Re: Air Compressor
Terry's right about the power; I think that compressor is a little beyond what you need in your garage, and the price is not exactly cheap for a Craigslist offering.
If you house has a modern breaker box, it should have had some excess capacity built into the service. Breaker boxes are often mounted in the garage, so adding a 220V circuit is generally pretty simple. Typically after an appropriately sized double throw breaker is installed, you will have a short run of three conductor cable to a remodel box. If your compressor has a power cord, you can either use a receptacle in the box, or discard the power cord and wire the compressor direct using three conductors in flex conduit.
Select a receptacle to match the power cord on the compressor if it's not direct wired. In recent years, 220V receptacle types have proliferated...you no longer have simple three prong dryer and range receptacles in residential construction. I finally gave up trying to find one that would work with my old power cord in my new house, and just wired it direct with flexible conduit...nicer installation anyway.
Size the breaker to exceed the current draw of the compressor motor, and verify that cable ampacity matches or exceeds the breaker rating. The single phase 220V combines two single phase 110V volt hot wires, black and typically red, to each side of the double throw breaker. The green conductor goes to the ground bus. A 220V circuit tester can be used to confirm the installed circuit is correct.
Shouldn't cost a lot of beer and BBQ. If the garage is finished, the biggest job is fishing and pulling wire through the walls and ceiling (good helper training), but you can probably have the job done before the meat is ready.
Terry's right about the power; I think that compressor is a little beyond what you need in your garage, and the price is not exactly cheap for a Craigslist offering.
If you house has a modern breaker box, it should have had some excess capacity built into the service. Breaker boxes are often mounted in the garage, so adding a 220V circuit is generally pretty simple. Typically after an appropriately sized double throw breaker is installed, you will have a short run of three conductor cable to a remodel box. If your compressor has a power cord, you can either use a receptacle in the box, or discard the power cord and wire the compressor direct using three conductors in flex conduit.
Select a receptacle to match the power cord on the compressor if it's not direct wired. In recent years, 220V receptacle types have proliferated...you no longer have simple three prong dryer and range receptacles in residential construction. I finally gave up trying to find one that would work with my old power cord in my new house, and just wired it direct with flexible conduit...nicer installation anyway.
Size the breaker to exceed the current draw of the compressor motor, and verify that cable ampacity matches or exceeds the breaker rating. The single phase 220V combines two single phase 110V volt hot wires, black and typically red, to each side of the double throw breaker. The green conductor goes to the ground bus. A 220V circuit tester can be used to confirm the installed circuit is correct.
Shouldn't cost a lot of beer and BBQ. If the garage is finished, the biggest job is fishing and pulling wire through the walls and ceiling (good helper training), but you can probably have the job done before the meat is ready.
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