nytrdr24
+1y
gotcha cover'd on this one hex.....step one, lick finger & touch the copper buss bar in the back of the panel!
^^^j/k haha!PLEASE, DON'T ATTEMPT TO DO THAT, IT'S NOT SAFE, YOU WILL GET HURT!
nah, for real,
1)check the power panel that you will be feeding the comp. from, you will need to know what kind of breakers are in the panel, and who makes them, example, square d, qo series breakers, or seimens, homeline series breakers.....
2)look on the comp., you need to know the max amperage that it will pull....this will determine what size breaker to buy....more than likely, it will need a 30 amp - 2 pole breaker.
3)how close are ya gonna put the comp. to the panel that will feed it?
when you get ready to wire it in, you will need:
the appropriate size breaker (depends on rating on comp.), & type
some romex cable: two conductor w/ a ground (depends on rating on comp.)
2- 1/2" romex connectors (has lock ring on it, not the "atomic connector" type (one for a spare)
2- 1/2" flex connectors
1/2" flex (length will depend on distance from switch to comp.)
2- single gang plastic cut in receptacle boxes
1 2-pole single throw switch, rated @ 120v/30a switch
a metal switch cover
a metal blank cover
basic breaker ratings & wire size (wire dist. less than 100')
if the comp rating is 30amp or less = # 10 awg & a 30 amp breaker will do.
if the comp rating is 40amp or less = # 8 awg & a 40 amp breaker will do.
as i said above, more than likely the comp. won't pull more than 30 amps. if it does, hit me up, & i'll give ya some more input.
turn off the main breaker in the panel. take a meter or tester appropriately rated, and make sure the panel is dead (turned off)
remove the panel cover, and install the breaker in the panel
depending on where the compressor is the wire will either go out of the bottom of the panel (if the compressor is right next to it) or if you panel is say inside the house, and the comp is in the garage, you will come out of the top of the panel & run the wire thru the attic.....have fun fishing it down the walls!
put the romex conn in the panel either in the top, or bottom depending on what i said above, leave enough wire @ the panel to reach the breaker, neutral/ground bar (white/bare copper wires are attached to), the bare copper wire in the romex will go to this bar, the white & black (one on each terminal of the breaker for the comp). irreguardless if your comp is right next to the panel, you will cut the two boxes into the wall side by side next to the compressor, leave @ 4" inbetween so you don't weaken the sheet rock., run the wire from the panel to the first box, this is where the switch will be located.
next you'll want to run the flex & wire from the pressure switch on the compressor to the second box, measure & cut the flex, leave some slack so the flex isn't stretched tight. put a connector on both ends. take the blank cover, knock out a 1/2" hole in the center, and put one end of the flex onto the blank cover. now take a solid piece of romex long enough to reach from the first box to the second box (in the wall), and then to the pressure switch on the comp, feed one end of the wire from the second box to the first box, take the other end of the wire, feed it into the end of the flex with the blank cover, and put the cover on the the second box. now put the connector to the other end of the flex into the pressure switch, and wire the pressure switch, ground to green screw, white & black to the two poles (terminals on the press. sw.).....now @ the first box, you will connect both wires to the switch, tie the grounds together leaving a pig tail to hook onto the green screw of the switch. the black wires will go to the two screws on one side, the whites to the two screws on the other side. put the switch in the first box, an put the metal sw. cover on.
now put the cover back on the panel, and turn the main breaker back on.....now you can turn the breaker to the comp. on. go over to the switch in the first box next to the comp., turn it on, the comp should kick on, and start to fill the tank, it should kick off automaticly @ w/e psi the press. sw. is set at.
sorry so long, pretty sure i didn't leave anything out..... just remember, be very careful around the panel, and DON'T TOUCH THE COPPER BUSS BAR!
this concludes the E101CW class: basic electrical air compressor wiring