Electrician ?

[Rox Crusher]

Anybody know of a good electrician ?

Last spring I had A/C installed at the house and had the electrician run 220v to the garage.

At the time, I didn't know which 220v welder I wanted and what size breaker and receptacle I would need. The electrician was supposed to come back and do it later.

Of course now I can't get a return call so need someone to finish the job.

I'm no electron whisperer so I don't want to do it myself.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Moab Mike]

Your electrician should have known you size the breaker to the wire that is installed and not to the components you use.
It sounds like he made off with a few hundred dollars extra profit.
Can you read the wire size he installed? I want to make sure he sized it correctly so you can run your new welder. If everything looks good I might be able to help you out.

[Kinder]

If 76fordbronco thinks the wire is correct and leads us to the correct outcome I'll swing by and do the install of the box (if needed), correct breaker, correct wire from box to outlet and the correct outlet. I installed my own setup, but I only had to add to the main breaker box. It's not like it's out of my way or anything.

[ZOSO]

How many amps is the new welder?

[Justin]

Yeah, nuts to the wire. That's boring. We want to know about the welder! I'm happy to help with the wiring as well. 76, because he's awesome, helped me run the sub-panel and I did both the 220 outlets from there. I ran a dedicated 40a breaker for each of my 220 outlets with 6ga wire. If I remember correctly 8g would have been fine but I got the 6g off the scrap rack at Home Depot. It sucked to run, and I'd pay the extra for the 8g if I did it over. Not sure what welder you're running, but a 30a is likely to cover it and a 40a definitely will unless it's something massive. My 210 amp welder pulls 32a at full tilt which I almost never use (except today).

[Rox Crusher]

Thanks everybody for the offers to help.

I will get the digits off the wire tomorrow when it is light enough to see them.

The welder is one of those cheesy Miller 211 and the weld shop said it needs a 50 amp breaker but he didn't sound to sure of himself.

[ZOSO]

Specs say it draws 25A. You'll want at a minimum 10ga wire. Better having 8ga.

[Justin]

The 211 is a great welder, very good choice. Itll draw about the same as mine, maybe a touch more. 40a circuit will be fine.

[ZOSO]

The 211 is a great welder, very good choice. Itll draw about the same as mine, maybe a touch more. 40a circuit will be fine.

40a only if they ran 8ga. if it's 10ga you cant go over 30amp.

[Justin]

Good point.

[Rox Crusher]

Lucky for me it appears to be 6 awg rated for 600v

[Justin]

Sweet! Not sure what the length of the run is, but you're good for 50 amps up to at least 15 feet.

[Rox Crusher]

Sweet! Not sure what the length of the run is, but you're good for 50 amps up to at least 15 feet.

uhm....................the run is "slightly" longer than 15'

[Justin]

You're probably still fine. 15' @ 50a is conservative. If it's long, put a 40a breaker on it.

[Gunnibronco]

My electrician friends have said 8g is fine for 50 amps. Its only not 'ok' to code because of some "stupid derating" residential code requires. I've been told this by an old electrician who knows everything, and a younger guy who just got his license. 6g should be fine for any length run.

I put in lots of hot tubs, way farther than 15' away from the breaker where the electrician used 8g, and they all used 50 amp breakers.

Realize that electrical parts manufacturers & electrician unions are writing the code books. The manufacturers get you to buy the most expensive products. And the codes are intentionally written complex/confusing so homeowners can't understand them, this ensures you have to hire a union electrician. Many new codes require combo arc fault, gfci breakers ($80 each) on just about every circuit. I was talking to a builder of high end homes during hunting season and he says most the homes he's built won't work with these new breakers (many fluorescent ballasts trip gfci's), and he ends up swapping them out to regular breakers after inspections just so the customer who has paid millions of dollars, have a home that actually keeps the lights on. What I'm saying, is screw code, you are fine.

[ZOSO]

depending on what temp rating the wire is and is it copper or aluminum?

copper will be 55-75amps

aluminum is 40-60 amps. Look at which wire type it is and temp rating. 60*C 75*C or 90*C

[Rox Crusher]

Copper wire

TWN75 / T90

[ZOSO]

Should be rated at 65amps. Either way put it on a 30amp breaker.

[Rox Crusher]

Thanks everyone for the education and to Chaney for walking me through how to wire it up.

I think it turned out ok.

image.jpg

[Rox Crusher]

I thought I had it licked last week but turned out there were a couple more junction boxes of unconnected wires.

A HUGE THANKS to 76fordbronco for dropping by and finish it up since I was too intimidated to do it myself.

Thanks !