Rep Power: 452

Ok, I will give 2000 points on whoever can be the first to give me exact detailed instructions on how to wire up a seperate circuit that I can use to run my air compressor with. I need the detailed instructions on wiring and parts needed, and where to hook everything up at. I will give more points if needed.

I need to run my compressor on its own circuit cause it is blowing the circuits at home that I am running it on. The compressor uses time delay fuses so I dont know if you need to know that, but I thought I would tell you. The amps on the compressor are 15 amps, so I think I will want to go with a 30-50 amp circuit breaker or time delay fuse setup.

Well let me know anyone so I can do this, this weekend. thanks.

 
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I can't give you detailed instructions, but maybe this will help. I'm not looking for points

Check your breaker box to see what your rails are rated at. (they should easily be able to handle 20amps, but not ALL of your breakers are) Look for a breaker labeled something to do with laundry. You should have doubles (220V) rated above 20amps. Homedepot can sell you singles (110v)that are rated at that current.

Honestly, at 15amps, you should not be blowing your fuses (esp. in the garage). You may want to hire/befriend an electrical contracter to take a look at your box and wiring.

 
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The compressor will draw lots of current when it starts due to the motor.

First check the fuse box to see if there are any open spots. You need an open spot to make a lone dedicated circuit. If there are ....

- get a 30amp breaker that matches the style / brand of whats in there
- romex connector for where the wire leaves the fuse panel box
- wire to get from the fuse box to the garage location
- staples to hold up the wire
- single outlet box
- single outlet
- romex for where the wire comes in the the outlet box
- outlet cover
- screws to screw the outlet box to the wall

In the fuse box, follow how everything else is wired up. In the outlet in the garage the ground goes to the bottom, the white to the silver screw, and the black to the brass screw.

P.S. Keep the points ....

 
Rep Power: 0

Alright, if you want to use a 30 amp fuse, you will need 10gauge wire. You can either run conduit, and pull THHN conductors through it (individual wires) or buy 10/2 romex, which has 3 wires in it, black for power, white as a neutral, and a ground.
First run the wire from the fuse box to where the outlet is going. Stapling about every 3 feet. Remember to leave enough room on each end to make your connections.

Make up the side with the outlet first. I would use a metal box. Mount it to the wall and put in a romex connector. After the wire is in the box, tighten the romex connector until the wire can’t slip out.

Next strip the wire inside the box (make sure not to hit the conductors with the knife). Put a ground screw (green) into the box, wrap the ground wire around it, and tighten it down. Leave a tail coming off of the screw to attach to the outlet

Next you are ready to install the outlet. Attach the ground to the outlet. Next attach your white conductor (to the silver screw). And finally your black conductor (to the brass screw). Attach the outlet to the box, and put the cover on.

Now you’re ready to make up the fuse box side. Shut off the main breaker or if it is a sub panel, shut off the breaker feeding it. Now take off the cover.

Put the romex connector into a knockout in the panel, and run your wire into it. Strip the wire like you did on the other end. Next, attach your ground wire to the ground bus bar. Next attach the white with the rest of the neutral conductors. note: If it is a sub panel, the grounds and neutrals will be in the same bus bar.

Now snap the breaker onto the rails in an open spot. And attach your black power wire to the breaker. Make sure the breaker is in the off position.

Next put the panel cover back on (don’t forget to take the knockout out of the cover where the new breaker is).

Turn on the main breaker. Then turn on the new breaker. Now check the power at the new outlet using a meter. You should have 120volts between the hot side and the ground, and between the neutral side and the ground. There should not be power between the neutral and ground.

If everything checks out, plug in the compressor and try it out. If you have any more questions let me know.

Make sure that you have the proper breaker to fit your panel. IF you give me the type I can tell you what breakers will work. Square D Homeline breakers fit a few different panels, so I would guess that it would work for you. But make sure before you buy one.

 
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I just thought of something else... If the compressor takes 15 amps to start, you will be fine using it alone on a 20amp circuit, and running 12gauge wire.

On the compressor it should have 2 ratings, one for starting, and one for continuous use. I would guess that the continuous is much lower than 15 amps.

Another problem you will run into if you need 30 amps, an 115v 30amp outlet is a lot different than an 115v 15amp outlet. Instead of the slots going | | I believe they are - - (i will look it up if you want)
This means you will also have to change the plug on the compressor.

If you do infact need the 30amps, I can tell you how to change the plug on the compressor.

whatever you do, just make sure that the outlet you install is rated for the amperage of the breaker


-Chris

 
Rep Power: 452

see I thought the same thing. I thought a 20 amp circuit would hold the compressor. But look, when I first start the compressor and let it fill up, everything is fine. It only trips the master bathroom circuit after I use an air tool with the compressor for a minute or so. It will still let me use the compressor after that because it is hooked up into the garage.

I was thinking of doing the deal where I would wire up the dryer plug to a 110V outlet and whenever I need to use the compressor, plug that plug into the dryer, but I would rather have a dedicated circuit for this in the garage with its own outlet.

 
Rep Power: 452

hey I appreaciate the help.

And to regular joe and Bires, I appreaciate the help too. It looks a bit complicated for me so I will probably find out from a electrican how much this will cost. Any ideas on the cost?

 
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If the circuit in the bathroom is tripping, but not the actual circuit for the garage.... then something on the bathroom circuit is too sensetive to the slight dip in power to the whole house that the compressor creates when kicking on, like a GFI outlet.

Replace the GFI outlet on the bathroom circuit and it should fix the problem.

 
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How much it will cost depends on where the fuse box is, if it’s in the garage then it shouldn’t take more than an hour for most electricians.

I agree, if it is tripping a different circuit it could just be a GFI. Try disconnecting it first and see if that solves the problem.

Or do you mean that when you’re using the compressor, it trips the circuit that the compressor is on? I mean, is the compressor plugged into the bathroom circuit?

 
Rep Power: 452

ok I talked to an electrican today and he said that the reason why it is tripping is because the outlets in the garage and around the outside of the house arent for appliances and are GFI protected basically by the bathroom outlet. Something along those lines. But he said if I used the laundry room outlet inside or another outlet, I wont have any problems. I dont think I explained that correctly, but you should get the picture.

But to answer someones question, it doesnt kick the garage circuit. just that bathroom circuit.

 
Rep Power: 307

Makes sense to me, The GFCI is to protect from shock during wet conditions (like bathrooms and outside) and other outlets can be protected by a remote GFCI unit.

How about the outlet used by the washing machine ?? I would think that outlet would work (compressor only or washer only)