i think in the long run it's probably better to either change out the motor for a 120v motor of same hp, or run a new 230v circuit and receptacle for the existing motor.

JB

 

Some 230 v motors can be wired to run on 110 v.

Running 230v is much better for the motor and is more economical.

 

I would highly recomend against it! A 120 volt motor will draw twice the current as a 240 volt motor will for the same hp. This means running heavier wiring. Also it'll be 4 times more sensative to voltage drop.

Also a compressor motor must be a capacitor start, capacitor run motor designed to start against a load. Converint to 120 volt is poor ecomomy. considering that you'd have to buy a new motor and install heavier gauge wire. That's why it's 240 volt. BTW, a 120 volt motor cost as much to run as a 240 volt motor for the same hp.

 

Thanks guys, but what it is, is it's my dads compressor that he uses at his clubhouse by the river during the summer months, then brings it home to his primary residence for the winter. He uses it at 220v all the time at the clubhouse, but doesn't really need it that much at home, 'cept for filling a tire or something.
I suppose the best way to handle this would be to run a 220 line into his home garage. But I thought it might be easier to just convert it temporarily, rather than go thru the trouble of running 100' of 230 wire, cheaper too.
So what do you do? Just run a separate 110 line, and only hook up to one of the poles? As I understand it, 220 is just two 110 wires right?
And why are you guys calling it 230v?
E=I X R? ??

 

Rather than trying to kluge that compressor together, why not get a new small one from Harbor Freight? They have several models well under $200 that will fill tires and blow dust all day long. You will pay that much to an electrician just to show up. The electrical grid in the US is typically run at 480/240/120V. Nominal values are still referred to as 440/220/110 but the actual target is the higher numbers.

 

Run 12/2 wire, either NM non-metalic (Romex) or AC, armoured cable (BX). Yep, insted of connecting the white wire to the ground buss in the service, connect it to the other pole on a bouble pole breaker (20 amp)

The service circuit is basically 240 volt. 120 volts comes from a center tap on the transformer winding. Think of it as a multi tap transformer that the hardware store sells for door bells. Calling it "2 hot wires" I think is a poor way of describing it and adds a lot to confusion. It's just 1 circuit that has a center tap.

I'd like to point out an important item here about using a "white wire" on a 240 volt circuit. Normally the wire wire is called the "identified conductor" because it is connected to the ground in the servive panel and doesn't present a shock hazard if touched. Any wire that is a hot wire, connected to the breaker, is called the unidentified conductor because it could or could not have power and represent a shock hazard. With romex or bx, you can use the white to connect to a circut breaker only because it's a manufacture cable and you do not have a choice of colors. However with any conduit, you have the option of using any colored wire. Use of a white wire in a conduit used to go to a breaker or switch is a violation. In a manufactured cable, when using a white wire to go to a breaker, ect, should be marked with black tape to "unidentify" it.

 

Thank's for the option Willy's. You do like that Harbor Freight stuff don't you (don't tell anybody, but I use a lot of it too ).
But I think I'll just do what Huskinhano advises and get my dad some 12/2 Romex, a 20 amp dp breaker, some conduit and a receptacle and do it up right (I hope there's room in his service for it). And some electricians tape. Gotta keep it in code. Thanks for the 'lectical education Huskinhano.
We didn't even have a Harbor Freight here till about a year ago. I love that store. I just bought me one of those auto darkening welding helmets for $60, which has brought a whole new dimension to my welding skills (or lack thereof).
Thanks guys.

 

Thank's for the option Willy's. You do like that Harbor Freight stuff don't you........

That's putting it mildly!! I got started with them 20 years ago by mail order. We got a local store about 10 years ago and I threaten my wife with installing a conveyor belt from the store to my shop with orders to "send it all over!" They do sell some real junk but for the most part, you can't beat the value for the hobbyist. They may not stand up for a journeyman but my original 20 year old air tools are still going strong under my regular weekend use/abuse. And I wouldn't have most of them if I had to pay Ingersoll Rand or Maikita or Sears prices.

 

"The service circuit is basically 240 volt. 120 volts comes from a center tap on the transformer winding. Think of it as a multi tap transformer that the hardware store sells for door bells. Calling it "2 hot wires" I think is a poor way of describing it and adds a lot to confusion. It's just 1 circuit that has a center tap.

I'd like to point out an important item here about using a "white wire" on a 240 volt circuit. Normally the wire wire is called the "identified conductor" because it is connected to the ground in the servive panel and doesn't present a shock hazard if touched. Any wire that is a hot wire, connected to the breaker, is called the unidentified conductor because it could or could not have power and represent a shock hazard. With romex or bx, you can use the white to connect to a circut breaker only because it's a manufacture cable and you do not have a choice of colors. However with any conduit, you have the option of using any colored wire. Use of a white wire in a conduit used to go to a breaker or switch is a violation. In a manufactured cable, when using a white wire to go to a breaker, ect, should be marked with black tape to "unidentify" it."

^ This is very confusing...

you can get 12/2 red jacket wire which is for 220v applications, it has a red and black hot wire plus a ground.

the white wire, up here anyway, is called the 'neutral wire'. also, you can't just run a 120v line to the 220v motor, it'll burn out the motor if it does anything at all.

also, we keep saying 230v because power up here in Canada is a little different. we have 240v single-phase service and industrial services are 600V(575V) 3-phase sometimes transformed down to 120/208V FWIW.

later,

JB

 

According to NEC, the use of a white wire in residential wiring as a hot conductor is only a violation if both ends of the white conductor are NOT identified as hot, or re-colored black (as with a black magic marker).

Vince