I may actually shed a tear...

Chris Railey

Chris Railey

Well-Known Member
After a long process and much aggravation my shop is being re-wired next week. Two new dedicated 120 circuits And one 240. Since my grinder can be run off of 120 or 240 should I change it over to 240 because I can? It would take me the full 2hp of my motor. I also finally get to use my HT oven. Like I said, I may cry.
 
NICE!! Been in your shoes, and once the upgrade was complete, I don't know how I did anything before.

Absolutely change the grinder to 220/240! My old Wilton Square wheel machine was 1hp, 110 or 220v..... wired at 110 I could stop it and/or kick the breaker with just a tad too much pressure.... when I changed it to 220, it was like I'd add a couple more HP to it.... I could reef on it all I wanted, and it wouldn't stutter...... totally different performance, in the best way.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
NICE!! Been in your shoes, and once the upgrade was complete, I don't know how I did anything before.

Absolutely change the grinder to 220/240! My old Wilton Square wheel machine was 1hp, 110 or 220v..... wired at 110 I could stop it and/or kick the breaker with just a tad too much pressure.... when I changed it to 220, it was like I'd add a couple more HP to it.... I could reef on it all I wanted, and it wouldn't stutter...... totally different performance, in the best way.
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That is all I needed to hear. I will be re-wiring it this week to 220.
 
Sean Jones said:
220 is the way to go. I'm out of space on my panel or I'd add 220 to the shop in a heart beat.
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What kind of panel do you have?? You may be able to put some Piggy-Back breakers in to pick a space up for a Double Pole Breakerthen you can size that breaker to run a sub-panel in your shop!
 
Gliden07 said:
What kind of panel do you have?? You may be able to put some Piggy-Back breakers in to pick a space up for a Double Pole Breakerthen you can size that breaker to run a sub-panel in your shop!
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It's the panel that came with the house. Our house was built I believe in the early 1980's

If I remember correctly there are 14 slots for breakers and one main breaker. It's 140 in? I'd have to look at the outside box to be certain. But whatever they normally put in sub-division housing...or less. The contractor cut corners more than once.

I'm no electrician, and while I'm up to putting a breaker in I'd have to pay an electrician for any other work, such as a sub-panel.

I haven't heard of piggy-back breakers before. I'll have to check them out

We had a neighbor that was an electrician. But then he went through a nasty divorce and that was that.
 
I’m glad you asked this question Chris. I’m moving into a new place and the shop is wired for both. I was wondering the same thing. I’ll be swapping my grinders over to 220 as well very soon.
 
Sean Jones said:
It's the panel that came with the house. Our house was built I believe in the early 1980's

If I remember correctly there are 14 slots for breakers and one main breaker. It's 140 in? I'd have to look at the outside box to be certain. But whatever they normally put in sub-division housing...or less. The contractor cut corners more than once.

I'm no electrician, and while I'm up to putting a breaker in I'd have to pay an electrician for any other work, such as a sub-panel.

I haven't heard of piggy-back breakers before. I'll have to check them out

We had a neighbor that was an electrician. But then he went through a nasty divorce and that was that.
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A "PIGGY-BACK-BREAKER" is a breaker that fits in a single pole breaker slot and will have 2 reset buttons on them. Depending on the panel manufacturer most of them make them. So for every 1 of these you put in you pick up a Single Space. If you put 2 in your panel you can pick up 2 spaces and get a double pole to fit.
 
A "PIGGY-BACK-BREAKER" is a breaker that fits in a single pole breaker slot and will have 2 reset buttons on them. Depending on the panel manufacturer most of them make them. So for every 1 of these you put in you pick up a Single Space. If you put 2 in your panel you can pick up 2 spaces and get a double pole to fit.

They actually are called tandem breakers. They replace a single pole breaker and convert it to Two single pole breakers. I personally don't have a problem with them but be warned actually very few manufactures make them and most panels in the fine print say they are not code compliant for use. So if you ever have a issue your insurance inspector will have a major problem with them. The other issue is when you go to sell the house the worlds smartest people in the world alias HOME INSPECTORS will write you up for having them in a noncompliant panel.
 
Coop said:
A "PIGGY-BACK-BREAKER" is a breaker that fits in a single pole breaker slot and will have 2 reset buttons on them. Depending on the panel manufacturer most of them make them. So for every 1 of these you put in you pick up a Single Space. If you put 2 in your panel you can pick up 2 spaces and get a double pole to fit.

They actually are called tandem breakers. They replace a single pole breaker and convert it to Two single pole breakers. I personally don't have a problem with them but be warned actually very few manufactures make them and most panels in the fine print say they are not code compliant for use. So if you ever have a issue your insurance inspector will have a major problem with them. The other issue is when you go to sell the house the worlds smartest people in the world alias HOME INSPECTORS will write you up for having them in a noncompliant panel.
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Coop that is not true many panels are rated for them and there are many manufacturers that make them, Square D, up until recently Murray, GE makes a 1/2 size breaker that serves the same purpose. The panel usually has a Dual rating says on it 20-30 that would mean you could put 5 Piggyback or Tandem breakers in and legally get 30 circuits into the panel. Most of the time the bussing in the panel or the breaker will have a "REJECT" if you try to install it in a section of the panel that is not rated for it. Last code cycle in MA said if the panel is rated for them they were fine, and MA is current with the National Electric code books including Mass ammendments.
 
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90% of the panels that are rated 20/30 or 20/40 are specifically designed to put SLIM line breakers (don't confuse them with TANDEM breakers) in them instead of a full size breaker. Some are designed to only accept slim lines in the bottom 6 spaces. I'm just saying TANDEM breakers are NOT CODE compliant in most panels out there and not listed by UL for use. Yes you can buy tandem breakers that will snap into a GE panel but beware if you have a problem or a house inspector checks it when you go to sell your house don't be surprised.
 
I wouldn't count on a house inspector to know what he's looking at, Square D also makes Quad breakers that will turn the space of two 110 breakers into two 110s and a 220 of course all these breakers discussed here will usually only fit in certain panels.
 
Coop said:
90% of the panels that are rated 20/30 or 20/40 are specifically designed to put SLIM line breakers (don't confuse them with TANDEM breakers) in them instead of a full size breaker. Some are designed to only accept slim lines in the bottom 6 spaces. I'm just saying TANDEM breakers are NOT CODE compliant in most panels out there and not listed by UL for use. Yes you can buy tandem breakers that will snap into a GE panel but beware if you have a problem or a house inspector checks it when you go to sell your house don't be surprised.
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Coop, what are you calling a slim line breaker? I always considered slim line breaker to be a 1/2 size breakers. The only company I knew that made them was GE (the THQP series still made) and Federal Pacific 0X0 (out of business for quite sometime now) available as a replacement part. Murray made Tandems and Quad, Cutler Hammer made tandems, SqD all tandem? Not trying to cause trouble just trying to understand. Been doing this quite a while and never had issues with the Tandems/Piggy Back breakers or inspectors for that matter. Thanks!
 
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