compressor question

[duke]

thanks again everybody. if you guys weren't here to help us newbies, i guess we wouldn't be here
cheers

[11111111]

Instead of going from the panel you may find it easier to go under the house and tie into the power going to the range. Range power is usually 50amp and dryer is 30amp.
Go buy your 30ft of #6 220 wire about $1.50 ft. This is what you use for 50 amp service. Tell the guy you want it to staple it to the floor joists.
The wires will come with a red, black, white, and a un shielded copper wire. The red and black are both 110 volt legs hence the 220volt. The white is a neutral and is only used when running 110 volts, The reason you will find it used on your range plug is because you have 110 lights in the range that need a return path back to the panel.
Most compressors only use the two wires red, black and do not need the third white wire because they have no 110 volt lights or buzzers to operate.
When you get to wiring the 220 volt compressor and it has two wires only you can hook either wire to either wire. Both are 110 volt and together the system will get the 220.
The reason I mention you can hook to either wire is because for some reason the wires coming from the compressor motor are normally different colors, the entire country uses the same standard and they still cant just put a black and red wire on the motor.
This is what I recommend come to the garage under the floor (if you have a crawl space) using the 9/16 staples that you put in with a hammer. When you get to where you come through the wall use flex conduit or if you know how bend some conduit and run the wire through this up the wall to fuse panel height and install a 60 amp breaker panel ( their cheap at the home depot) Just screw the panel to the wall and run the red and black wires to thir power bars and connect that un shielded wire to the ground bar and the white wire to the neutral ( you can look right at your existing panel to see where the wires go they will all be the same colors and set up their)
once you have done this you can hard wire the compressor to a open breaker and look on the compressor U.L. tag and see what the amp rating is and install breaker about 20% bigger and your ready to go. Or you can run from that breaker to a outlet. just remember doing it this way will give you a few more breaker spots in the panel for other tools later.
also you now have 110 volt in the panel if you need, just buy using the white wire and either the red or black wire. (This is a excellent 110 plug on this big wire and beefy breaker you can run big amp loads here.
It may sound like a lot but really its just a day. My 10yr old boy and I put ours in in a few hours with no problems and it sure makes the old garage a lot more user friendly (35ft was our run).
also if you just want to go to a outlet when you bring the power into the garage it works great too but the theory is if the motor ever went tits up on you it probably wont trip the breaker. Thats the reason for the small panel on the wall.
also the panel becomes a compressor on/off switch so you don't have to wire a separate switch, just use the breaker to turn it on and off.
Good luck, if I can help just hauler
okay one last thing . I have seen guys come through the wall use flex conduit go to the compressor and mount a small single breaker box right on the side of the compressor and thats it. No matter what you decide it will work great. P.s use a oiled compressor they just work better. I was at harbor freight to day and the have 220 compressors with 60 or 80 gallon tanks that stand straight up for $397.00. They looked decent and the price is pretty good too. If you have not got the compressor yet call the repair shops in your area and ask if they can tell you who has upgraded theirs or who has went out of business and is selling their equipment. I bought both my compressors this way and got a 8k compressor for 1000.00 and a 2800.00 for 400.00 like new. not cheapies
Jeff

[duke]

thanks for your input jeff,
i am locating compressor only temporary in garage untill i build work shed.
compressor is rated at 15 amps, what i intend doing is, make up lead to plug in to dryer outlet which is on 30 amp circuit.
this will make life much easier for me.do you think this will work o.k?
if you agree, what gauge wire would you advise i use?
i will copy your last post for use when i finally move compressor
lowes has 60 gallon c/h for $399 with 12 months interest free
cheers

[Hemi-T]

I have a 25ft cord on my 220v compressor. It's a *very* heavy gauge cord. Having enough copper to handle the load you're drawing is all you need to worry about. Voltage drop due to insufficient cable size will wreak havoc on your compressor motor.

Hemi-T

[11111111]

You should be just fine, It is a lot cheaper to make a cord from a roll of the nomex than to buy it as a extennsion cord. and then you can use it in a permanent installation when you get to it and you dont spend any extra cash.

[duke]

once more, thank you guys. i appreciate all your help.
i will pick up compressor tomorrow & get set up over the weekend.
i have some black beauty & will be blasting everything in sight
cheers