Electrical Question on tools for my VX

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03/04/2007, 05:54 PM
Francesco Rizzo

Electrical Question on tools for my VX

Hey guys, thanks for replying on my previous thread for my problem with my brakes. After reading the the feedback, I realized that the bolts are just on too tight; there's no rust anywhere and it's pretty clean all around.
Anyway, I bought an air compressor and some air tools to use to help with minor work I want to do myself in addition to the brakes. I took a friend's advise and went with this 230 volt over a 110v, which was pretty much had the same in price and stats. He, as well as the rep at the store, told me I could use dryer outlet since both were the same voltage. I looked around for the plug, but only found substitutes with half-certain answers.
Can anyone shed some light? It seems as though the 3 prong dryer outlet is not grounded, but has a neutral line that works as the ground. My compressor has 3 wires: a hot, a nuetral, and a ground. I will be trying to find an electrician tomorrow, but I'm not too confident I'm gonna like what I might hear from them. Thanks
03/04/2007, 06:12 PM
rowhard

It's easier to do then explain, but if there is room in the circuit breaker box, add a 230 volt C/B, whatever amp that you need for that compressor, then a female plug to this circuit and a male plug for your compressor that matches. Like I said, it's easier to do then explain.
03/04/2007, 09:49 PM
johnnyapollo

220-240v (they are all basically the same even though the appliance or tool may be rated at either end or in the middle as 230v) has 2 hots and a neutral. It's basically two circuits melded into a single line. There are a couple of different configurations for a 220 outlet, that's why they always sell the cord separate when you buy an electric dryer or stove, so you can buy the cord that works with the outlet. You can pull a single 20 or 15 amp line off a 220 but not the other way around - it's supposed to have a dedicated breaker. If the prongs on the compressor don't fit your outlet, it may be easier to find or have made an extension cord with the proper ends on either side - you may be able to find an extension that splits the line so you have a dedicated plug for the dryer and another for your compressor. If your compressor is to remain stationary, it's always better to add a dedicated circuit right to it, as rowhard suggests.

-- John
03/05/2007, 04:02 AM
Francesco Rizzo

sweet, thanks! it's seems to make sense now. So the neutral and ground are the same thing, I would never want to hook up a nuetral to a hot wire. That's my issue, it seems the old 3 prong have two hot and a nuetral (ground) while the new 4 have a nuetral, ground, and two hot. Something wasn't sitting right about hooking up the nuetral wire off the compressor to a hot wire from the outlet. Would I be able to get away with the neutral and the ground off the compressor connected to the neutral of the outlet?? or am I about to burn my shack of a house down?
03/05/2007, 10:52 AM
Techy-D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francesco Rizzo

sweet, thanks! it's seems to make sense now. So the neutral and ground are the same thing, I would never want to hook up a nuetral to a hot wire. That's my issue, it seems the old 3 prong have two hot and a nuetral (ground) while the new 4 have a nuetral, ground, and two hot. Something wasn't sitting right about hooking up the nuetral wire off the compressor to a hot wire from the outlet. Would I be able to get away with the neutral and the ground off the compressor connected to the neutral of the outlet?? or am I about to burn my shack of a house down?

That's what they use to do before the 4prong boxes were available (tie the ground and neutral together) It kind of defeats the purpose of a seperate path to ground from the case of the device. I think the biggest issue is that your dryer breaker is probably a 40amp and your compressor only needs... say about a 15 or 20amp. Your compressor could smoke to the ground before the breaker would trip. (Just another thought...)