Anyone have an electrician they REALLY can recommend?

I need a 3 prong 220v plug installed for my MIG off the main fuse box located in the garage.

I'm in Clear Lake, so the closer to me they are, the better.

 

Doesn't RCC have an electrical company?

 

Good luck with that. Code requires that all new wirings or wire replacements be up to the current code, which is 4 wire, 3 conductor, 1 ground, typically 10-3 cable, for 220. I know this because this weekend I am installing a 220 for my dryer in the garage. The garage has 110 and gas hookup and my dryer has the old 3 prong 220, so not only do I have to install the 4 prong receptacle, I also have to install the new 4 prong wiring on my dryer.

According to The National Electric Code 2005 Section 250.140, if you have an existing 3 prong receptacle, you can change the appliance to the 3 prong, but if you need to replace the wire, or add a new 220 circuit, it needs to be 4 wire.

 

My neighbor is an electrician and out of work. He is good and needs to make some cash pm me if interested

 

Welding machine are not considered appliances. You can install the 3 wire plug with no issues.

 

To the OP, if you cant find someone to do it. Post some pics of the breaker box and where you want to install the plug and I will walk you through it. I would come do it, but i am on the other side of the world from you.

 

I'm not going to disagree with you, as you are the claimed electrician, and I am an internet browser, haha, I don't know ****, but out in the shop at the company I work for, we had new 220 installed for some additional welding machines and the electrician said he had to put the 4 wire, did we get ripped or what? Or is different between residential and commercial?

And sorry to the OP for my misreading of the code.

 

I have no idea why the electrician that did the work for your shop did what he did. If its a dedicated outlet for a dedicated piece of equipment, it doesnt have to be 4 wire. The 4 wire devices are for all of the newer appliances/machines that have 4 points of connection: 2 hots, 1 neutral, and 1 ground. Different people interpret the code in different ways, but a 3 prong receptacle for a welding machine is not against code. I would look it up and give you the article number, but I am being very lazy today.

 

I just found it in Article 100, although I do not know if this is direct from the code, as Google didn't display any pages with the actual NEC code, oh well.

"Appliance. Utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is normally built in standardized sizes or types and is installed or connected as a unit to perform one of more functions such as clothes washing, air conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, and so forth."

Thats not a very broad statement. I wouldn't consider a welding machine as an appliance after reading that, but I could still see how "one" could interpret that, such as the electrician. Either way though, the 4 prong couldn't be worse than 3 prong, so I see no harm in it.

 

as long as you are not pulling a permit code wont even matter.. lol

 

You can always drive the LMR loaner car out there

 

Thanks for all the replies and PMs everyone. Been a busy work week...

I hope to have something going this coming week. Haven't decided exactly what to do yet.