# Compressor Wiring



## Raindem (Sep 24, 2011)

Greetings electrical gurus.  I'm attempting to install my brand new Ingersoll Rand 220v compressor.  The installation instructions are useless.  They just point to the connection and say "to power supply" and of course tell you to hire a qualified electrician.  I have a lot of DiY experience with 120v circuits but not 240v.

So here's what I got.  The first picture is my nearby 220v wall outlet.  The Black-Red wires have 240v, and the Black-White & Red-White have 120v.  The 2nd picture show my compressors electrical box.  It has a black, a white, and a ground.  So I was going to buy a 220v extension cord but not sure how I wire it up.

Thanks


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## fatham (Sep 24, 2011)

Your new compressor is presently wired for 220.The new power cord needs to connect the black and red (220v) lines from the receptacle, ( as shown in Your left picture) , to the "line in" lugs in the contactor shown in the right photo.
 The green wire (Grounding wire )connects from the copper terminal in the receptacle, to the green wire terminal in the contactor housing box.
 I hope that is what You are looking for.


Cheers......fatham


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## kok328 (Sep 24, 2011)

The compressor will need 120V to the black wire and 120V to the white wire from the opposing leg of the power source.
In other words, hook the red wire from the wall outlet to the black or white wire on the compressor and then hook the black wire from the wall outlet to the remaining (white or black) wire on the compressor.
Finally, hook the bare copper wire from the wall outlet to the green wire on the compressor.


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## Raindem (Sep 25, 2011)

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.  One more question, what does the white wire on the receptacle hook to?


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## kok328 (Sep 25, 2011)

The white wire will not be used in this application.
Terminate it with a wire nut and stuff it back into the box or if you are going to wire up a cord to match the outlet, just leave it where it is.


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## Raindem (Sep 25, 2011)

Yes, I was going to use one of those pre-wired plugs from ACE.  Thanks.


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## Raindem (Sep 29, 2011)

Just to make sure I'm doing this right I attached the motor plate for my compressor.  

The existing feed wire (photo #1 of my 1st post) is 6 ga. with a 50 amp breaker.  The wire I plan to attach to the compressor is 10 ga., which seems about the same size as the factory wires that are there (photo #2 of my 1st post).  I then plan to swap my 50 amp fuse for a 30 amp because a 50 amp breaker for 10 ga. wire seems rather large.

Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

Thanks again.


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## kok328 (Sep 29, 2011)

Wire it with a 10 gauge cord and a 30 amp breaker/fuse.


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## Raindem (Sep 29, 2011)

How do you remove the breaker?  I have the panel pulled off (power is shut off) and the wires are disconnected.  But I don't see how the breaker is attached to the bus.

Edit: Nevermind, figured it out.  Thanks.


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## BigChuck (Oct 2, 2011)

Glad you got it figured out Raindem, I'm mostly here to learn, but I'd be calling an electrician for my own personal safety! haha


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## Raindem (Oct 3, 2011)

BigChuck said:


> Glad you got it figured out Raindem, I'm mostly here to learn, but I'd be calling an electrician for my own personal safety! haha



Most of the time I'd agree with you.  When I bought a new hot water heater a while back I paid an electrician $150 to come out and hook it up.  I literally looked over his shoulder the whole time and decided next time I had something like this I'd try it myself.

It turned out with the compressor that I could not use the appliance cord I bought.  The wires were #6 & #8 and just wouldn't fit in the tiny compressor electrical box.  So instead I removed the outlet and direct wired it using #10 armored cable.  I covered the box opening with a solid cover plate that the armored cable attached to.  Then I replaced the 50a breaker with a 30a.  The whole installation looks very professional and it runs like a champ.


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