[twocik]

I was just told from another user that I would need to purchase my own plug, but didn't specify which one.

Can someone show me the 220v 10 amp wire that is required for the Tormach 1100 ?

[rowbare]

Since you are asking this question, I think it is safe to assume that you don't already have a 220v outlet for the machine and will be having one installed.

There are several different plug and outlet styles available for 220v. I would suggest a 20 or 30 amp twistlock plug and outlet. You can get them at your local hardware store.

bob

[philbur]

The Tormach 1100 requires a 20 amp 220 volt supply.

Phil

I was just told from another user that I would need to purchase my own plug, but didn't specify which one.

Can someone show me the 220v 10 amp wire that is required for the Tormach 1100 ?

[benji2505]

you can connect the machine in a wall box, too. No need for a plug. Grounding is mandatory for the machine.

I recommend to talk to your electrician.

[Tormachmaster]

I just used a standard 220 dryer plug with a 20 amp fuse it has been great for a few years now.

[twocik]

Does anyone have a picture of both the back of the tormach and what plug you used ?


I looked today and only saw regular dryer plugs and 30 amp wiring. They didn't have any that were assembled, and would require me to put them together. I also looked for the twist lock, no go. Any other places that this twist lock would be available at, homedepot, lowes ?

[rowbare]

From the questions you are asking, it sounds like you don't have any experience with electrical wiring. Electricity is wonderful but it can kill you.

For your safety and peace of mind, I suggest that you spend the $100-$150 that it will cost to have a licensed electrician come in and run a dedicated outlet for your machine or wire the machine into the panel. He will know exactly what is needed and will do the work to code. This will add less than 2% to the cost of your new machine and you wont end up on your front lawn in the middle of the night wearing pajamas and slippers.

Home Depot carries twistlock plugs and sockets.

bob

[compunerdy]

Exactly.. if you have 220 already then you need a matching plug.

If you dont then have the electrician install a mating one to whatever he installs at the wall. Or as mentioned have it hard wired but I think it makes more sense to use a plug incase you need to move it.

[Don Clement]

I wired a 220V subpanel with breakers for the tormach, air compressor and Lathe. Each machine has its own shutoff switch and individual plug. IMO the Tormach sould have its own shutoff switch in addition to a 220V 20A plug. Plugs are nice when lightning storms come through to be able to totally disconnect power from the mains. The 120V supply also has GFI breakers.

[zephyr9900]

IMO the Tormach sould have its own shutoff switch in addition to a 220V 20A plug.

The PCNC's built-in shutoff switch breaks all three hots (220V and 110V) so there is no live circuitry in the machine. I do unplug it from the wall (both cords) also when I'm working in the cabinet. It seems to me that between switch-off-able breakers, the wall plugs and the built-in shutoff that there is plenty of safety there already.

Randy

[Don Clement]

It seems to me that between switch-off-able breakers, the wall plugs and the built-in shutoff that there is plenty of safety there already.

Randy

I always have a separate shut off switch for each piece of equipment. YMMV

Don

BTW the air supply in my shop has a filter, regulator and ball valve shut-off for each drop also.

[zephyr9900]

Where do you put the shutoff switches, Don? Are they at the breaker box, or in the conduit run before the outlets, or at the outlet box itself? (Just curious...)

Besides individual breakers for the lathe and mill (each is on a separate 220V breaker, and the auxiliary 110V circuit for each machine is on an individual breaker--I use GFI outlets so one outlet tripping doesn't affect the others) I have each general outlet box on its own breaker.

I don't use compressed air (yet...) but your plan sounds good for the air.

Randy

[twocik]

Sorry guys I meant the plug that connects to the Tormach, not the outlet. Yes I've got an electrician already putting together some numbers for me.

Tormach said that I need to provide my own plug and meant to ask if someone here could point me in the right place (home depot, lowes, ace hardware), and maybe with a couple pictures of what to buy and how to wire them together. I do understand this stuff to a certain extent, but wiring outlets isn't my thing.




For example is this the type of plug I'm looking for ?





And the wire that's needed, 20 - 30 amp ?





Would it benefit me in anyway to buy the 30 amp vs the 20 amp ?




This one looks to have a build in GFI, should I look into this as well ?






Thanks guys
Chris

[zephyr9900]

Chris, the Tormach comes with the power cord already wired into the control box, with bare wires at the free end--you just need to attach a plug to match your wall socket.

There is no advantage going with a socket/plug that is of a higher rating than the circuit breaker, and you don't want to use a circuit breaker heftier than what Tormach recommends (20 amp).

Don't use GFI for the 220V to the machine. Do use GFI for the 110V socket for the input to the auxiliary plugs.

Randy

[twocik]

I see, ok so all I need is the plug rated at 20 amps, not the wire. Ok that makes it much easier. How many prongs should I be looking for, three (Pos, Neg, Ground) or is it four ?


Any recommend GFI plugs, or maybe even a extension cord with the GFI build into it ?


Like this one

[compunerdy]

Have the electrician..

Install a 220 20amp outlet
Install a 115 GFI outlet
Install a matching plug onto your Tormach wiring

Done!!

Quit trying to make it more difficult than it is =)

[Don Clement]

Where do you put the shutoff switches, Don? Are they at the breaker box, or in the conduit run before the outlets, or at the outlet box itself? (Just curious...)


I don't use compressed air (yet...) but your plan sounds good for the air.

Randy

I put the shut-off switches on the wall behind the operator within easy reach so power can be quickly shut-off in an emergency.

All the compressed air in my shop is plumbed using copper air lines. I have gotten quite good at sweat soldering. I use a standard propane torch but had thought about using an electrical resistance soldering that was used to solder X & Ku band waveguide in the past. I have a 5hp compressor with 80 gal tank to supply the needed 15 SCFM @100psi needed to run the Vortec 610 cold air cooler.
Also added inline automatic lubricators http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...ticControl.jpg for the Tormach power draw bar (that work great BTW) and 5C pneumatic closer for my lathe.

[Cairns]

There is no advantage going with a socket/plug that is of a higher rating than the circuit breaker, and you don't want to use a circuit breaker heftier than what Tormach recommends (20 amp).

If the distance from your mill to the main is fairly substantial a 20 amp breaker won't work. I had to run 80 feet of 10ga to my basement and was occasionally tripping a 20 amp breaker when the spindle kicked on. I added a 20amp breaker in a box at the mill and put a 30 at the main.

[RTP_Burnsville]

I have my mill wired with a dedicated 20amp 220 volt circuit with no issues. Wiring is 10 gage, about 60 feet in length from the subpanel. The subpanel is about 40 feet from the main breaker box. I used the non-twist lock connectors just because I have other 220 volt equipment and wanted everything the same.

The original cable on my mill was either 16 or 18 gage but has since been replaced with 14 as it felt like the weak link in the power supply setup. The breakers are Square D QO series.

[bobeson]

I ran dedicated 220V and 110V circuits to my Tormach, and used 50A range plugs and 10 gauge wiring to connect the 220V circuit. My shop is standardized on the 50A range plugs for 220V because I now have many pieces of equipment that use 220V - iron worker, welders, saws, etc. If a piece of equipment needs a lower amperage breaker or fuse, I can install them in the disconnect switch boxes that I put at each range plug location. I typically install 30A fuses in the switch boxes because of the 10GA wiring I most often run. The disconnect switch boxes also provide a lockout mechanism for those circuits, which is good when you have curious children wandering through the shop. Remember, any intermediate piece of electrical interconnect can safely be as large as you want, so long as the fuse or breaker is rated appropriately for your equipment and will disconnect at a smaller amperage level than your interconnects can handle.

Here is the Leviton plug I use on all of my 220V equipment, which I bought at Home Depot: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-R00287-Range-Dryer-Plug/dp/B00004YUKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1264183617&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Leviton R00287 Range and Dryer Plug: Home Improvement[/ame] Note that it can be configured as either 30A dryer plug or 50A range plug.

You can save a bunch of money if you bend and run any conduit you might need, and purchase and install boxes, pull wires, etc. None of htis work is difficult; you can buy how-to books describing all of the steps at Home Depot, etc. Then, provided you can find a friendly electrician willing to work with you in this way, you can have an electrician do the final hookup and fix any mistakes you may have made. 3/4" solid metal conduit (EMT) is pretty easy to work with if you have a bender (home depot, ~$60?) and some patience (and a few extra pieces for the bend allowance learning curve :-)

Pulling the wires is also pretty easy, particularly if you are think ahead when you are doing the coinduit installation, adding pull boxes at appropriate points, etc. You can pass the messenger rope through each piece of conduit while you install them, which will simplify pulling the wires.