Well, now I have a new dilemma. Was going for the rewiring to add a 240 outlet for an air compressor, and realized there aren't any more slots left in my box. It's the old screw in fuse type and they are all used. No spaces left to add anything onto. I seen something about a converter. It switches 110 to the 240. Does anyone know or have any experience about this? I know very few things about electrical work and it baffles me. Just looking for a piece of mind because I've been researching things for hours and I just can't come up with any answers. Was hoping someone out there has had this problem as well?
Could I use something like this? [ame="http://www.amazon.com/LiteFuze-LR-5000-Regulator-Converter-Transformer/dp/B002VCTOK2"]Amazon.com: LiteFuze LR-5000 5000 Watt Heavy Duty Voltage Regulator w/ Voltage Converter Transformer - Step Up/Down 110/120/220/240V (Free Euro Plug) - Patented Universal Output Sockets: Electronics[/ame]
its all about the power demand and that 70+ year old fuse panel won't cut it safely. I would not use that converter, the compressor needs all the amps it can get. converters can raise the voltage to 240 at the cost of amps I believe. Amps x Voltage = Watts, so by reducing the amps to raise voltage you now can deliver the driving amps to the motor, but the motor may fry trying to run on the weaker amps. can anyone clarify this better.
The instructions for your compressor will tell you what amp circuit it requires. Lets say it needs a 20 amp 220/240 circuit. If you're going to use a step-up transformer to get that circuit, what capacity (power) would be required? amps (current) X volts = Watts (power) In this case, 20 amps X 220 volts = 4400 watts So, if your compressor needs a 20 amp 220 circuit you MIGHT be able to run it thru the LR-5000. Before I bought the unit I'd try to confirm that it will do 20 amps (or whatever your compressor requires) thru one of its 220 output recepticals. Next, what amperage 110 input circuit would the LR-5000 require to put out the 20 amps at 220 volts? watts/volts = amps 4400 watts/110 volts = 40 amps So, you'd need a 40 amp 110 circuit to power the LR-5000 if it were 100% efficient. (Its not, but the compressor will draw the max current only for a short time on startup and the actual amps it draws will probably be less than the specified input circuit.) Are any of your existing circuits fused and wired for 40 amps? :16suspect
Are there two separate phases in that fuse box? Thats how you get 220V on a modern breakerbox.It straddles both phases of 110V and gives you 220V. A 110V breaker only straddles one phase.
Hmm, alright. I will have to take another look at it today after work. I'll even take a picture or two of it and upload it. I really want/need to get this resolved as I am needing a heavy duty air compressor more and more every day.
I know you probably don't want to hear this, but- - - - - - I would get an electrician to look at what you have and go from there. Is this panel in your home or in a garage or outbuilding? You are probably going to end up running a " dedicated line ",which won't use the existing panel at all. It will have it's own breaker for the compressor. Believe me, the little extra cash spent will be well worth it in both safety and trouble free operation of your compressor! P. S. I forgot to mention that a voltage converter will not work for a high load device, such as an air compressor!
Here is a picture of my breaker box. It's for my house. I may actually have to just get a utility pole to my garage and it's own meter. That may be one way to do it.
That setup is long since obsolete. I went thru the same thing when I built my shop, only my breaker box wasn't that old. But it was obsolete so that you could hardly find the breakers for it. I swapped the whole thing out, added a secondary box in the house (my house is all electric) then ran a 220Vcircuit off the main box to the shop and installed a third box there.
Those 30 amp fuses are probably a real fire hazzard. Chances are your house is wired with #14 wire (should be fused at 15A) and maybe one or two #12 wire circuits (should be fused at 20A). You should check it out right now and get the appropriate fuses installed.
Oh yeah, it's a really old house, BUT, it's in good shape though. Just has the old wiring/wiring box. What do you think of my idea? I can go ahead and get a new pole and box and electric meter solely for my garage. I think that would eliminate all problems. I don't want to redo my breaker box. It works fine for everything in my house-wise. I don't see a need to fix it.
