It takes 8000 hours and usually a state licensing exam to be a commercial electrician. It not just a union racket. The National Electric Code for 2008 is over 650 pages long.

This is not just installing a new outlet in your house. Depending on your building you could have a 480 3-phase system with 400 Amps at the service. The branch circuits alone for your wall outlets are 120V at 15-20 Amps. As was previously pointed out is only takes 20 Milliamps across your heart to kill you, nevermind the fire danger.

Breakers and fuses have to be sized, wire needs to be sized, equipment has to be correct and listed for the application to prevent fires and personnel hazards.

In short, hire a pro, prevent the possiblity of damage and injury.

Micah

[elwood-914]

Get an electrical contractor. Done. Some of the advice is bad. Installation will be better and you will not be libel for doing your own work. Everyone thinks they can do electrical, but do they do it up to code, usually not.
Your not going to get a 'union electrician' come out. Get an estimate from a contractor

[billybek]

Breaker box is full although both those big three phase breakers are off. If what they once supplied is no longer in service or in the building you (your electrician) could re size the breaker to the appropriate size and run new wire/ conduit.
If you are running conduit, it won't be cheap and you won't believe the price for copper these days.
600/575 is kind of a Canadian thing in North America. It is amazing how much difference you see in wire size (decrease) going from 208 to 460 and 460 to 575 VAC.
Hope it works out!

[Andras Nagy]

And if things don't work out, please ask your widow to inform us of your demise, so that we can use you as another recipient of the Darwin Award!

Electricity can kill. It sounds like there are enough issues with your attempte4d "project" to raise red flags. This does not sound like a simple connect wire A to panel board B.

As an architect, I'd advise you to find a friendly Porsche Club memeber who is an electrical engineer or an electrical contractor and ask their advice first. And then try to find a licensed electrician who is willing to moonlight on this.

The Economy is bad enough that they are out there, needing work, and/or needing the extra money.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Grant's recommendation Rob is coming out next Thursday to take a look.

thanks again!

[Zeke]

Not all electricians are up to speed. I've seen my share of real bad ones. The one thing that really surprised me years ago involved a 3-phase system. The electrician wired a 220 circuit to 2 of them as that's usually how it works. Turned out that the power company in this particular state (MS) used the middle circuit for what they called a "stinger" circuit. More voltage. Yep, they fried several single phase motors until someone figured out to move the one leg over.

I've got a few more Darwin electrician stories.

[Hugh R]

Shaun, you rent? You get electrical fire, no electrical permit, no insurance coverage for the building or your stuff.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

one of the main factors why I'm going with a pro. also going to look at some projects, like more light switches for the overheads...currently have 8 lights on when I only need to the vast majority of the time.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Here's the quote for the work to be done.

Total is $1225 (scope creep)

thoughts? seems pretty reasonable.

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Total is $1225 (scope creep)

thoughts? seems pretty reasonable.

Very reasonable. What's his hourly rate?