Plug/Wiring Question for PT185

Hi Guys,
I just received my PT185. I am looking at what I need to do to wire it. It is a dual voltage unit. I currently do not have 220v plug in the garage but will run one in the future. The manual says to use a 6-50p plug. Is this correct for the PT185? When I run the 220v does it need to be on a 50 amp breaker or will 30amp suffice? It looks like the unit will not draw more than 30 amps.

I was planning to use a 220v plug such as the 6-50p on the unit itself then create or buy a pigtail with a 6-50r to 5-15p.

Thanks,
Joe

120= black hot, white neutral, green ground
240= black hot, white hot, green ground

6-50 is the standard plug for welders in the US.

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Originally Posted by JoeA

Hi Guys,
I just received my PT185. I am looking at what I need to do to wire it. It is a dual voltage unit. I currently do not have 220v plug in the garage but will run one in the future. The manual says to use a 6-50p plug. Is this correct for the PT185? When I run the 220v does it need to be on a 50 amp breaker or will 30amp suffice? It looks like the unit will not draw more than 30 amps.

I was planning to use a 220v plug such as the 6-50p on the unit itself then create or buy a pigtail with a 6-50r to 5-15p.

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6-50 is just what is typically used for welders. Since you have a max inrush of around 20A and running of around 15A you could get away with a 15A or 20A plug, if you want. A 6-15 or 6-20 would be plenty, but if you need to be compatible with other shops, you might want to use the most common plug in your area. A 30 or even 20 amp breaker would be fine. Just be sure to match your wire size to the breaker. If you foresee any future expansion, like a plasma cutter, you might want to run a circuit that is big enough for that, even if you don't need it now.
You can always make up some pigtails to adapt to other plug sizes you might need. Just be sure of the neutral line when you wire that up. These welders require that the neutral be correct when running on 120V. It's not a bad idea to check an outlet before you use it. I have lost track of how many I've found wired wrong over the years.

Thanks for the responses. If I use a twist lock on the welder would a 6-30p be correct?

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Originally Posted by JoeA

Thanks for the responses. If I use a twist lock on the welder would a 6-30p be correct?

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That would be ok. To be exact you could use:
L6-15P
L6-20P
or L6-30P
Twist locks are especially nice if you have to use an extension cord.

I made pig tails for my I-Mig 200 which is dual voltage. Used the L6-30 twist lock style. I used a male end off of the machine and then used female ends for the 120 and 220 pigtails. Just make sure you keep track of which wire goes to which prong and match them for the 120 or 220 setups. I think it is important that the machine had the male end for the twist lock and the pig tail has the female end so that way if you plug in the pig tail before twist locking you don't run the chance of conducting off something if the pig tail had male ends and touched something metal.

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Originally Posted by scootarida1

I made pig tails for my I-Mig 200 which is dual voltage. Used the L6-30 twist lock style. I used a male end off of the machine and then used female ends for the 120 and 220 pigtails. Just make sure you keep track of which wire goes to which prong and match them for the 120 or 220 setups. I think it is important that the machine had the male end for the twist lock and the pig tail has the female end so that way if you plug in the pig tail before twist locking you don't run the chance of conducting off something if the pig tail had male ends and touched something metal.

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This is exactly what I am planning to do.