Jet 1642-EVS2 220V Wiring Question

[Sal Kurban]

Dear Fellow Creekers:

I just have "blessed myself" with a Jet 1642-EVS2 220V 2HP Lathe. I am having a hard time figuring out the wiring. My shop does not have a 220V receptacle. As many of you might know, this beast comes without a plug (just a pigtail). But the pigtail has only three wires: a black, a white and a green.

1) How can this be a 220 V? I thought 220V meant bipolar 4-wire (red, black, white, green).

2) My Federal Pacific panel (which usese an old stablok type breakers) has an empty bipolar 40 amp 240V breaker. In this case I was thinking of removing the 40 amp breaker and using a 20 amp one-pole breaker. Will this be 220V since it is a single pole?

3) The motor draws 6.1 amps. Is 12 gauge wire adequate or should I use 10 gauge?

Thanks for any input.

Sal.
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[Paul Heely]

Nice stealth gloat. Congratulations!

220v only needs 2 wires, both hot + the ground for safety. 4 wires are commonly found in dryers and stoves because those also tend to have parts which operate on 110v. By using 4 wires, 2 hot + 1 common and ground you can have either 220v across the 2 hots or 110 across either hot and the common.

Unless your panel is not what I'm thinking you will need a 2 pole breaker for the 220 line. Also you cannot use one of the double 1/2 height breakers that repalce a single full height one. The reason is that the 2 breakers need to be on seperate legs of your power feed and 180 out of phase from each other.

In my shop all the 220 circuits have 20A breakers and are run with 12gauge wire. Unless you have extremely long runs 12 gauge is ok for up to 20A. 12 gauge is actually capable of carrying higher current but is limited to 20A by the NEC. Tough you do get to use the higher rating when doing the derating calculations for running conductors in conduit, at least that's what my inspector agreed to when I wired my shop.

When in doubt consult an electrician or you local building inspector.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sal - congrats on your new lathe! I have the same model and it is a wonderful machine! As far as wiring: I wired my shop using 10 gauge wire. To some it is overkill but I wanted to be sure the wire would handle the current. I agree with Paul - you will need a double pole breaker for 240 volts. Shouldn't be a problem as you already had an unused 40 amp breaker installed - all you have to do is remove that breaker and install a 20 amp 240 volt double pole breaker.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of your new lathe!

[Sal Kurban]

Paul and Steve:

Thank you for your prompt and informative responses. I still am a bit confused but this is because I am not very well versed in electrical stuff (I have a friend to help who is stopping by Monday but I need to buy the proper supplies).

Since the cord has only three wires (black/white/green), do we run a three way wire from the breaker? In that case do we run the red and black to each pole at the breaker? The red and black from the breaker would connect to the black and white of the machine and the white from breaker would connect to the green of the machine, correct?

The fact that the lathe plug has only black/white and green confused me. But I guess the white can carry hot current.

Sal.

[Denny Rice]

Paul and Steve:

Thank you for your prompt and informative responses. I still am a bit confused but this is because I am not very well versed in electrical stuff (I have a friend to help who is stopping by Monday but I need to buy the proper supplies).

Since the cord has only three wires (black/white/green), do we run a three way wire from the breaker? In that case do we run the red and black to each pole at the breaker? The red and black from the breaker would connect to the black and white of the machine and the white from breaker would connect to the green of the machine, correct?

The fact that the lathe plug has only black/white and green confused me. But I guess the white can carry hot current.

Sal.

Sal,

This is a piece of cake. If you go to the hardware store you can get a small 220v plug and outlet. You will know it when you see it because one of the two prongs will be horizontal and one will be vertical and then you will have a ground. the plug will come apart in two parts and you will see on the backside of the plug the holes you will insert the wiring on the back of the plug. The black and white will carry the load and the green will be ground. On your breaker in the panel (it will be a double breaker)the same thing one side of the breaker will get the white wire and the other side will get the black wire. Then just run the green to your grounding bar.

[Richard Madison]

Sal,
Are you sure you want to do this yourself? Without knowledgeable help on site? For ref., I have recently wired own new shop building w/ 110 and 220, including four 220 circuits, 1,000 ft. of wire, and would not consider advising you how to do your project in just written words. Some good advice has been given above, but hope you will get some on site help from an experienced friend. Consider the potential down-side if you don't get it right the first time.

[Sal Kurban]

Sal,
Are you sure you want to do this yourself? Without knowledgeable help on site? For ref., I have recently wired own new shop building w/ 110 and 220, including four 220 circuits, 1,000 ft. of wire, and would not consider advising you how to do your project in just written words. Some good advice has been given above, but hope you will get some on site help from an experienced friend. Consider the potential down-side if you don't get it right the first time.

Like I said above, I will not do the wiring; a friend will do it. I just wanted to "educate myself" about wiring a bit. My friend has done a lot of residential wiring but is unfamiliar with woodworking machines so I wanted to buy the proper supplies for him.

Today I bought a 20 amp double pole used Federal Pacific circuit breaker (a new one costs $120 so I got a used one) and we will do the wiring tomorrow. Thanks to all of you, Paul, Steve, Denny in particular, for the excellent input. I cannot wait to see this baby spinnin'

Sal.

[Paul Heely]

Your welcome and good luck with your wiring. Don't forget to post some pictures when all is said and done.

[Richard Madison]

Sal,
Glad you are getting some help, and good for you to learn about it in the process. None of my business but was scared you were going to try to do it yourself with insufficient knowledge.

Prob'ly gonna love the new lathe. I like mine ok. Have fun.