The $500 compressor I bought... yeah, I just blew the motor on the first power-up.
For those of you that helped me out with the wiring earlier... something went wrong.
Here are the final details.. I have no idea what went wrong:
-=Generator=-
240V output at 30amps
-=Compressor=-
240V input at 15amps
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...vertical=TOOL&pid=00918419000&tab=des#tablink
I purchased a small sub-panel to run alone just for the use of the compressor. I also purchased a double breaker for the 240V input from the generator. The breaker was rated at 15amps so as to not blow the compressor.
The wiring used was 4-strand 240V outdoor electrical wire. Heavy duty and expensive.. $2/foot!! Inside of the large cable were the four colored wires:
1.)Black ----120V power
2.)Red ----120V power
3.)White ---- Neutral
4.)Green ---- Ground
Let's start at the generator where the power comes from... The 4-pronged plug I bought was wired onto the 4-wire cable and plugged into the generator. That wire then ran 15 feet into the garage and was hard-wired into the sub-panel.
The wiring in the sub panel is as follows:
1.)Black ----onto 1st post inside sub-panel for power
2.)Red ----onto 2nd post inside sub-panel for power
3.)White ---onto one open slot on the ground/neutral strip post
4.)Green ---same as white
Unlike full panels, the sub-panel only had one strip post for the ground and neutral wires... Full panels have a strip for ground wires and a strip for neutrals that is typically connected as one by a jumper.
The main connection on the ground/neutral post that actually supplies the ground to the green and white cables I got by tapping into a ground on a nearby 120V power outlet.
The 15amp circuit breaker was then plugged into the sub-panel. And since it was a double breaker for 240V, it took power from both the black and red wires that were coming in from the generator.
Still with me?????
Now for the wiring to the compressor:
Using the same type of 4-strand wire, I hard wired inside the sub-panel box as follows:
1.)Black ----onto 1st post of 15amp double breaker
2.)Red ----onto 2nd post of 15amp double breaker
3.)White --- Not wired at all due to compressor
4.)Green --- onto one open slot on the ground/neutral strip post
That set of wires then left the sub panel box and was hard wired into the compressor as follows:
1.)Black ---onto 1st post for power
2.)Red ---- onto 2nd post for power
3.)White --- not wired at all due to compressor not having a spot for it
4.)Green --- onto ground on compressor
-------------Here's what happened-----------------
Turned on the generator... it ran great as usual....
Flipped the switch on the double breaker...... no problems still
Flipped the switch on the compressor.... it ran, but rather violently... no smoke though....
When I turned the compressor on I noticed the generator started shaking violently, so I walked out of the garage to look at it... When I got to the generator, I turned around to notice a TON of BLUE SMOKE POURING out of the compressor.. I ran to it and shut it off and the generator stopped shaking so violently... The circuit breaker never flipped off. I knew I was in deep ***** when I saw that the smoke was coming out of the ELECTRICAL MOTOR. Through the screen I can see the hundreds of copper wires... about 20 are pitch black now and the compressor won't turn on anymore.
What went wrong folks? What did I do wrong? The motor is $250+ when the compressor was $450. Maybe I can try to return it...
wtf,
-Tim
For those of you that helped me out with the wiring earlier... something went wrong.
Here are the final details.. I have no idea what went wrong:
-=Generator=-
240V output at 30amps
-=Compressor=-
240V input at 15amps
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...vertical=TOOL&pid=00918419000&tab=des#tablink
I purchased a small sub-panel to run alone just for the use of the compressor. I also purchased a double breaker for the 240V input from the generator. The breaker was rated at 15amps so as to not blow the compressor.
The wiring used was 4-strand 240V outdoor electrical wire. Heavy duty and expensive.. $2/foot!! Inside of the large cable were the four colored wires:
1.)Black ----120V power
2.)Red ----120V power
3.)White ---- Neutral
4.)Green ---- Ground
Let's start at the generator where the power comes from... The 4-pronged plug I bought was wired onto the 4-wire cable and plugged into the generator. That wire then ran 15 feet into the garage and was hard-wired into the sub-panel.
The wiring in the sub panel is as follows:
1.)Black ----onto 1st post inside sub-panel for power
2.)Red ----onto 2nd post inside sub-panel for power
3.)White ---onto one open slot on the ground/neutral strip post
4.)Green ---same as white
Unlike full panels, the sub-panel only had one strip post for the ground and neutral wires... Full panels have a strip for ground wires and a strip for neutrals that is typically connected as one by a jumper.
The main connection on the ground/neutral post that actually supplies the ground to the green and white cables I got by tapping into a ground on a nearby 120V power outlet.
The 15amp circuit breaker was then plugged into the sub-panel. And since it was a double breaker for 240V, it took power from both the black and red wires that were coming in from the generator.
Still with me?????
Now for the wiring to the compressor:
Using the same type of 4-strand wire, I hard wired inside the sub-panel box as follows:
1.)Black ----onto 1st post of 15amp double breaker
2.)Red ----onto 2nd post of 15amp double breaker
3.)White --- Not wired at all due to compressor
4.)Green --- onto one open slot on the ground/neutral strip post
That set of wires then left the sub panel box and was hard wired into the compressor as follows:
1.)Black ---onto 1st post for power
2.)Red ---- onto 2nd post for power
3.)White --- not wired at all due to compressor not having a spot for it
4.)Green --- onto ground on compressor
-------------Here's what happened-----------------
Turned on the generator... it ran great as usual....
Flipped the switch on the double breaker...... no problems still
Flipped the switch on the compressor.... it ran, but rather violently... no smoke though....
When I turned the compressor on I noticed the generator started shaking violently, so I walked out of the garage to look at it... When I got to the generator, I turned around to notice a TON of BLUE SMOKE POURING out of the compressor.. I ran to it and shut it off and the generator stopped shaking so violently... The circuit breaker never flipped off. I knew I was in deep ***** when I saw that the smoke was coming out of the ELECTRICAL MOTOR. Through the screen I can see the hundreds of copper wires... about 20 are pitch black now and the compressor won't turn on anymore.
What went wrong folks? What did I do wrong? The motor is $250+ when the compressor was $450. Maybe I can try to return it...
wtf,
-Tim