Advise

[Bob Sigmon]

Arcburn -

Just go to the nearest home supply and they will have a plug that will fit your dryer outlet. Either change the plug on the welder or make an extention cord (with a heavy enough ga.) with the proper connector on each end.

[Arcburn]

Is it kind of like an adapter? Because the dryer is currently useing it and I dont want to change the outlet. If I have to I guess I could change the cord on the welder and my cousion is a electricion so he could do it for me.

[Bob Sigmon]

If you want to change the connector on the welder, you just buy the plug, cut the cable and wire the new plug on. IF you want to keep the original plug on the welder, buy a female that matches the welder plug, a male that matches the dryer wall outlet and attach these to the proper gauge wire for the amperage that you need (amperage info is in the owners manual of your welder). You should look at the circuit breaker for the dryer and that will tell you the max amperage that you can run. The guys at the electrical dept will tell you what gauge wire you need. Since you don't have the welder, you can look on line at most owners manuals to see what kind of amperage they draw.

[Arcburn]

IF you want to keep the original plug on the welder, buy a female that matches the welder plug, a male that matches the dryer wall outlet and attach these to the proper gauge wire for the amperage that you need (amperage info is in the owners manual of your welder). You should look at the circuit breaker for the dryer and that will tell you the max amperage that you can run. The guys at the electrical dept will tell you what gauge wire you need. Since you don't have the welder, you can look on line at most owners manuals to see what kind of amperage they draw.

So basicly, I attach the female that matches the welder plug and wire the male that matches the dryer outlet to it with the proper gauge wire and plug the male into the dryer outlet and it should work right?

[Bob Sigmon]

You got it! Now you just need to figure out which welder you want!!!!

[Arcburn]

Thanks for the help!!!

[Bob Sigmon]

Isn't this site just the best! !

[Bob Sigmon]

The three wire 240 has been around for ever and if that is what is running his dryer at XX amps, it will certainly run a welder at the same amps. It is just a matter of two hots and a ground. If he has a dryer plug with 4 wires(which I doubt since Arcburn has an older house, you would still use the ground and the two hots. I haven't seen a power cable from even my D200DX (that is brand new) that uses a four wire 240. The power cable is set up to use four wire three phase but that is a different story and not applicable here.

That's just my opinion, let me know if I wrong.

Arcburn, if you are at all uncomfortable with doing the wiring, for sure seek the help of a qualified person. If you have family available, it will save you a ton of cash.

Let us know what welder you end up with and what your projects are going to be, that's what really counts!

[Bob Sigmon]

Exactly! I totally agree about the dedicated ground.

[Arcburn]

The dryer breaker I think is 30 amps because thats what it says on the breaker itself. I have been looking at the manuals and I think the 210 draws 35 or 40 amps I am not sure because I might be reading the wrong thing. If thats the case would I still be able to run it with out it triping the breaker all the time?

[Bob Sigmon]

You would have to watch your top end amperage on your welder. It could cause your breaker to pop.

You could have your electrician relative check the wire gauge and make sure that you have the max breaker that the current wire can handle. I doubt that they put in heavier wire than they needed but it doesn't cost to check it out.

[Arcburn]

Thanks for clearing that up!

[Sberry]

A 210 will run from 30A service just fine, but,,, since you have a cousin thats a sparky why fool around, run a new wire from the panel to the garage and then you are set. If I had cheap help I would run a number 6 and put a sub in, they are cheap, 20$ for a 6 space panel and then its easy to add a couple circuits if needed and one for an air comp maybe. A single long circuit to a garage like there is now is a piss poor welding circuit anyway.

[TheRealSpinner]

My comment about being better to have a new circuit, if possible, is that his ground would be a dedicated ground conductor and not using the neutral, which I "believe" is what will be the case if he plugs direct into his exisiting dryer receptacle. The manufacturer would rather see it grounded to a "real" ground, not a "neutral."
Thanks for the input.

When I wired my garage, I ran 4 (I think) wires; two (or maybe just one) hot, one neutral, one ground. The thing is, both the neutral and the ground were connected to the same bare ground wire going into the ground at the main box. I was told that this was correct, is this right?

[TOMWELDS]

Im 22yrs licensed electrician. Every receptacle and plug has a voltage and amperage rating. DO NOT tamper with this! a dryer receptacle is normally 30amps 240volts. Connect accordingly. consult an electrician in your area.