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Sue_2007 · Nov 13, 2007, 09:34 AM

Hi, Sue here again, the wire I'm hooking up is the dryer cable coming from the house and I am changing the receptacle to a welding receptacle,lincoln AC225 GLM serial #10212-202 could not find a model number, again the wires are red , black ,white and a bare wire,there is only three spots where the wires go , which ones do I hook up? Welder receptacle is a 3 prong, the middle one is round and the left prong is a fat slot and the right one is a skinny slot( front view of receptacle ) please help me!

donf · Nov 13, 2007, 10:52 AM

Sue,

On the outer skin of the wire, you should be able to find the AWG written. What is it? I would anticipate it as being #10 AGW with ampacity of 30 Amps.

Also, are you planning on taking a 220 tap off the dryer line to feed the welder as well?

I ask because the dryer is on a dedicated line.

Also, what is the amperage draw of the welder?

Sue_2007 · Nov 13, 2007, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by donf

Sue,

On the outer skin of the wire, you should be able to find the AWG written. What is it? I would anticipate it as being #10 AGW with ampacity of 30 Amps.

Also, are you planning on taking a 220 tap off of the dryer line to feed the welder as well?

I ask because the dryer is on a dedicated line.

Also, what is the amperage draw of the welder?

Hi Donf

No just hooking up to the welder, 230 volt 50 amp and thank you for your answer.

Sue

labman · Nov 13, 2007, 11:52 AM

I doubt the dryer circuit has heavy enough wire to support a welder that draws 50 amps. Usually they are wired up with #10, limited to 30 amps. You might best start at the panel and run a 4 wire, black, red, white, and bare or green cable able to support 50 amps. The 50 amps is peak, not continuos? If the welder doesn't use a neutral, you would only need the 2 hots and the ground.

In the past, Dryers, stoves, maybe other neutral using 240 volt appliances used the same wire for neutral and ground. Newer ones use a 4 wire cable now.

Post back with whether the 50 amps is continuos or peak, and if the welder has any 120 volt components that need a neutral. Then see what tkrussell has to say.

donf · Nov 13, 2007, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Sue_2007

Hi Donf

no just hooking up to the welder, 230 volt 50 amp and thank you for your answer.

Sue

Dear sweet, kind gentle Sue,

Why are you playing with electricity. Us guys play with that stuff. Its one of the ways we prove we are "Manly" or some dumb thing like that.

Okay, dumb question out of the way.

A 50 Amp line, is of course going to need a 50 Amp breaker. You will need to run #6/3 AWG stranded (stranded is slightly more flexible than solid wire) This stuff is heavy, expensive and just unpleasant to run. However depending on your welder, you might get away using 6/2. I prefer 3 wire. Anyway, you can get 3 0r 4 prong receptacles at just about any Lowe's, or Home Depot. Make sure the receptacle matches the plug. Also, the 50 amp receptacles are usually marked as "Range" outlets. Check the welders list to see if there is a specific receptacle needed.

Last of all, on a 4 wire receptacle, the Black and Red go to opposite side of the rear of the outlet. Ground is going to the top circle and white (neutral) will go to the bottom,

The receptacle is normally mounted with the Ground whole centered and up.

Sue_2007 · Nov 13, 2007, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by labman

I doubt the dryer circuit has heavy enough wire to support a welder that draws 50 amps. Usually they are wired up with #10, limited to 30 amps. You might best start at the panel and run a 4 wire, black, red, white, and bare or green cable able to support 50 amps. The 50 amps is peak, not continuos? If the welder doesn't use a neutral, you would only need the 2 hots and the ground.

In the past, Dryers, stoves, maybe other neutral using 240 volt appliances used the same wire for neutral and ground. Newer ones use a 4 wire cable now.

Post back with whether the 50 amps is continuos or peak, and if the welder has any 120 volt components that need a neutral. Then see what tkrussell has to say.

I do have a 4 wire starting at the panel box,do you think that will work? The receptacle is what I'm worried about , looking at it from front view it has three prongs,oval one on the bottom , one on the right is fat the one on the left is skinny, but I need to know where the wires hook up, there are only three spots on the back of the receptacle

labman · Nov 13, 2007, 01:01 PM

This 3wire/4wire stuff is too technical to trust anybody here except tkrussell. Since I am not sure, I am not saying how to do it. I could make it work, but can't promise my way would meet code. No matter how you connect the wires up, #10 wires and a 30 amp breaker aren't enough to feed a 50 amp welder.

Stratmando · Nov 13, 2007, 01:12 PM

Your Dryer receptacle Probably has #10's, on a 30 Amp Breaker.
What does your Welder Require?
#10 is good for 30 Amps.
#8 for 40 Amps.
#6 for 50 or 60 Amps.
If your welder does not need a Neutral, Then 3 prong OK.
How many wires and amps on Welder. NamePlate on unit should say.
3 or 4 wire is NOT technical. Welder has 3 or 4 Connections, you supply with 3 or 4 Prong Receptacle.

tkrussell · Nov 13, 2007, 01:20 PM

The AC 225 GLM is the model number.

According to the specs found in the manual:
http://content.lincolnelectric.com//...r/im/IM339.pdf

This unit only needs two hots for 240 volts and the equipment ground.

So at the outlet end, cap the white with a wirenut or electrical tape, connect the black and red each to the brass screws/flat blades, and the bare wire to the green screw/oval opening.

The 30 amp circuit you will be using will work fine with normal welding. I am sure your not doing 1" thick steel for a battleship or a tank farm.

Sue_2007 · Nov 13, 2007, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Stratmando

Your Dryer recepticle Probably has #10's, on a 30 Amp Breaker.
What does your Welder Require?
#10 is good for 30 Amps.
#8 for 40 Amps.
#6 for 50 or 60 Amps.
If your welder does not need a Neutral, Then 3 prong OK.
How many wires and amps on Welder. NamePlate on unit should say.

OK, I'm uderstanding this a little more now... yes I am sweet but I'm not just your average every-day girl! I will try just about anything once... that way I can say"" atleast i tried""... well I will let an expert do this for me, but I will watch then I'll know,right!? You've been great though thank you very much!

Stratmando · Nov 13, 2007, 01:30 PM

Since you like to learn.
The Ground Connects to all metal Parts, Equipment and Boxes. If a hot wire was to come loose inside. It should trip Breaker, instead of becoming live. It will be Green or Bare.
Neutral and Ground are Directly connected at Your Electrical Service. The Difference is That The Neutral Carries Current, The Ground Does Not. The Neutral should be white or gray. Watch your eyes.

KISS · Nov 13, 2007, 02:41 PM

Lets add a few things:

Ground and Neutral are at the reverence potential of 0 Volts and are BARE or GREEN.
The two hots are called L1 and L2 and are usually RED and BLACK (4 wire system)
There is 120 volts between G/N and L1 and 120 V between G/N and L2
There is 240 volts between L1 and L2

The metal box AND the outlet must both be connected to ground. The round prong is usually ground and is also a green screw.

L1 and L2 are usually brass screws

Neutral is usually a plated silver-colored screw.

For your question. The round is green. The other two are red and Black. White gets a wirenut to nowhere.

Sue_2007 · Nov 13, 2007, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

Lets add a few things:

Ground and Neutral are at the reverence potential of 0 Volts and are BARE or GREEN.
The two hots are called L1 and L2 and are usually RED and BLACK (4 wire system)
There is 120 volts between G/N and L1 and 120 V between G/N and L2
There is 240 volts between L1 and L2

The metal box AND the outlet must both be connected to ground. The round prong is usually ground and is also a green screw.

L1 and L2 are usually brass screws

Neutral is usually a plated silver-colored screw.

For your question. The round is green. The other two are red and Black. White gets a wirenut to nowhere.

Hi KeepItSimpleStupid"cute name"

Thanks for the help,all the advise has been good and it all makes sense to me now. That will be my project for tomorrow and I will let you all know how I made out. Thank you all and have a good night.

Sue

kman1 · Nov 13, 2007, 09:52 PM

Not an electrician but I do know something about welders. Most welders use a 3 wire connection since they do not use 120 volts internally. 2 hots and a ground. Your welder probably comes with a NEMA 50 plug on it. If it helps most welding supply houses sell a specially made extension cord with the proper ends on it. Not sure where your electrical panel is in relation to where you are working with the welder but the extension cable may be an option for you if putting a sutable rececpticle near the welder is difficult or cost prohibitive. The cable is not cheap either. Probably $125 for a 50ft. You may be able to put a receptacle near your panel and just plug in the extension cable when you wish to weld.

Sue_2007 · Nov 16, 2007, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by tkrussell

The AC 225 GLM is the model number.

According to the specs found in the manual:
http://content.lincolnelectric.com//...r/im/IM339.pdf

This unit only needs two hots for 240 volts and the equipment ground.

So at the outlet end, cap the white with a wirenut or electrical tape, connect the black and red each to the brass screws/flat blades, and the bare wire to the green screw/oval opening.

The 30 amp circuit you will be using will work fine with normal welding. I am sure your not doing 1" thick steel for a battleship or a tank farm.

Hi, Sue again... on the receptacle it shows a 50a hole and a 250v hole what wires do I put to each of these holes?

kman1 · Nov 16, 2007, 10:28 AM

The receptical is a NEMA 50 type. It's rated for 50amps 250volts. What you are seeing is the rating on the plug not anything labeling the pins. The round pin is a ground and the other two are the hots. The two flat pins are the same and it doesn't matter which hot goes to which flat pin. In summary make sure you have the two hot wires and the ground, you will not be using the neutral. Hook the two hots to the screws that line up with the flat pins and the ground to the round one.

It sounds like you are having trouble understanding the answers and may be best served by showing our answers to someone that knows a little about electric work. Best would be an electrician but with the answers we've provided maybe a good handyman type would be able to help. Lincoln makes a line of inverter type welders that will weld very well on a 120volt circuit. They are not cheap.

Funny thing is Lincoln uses a NEMA 50 plug on almost all the welders. It is supposed to be rated at 50amps but they use it on welders that draw more.

Sue_2007 · Nov 16, 2007, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by kman1

The receptical is a NEMA 50 type. It's rated for 50amps 250volts. What you are seeing is the rating on the plug not anything labeling the pins. The round pin is a ground and the other two are the hots. The two flat pins are the same and it doesn't matter which hot goes to which flat pin. In summary make sure you have the two hot wires and the ground, you will not be using the neutral. Hook the two hots to the screws that line up with the flat pins and the ground to the round one.

It sounds like you are having trouble understanding the answers and may be best served by showing our answers to someone that knows a little about electric work. Best would be an electrician but with the answers we've provided maybe a good handyman type would be able to help. Lincoln makes a line of inverter type welders that will weld very well on a 120volt circuit. They are not cheap.

Funny thing is Lincoln uses a NEMA 50 plug on almost all the welders. It is supposed to be rated at 50amps but they use it on welders that draw more.

You know I thought that but I wanted to make sure, I went over all the previous answers and I do understand, just second guessing myself a bad habit I have but usually by doing this it gets done right, it's good to go now, will be welding right shortly and I Thank You all very much for the advice, you've been very helpful

Sue

kman1 · Nov 16, 2007, 12:07 PM

Just out of curiosity, what type of welding are you going to be doing? I do a lot of racecar fabrication in my home shop and have Oxy/Act, Stick, Mig, Tig and Spot welders here.

Sue_2007 · Nov 16, 2007, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by kman1

Just out of curiosity, what type of welding are you going to be doing? I do a lot of racecar fabrication in my home shop and have Oxy/Act, Stick, Mig, Tig and Spot welders here.

Right now making a harness for a plow. Also do welding on cars, restoring a 66 mustang for my grandson and also have a 70 cougar xr7. Using the arc and mig here.

Sue