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-   -   I bought a 3hp air compressor that requires 230vac my garage is 120? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=507260)

  • Sep 13, 2010, 01:50 PM
    haroldmacmahan
    I bought a 3hp air compressor that requires 230vac my garage is 120??
    Is there a way I can get power to the230 vac air compressor,from the 120 volt running in my garage.like piggy backing a power line to both hot connections on the outlet. Thanks... (If not,know anybody that wants to buy a new 230 vac air compressor)
    (JOKING)
  • Sep 13, 2010, 02:04 PM
    stanfortyman

    No, there is absolutely no way to get the 240v that you need from a single 120v feed.
    There are transformers, but you not only need 240v, you need more amperage/wattage as well.
  • Sep 13, 2010, 02:49 PM
    hkstroud

    You can pull a new 240V line.
  • Sep 13, 2010, 03:16 PM
    haroldmacmahan
    Comment on hkstroud's post
    My garage is detached and the power box is on the far other ide of the house and has no place to put another breaker
  • Dec 17, 2010, 05:52 PM
    roneldoradohill
    See http://www.equitech.com/support/120240.html
  • Dec 18, 2010, 07:37 AM
    donf

    Ronel,

    The key here is safety. That is the whole purpose of the NEC.

    If you have a subpanel in the garage, you can then feed from the subpanel "A" to a second subpanel "B" in the garage. Providing you do not exceed the amperage available in subpanel "A".

    You would need a four wire feed from subpanel A to subpanel B.

    You would feed from subpanel A using a correctly sized dual pole breaker.

    Once you get to the B subpanel, you will need another dual pole breaker to feed the compressor.

    Both the breaker and the conductor need to be sized properly for the compressor's motor. For that we have to know the Full Load Current of the motor as well whether the motor is single phase or 3 phase in addition to the HP, which you have already given us.

    All of the information that is needed will be in the installation instructions or on the motor's nameplate.

    If the feed to the motor is not correctly sized, you run several risks, fire is chief among them. The motor failing to start or seizing up are a couple of more.

    Please do the installation correctly.

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