What is involve din adding a 220v circuit to my shop? Big deal or Not?

[Kevin Blunt]

Hello again, I just posted about the 8" jointers that I would like to buy. Depending on what I purchae, I may need to include 220v into my shop which is currently only 110v. I have alot of spce in my panel to more breakers so other than that is it really a big deal?

Thanks in advance for all your guys knowledge.

Kevin

[Brian Hale]

I'm NOT and electrician.

I added 3 220v receptables to my shop and had no trouble. For each, I put a 220v 20amp breaker in a pair of empty slots and ran 10ga wire to the receptables. White and Black wires to the breaker and the bare copper to the ground. The receptables came with wiring instructions and the treminals were marked. Pretty straight forward.


If you not comfortable doing it yourself, get a friend who is or call in the pros.

Brian :)

[Mike Henderson]

I don't mean to be flip, but if you have to ask that question, you probably should seek some help from a friend or a professional who can provide on-site assistance. There's a bunch of things to consider, including breaker size, wire gauge, safety, and meeting code.

Mike

[Travis Hirst]

I just added a bunch of wiring to my garage/shop. I put in 3 more 110 and a fourth 110 dedicated to my dc. I then added a 220 to for my table saw. It was a piece of cake to do mainly cause I just tore off all the sheet rock half way down the wall which gave me access to the entire one side of the garage. I did all the wiring but felt a little uncomfortable digging into the panel so I had a buddy do that for me. All in all a very easy project that only cost around $100.00 for everything and now I have all the power I need in my garage.

Travis

[Ed Garrett]

Kevin, your a DIY guy. Get a how to book and read, read, read. I did it. I was careful. I survived. It works great and now I know how. If you can learn how to turn wood into beautiful objects, you can learn which wires to twist together safely.

[Rick Christopherson]

Kevin,
Adding a 240 volt circuit is no different than running a 120 volt circuit, including the same NEC rules. The NEC does not distinguish between 120 and 240 volts, so I get a little irritated when people blindly advise using 10 guage wire without understanding the reasons or ramifications.

If it is for a smaller tool with a 2 hp or less motor, then run 14/2 romex to the outlet with a 15-amp, 2-pole breaker. The outlet should be a NEMA 6-15 straightblade, or NEMA L6-15 Twistlock.

For larger woodworking tools, up to 4 hp, use 12/2 Romex with a 20-amp breaker. This is the preferred size for most new circuits because it is large enough for nearly all of the common tools found in a home woodworking shop. For the outlet, you are permitted to use either a 6-15/L6-15 or a 6-20/L6-20 outlet.

For larger circuits, such as 5 hp compressors, then use 10/2 romex with a 30-amp breaker. You are not permitted to use 15 or 20 amp outlets on a 30-amp circuit, so you must use NEMA 6-30 or L6-30 outlets.

As with 120-volt circuits, you are permitted to have more than one outlet per circuit.

The only wiring difference between 120 and 240 volts is that both wires go into the 2-pole breaker. The white wire does need to be re-labelled as a non-grounded conductor, so black tape on both ends is typical.

[brian lanning]

Hello again, I just posted about the 8" jointers that I would like to buy. Depending on what I purchae, I may need to include 220v into my shop which is currently only 110v. I have alot of spce in my panel to more breakers so other than that is it really a big deal?

Thanks in advance for all your guys knowledge.

Kevin

It depends. If you have your main service panel near by and there are two open positions next to each other, it's not so bad. basically, you snap in the double-pole breaker, then run two blacks, a white, and a ground wire out to your receptical. In some places you can use romex. Here in chicago, you have to use emt conduit. If you have old wiring or the service panel is far away, it's more complicated.

A lot of people put in subpanels (I did) which is a little more involved, but still not too bad.

I'd suggest picking up the black and decker book on electrical wiring. It's at home depot in their book section. It's a great book and has excellent pictures and diagrams.

brian

[J. Greg Jones]

I have a related question to the topic that I have never seen addressed before. If I understand the code correctly, all 120 volt circuits in a home garage must be protected by a GFIC breaker or outlet. Does the same apply for a 240 volt circuit in the garage?

[Wayne Gauthier]

Kevin, First, what size breaker do you have on the main panel supplying power to your subpanel in the shop?
I just replaced the power to my shop last summer with 50amp service, had to change the breaker and the wire. 50 amp breaker and #8 wire, simply because I may be running two motors on 220 volts at the same time, and one or two 110 volt window air conditioners also. You have to check out your power requirements first before you just go and do an electrical upgrade.
Best to call the power company and have them check out your equipment and give you an estimate as to what your power requirements are and what it requires to upgrade, so plan accordingly. Also you may have to have the work inspected upon completion. I had to put my wire underground, 18" and use electrical pvc conduit, all outlets and panel had to be grounded and the grounding rod had to be 8" long and connected correctly. Fortunately I was able to do all the work myself because of my background in the HVAC field, and have had extensive electrical training.
If you are unsure of what has to be done and how to do it. I ditto what others say and call the professionals.


Good luck in the upgrade


Wayne

[Bob Huddleston]

I had my bro-in-law, an electrician, show me how the first time. It was easy. All I know is common sense. Turn off circuits and never ever touch anything that even looks dangerous. Use insulated tools, and, for goodness sake, let someone know what you are doing, just in case...

Good luck! Love a 220. No more running to the box to reset a circuit.

Bob

[Robert Mahon]

I would differ on the use of insulated tools. They often become a source of false security. The end is still a conductor and can be the cause of serious accidents. No matter how careful you are, this stuff can kill you.

In my opinion, the best way to work with electricity is to insure there is no power in the area you are working on. Complete all the work outside the box, doing the final connection(s) to a DEAD power source. If necessary, trip the Mains and complete the work with a flashlight. Then you can go reset all the clocks.