Wiring up my 250ex

[dgarnier]

with a volt meter check between the white and black wires at the plug - should be 240. Then check from the white to the green should be 120 and back to green should be 120

hard to tell form the pic, but are you sure you have the white and black wires on there own hot leg? where does the black wire form your new cord hook up to the breaker?

[DiabolicZ]

with a volt meter check between the white and black wires at the plug - should be 240. Then check from the white to the green should be 120 and back to green should be 120

hard to tell form the pic, but are you sure you have the white and black wires on there own hot leg? where does the black wire form your new cord hook up to the breaker?

Ok, I checked between the white and the black and my voltage is only 1.9mv. So it has to be because each wire is not on it's own hot leg like you said, right? I'm sure this is what was being discussed before now. I think the breaker I installed only installs on on leg. If you look at these pictures, the 50amp breaker with the aluminum wire takes up two slots (two legs?) The one I got only takes up one slot (1 leg?) You can see below it that there is one more slot (leg?) available. I figured I would save some room by doing that. Turns out that was the wrong way to go about it. That sucks, now I have to go and buy the DOUBLE size breaker that installs on two legs I think. Wouldn't be so bad if these weren't discontinued breakers that cost $70 from Home Depot.

[DiabolicZ]

Ok, I got it to work. Once you mentioned the "Legs" it all came together.

Basically this is what I did.

This is how I had it set up when I was getting 1.9mv


And then I moved a half of a slot down so it was bridging two "legs". Now I get 251 volts from black to white.

[Rivets]

[QUOTE=DiabolicZ;7323]Ok, I checked between the white and the black and my voltage is only 1.9mv. So it has to be because each wire is not on it's own hot leg like you said, right? I'm sure this is what was being discussed before now. I think the breaker I installed only installs on on leg. If you look at these pictures, the 50amp breaker with the aluminum wire takes up two slots (two legs?) The one I got only takes up one slot (1 leg?) You can see below it that there is one more slot (leg?) available. I figured I would save some room by doing that. Turns out that was the wrong way to go about it. That sucks, now I have to go and buy the DOUBLE size breaker that installs on two legs I think. Wouldn't be so bad if these weren't discontinued breakers that cost $70 from Home Depot.

Yes,

One slot, one leg.
Two slots, two legs.

Which is why you're get getting no voltage between your white and black leads.
You are essentially trying to measure a voltage between two points on the same bus bar (leg).

HTH,
rivets

[dgarnier]

one more thing to check out on the mini 50 breaker you have there now. Are both poles tied together so it one trips the other one is tripped as well? If not and 1 side grounds out and trips the other side will stay hot. On the big 50amp breakers see how the switches the two poles are switched together..that way if 1 side trips they both get tripped.

[DiabolicZ]

one more thing to check out on the mini 50 breaker you have there now. Are both poles tied together so it one trips the other one is tripped as well? If not and 1 side grounds out and trips the other side will stay hot. On the big 50amp breakers see how the switches the two poles are switched together..that way if 1 side trips they both get tripped.

Yes, I was concerned about this when I first saw it, but they are tied together internally. I mentioned this problem of one side tripping and not the other earlier in the thread with my water heater. Took me a while to figure out what the hell happened because the breaker did not look like it had tripped. That metal sleeve over the switch allowed one side of the breaker to trip, but not flip all the way open.

Either way, if one tripped and the other stayed on, my machine would still shut down, similar to the problem I was just having with the breaker being mounted on one pole and not two. I would only be seeing 110/120v on one side, and my machine would not operate. At least I think right?

Oh well, yes they are tied together with an internal bar of sorts. You can sort of see it in the picture running through the switch levers.

[performance]

That configuration is a fire hazard. I would not rest easy with that in place. For one, each leg is 50 amps here and the breaker will not trip properly. Its not a total of 50 amps, its a total of 100.
Plus it is undersized and small. The piggy back breakers are expensive to start with, and are a way to cheat a panel box. A regular 220 Breaker is much cheaper.

[Rivets]

That configuration is a fire hazard. I would not rest easy with that in place. For one, each leg is 50 amps here and the breaker will not trip properly. Its not a total of 50 amps, its a total of 100. (snip)

Mark,

That is incorrect.

This configuration is electrically identical to a full size (physically) 50 amp double breaker.

If you draw a circuit diagram, you will notice that the two breakers are actually in SERIES with each other and the load, (one on each side), so the total ampacity is still 50 amps.

Cheers,
rivets

[kenwhite]

...You are essentially trying to measure a voltage between two points on the same bus bar (leg).

HTH,
rivets

Yep, he was on the same phase so there was no difference in potential between the measurement points...

[ducksface]

three simple quick questions;
Ebay has 50' cables that are 3/6guage and 1/8guage wire.

Is this useable for a pp256? Which leg would I use the 8 guage on? I can get 110 with this setup also?

If so, I'm ordering one.

[dgarnier]

i belie you will want the 3/6 2 hots and a ground and then use the 1/8 for neutral. Then you will have 220 and 110 as long as you get the 4 prong plug and outlets.

how much for? the cable

[ducksface]

As low as $169 for 50ft with both ends done/molded for rv four prong plugs. I'll change my wall plug or get an adapter, and put a 2ft tail on the welder, then can use the cord for welder or RV.

[dgarnier]

wow not sure you can even buy just the wire for less then 3.38 a foot

[aaxiss]

ok I have decided to put in a seperate dedicated 50 amp welder circuit after verifing that I have a 200 AMP service to the house and a 100 AMP sub panel in the shop. what wire do I need 6/2 romex ( 2 wires and bare ground ) or 6/3 romex ( 3 wires and bare ground )?

[dgarnier]

6/2 for 220, and 6/3 for 220 and 110