I was out working in my shop (it's a garage, if you ask SWMBO, bu
hasn't had a car parked in it in two years) and noticed that a numbe
of my power tools had really tattered cords, and some were missin
grounding prongs on the plug. I'll even confess that six or seve
years ago I had extended the length of the cord on by table saw b
patching a piece into it with wire nuts and electrical tape. Let'
just saw that the gleam of visible copper with 220 volts runnin
through it motivated me to action.
Anyway, a quick trip to the local Home Depot and $30 later I had a ne
20' cord on my table saw. For miscellaneous tools like a router, ji
saw and skil saw, I used some orange extension cords I had bought o
clearance a couple years ago. I purposefully left the new cords on m
power tools on the long side, so I won't have to mess with usin
extension cords with them in the shop
--
makesawdust
Brian Elfert wrote:
> I did a fair bit of research on this, as unfinished basements are
required
> to have GFCI protection on outlets. 240V outlets are exempt from
needing
> GFCI. About the only way to do GFCI for 240V is through a GCFI
circuit
> breaker. The circuit breakers are quite expensive at about $145 each
for
> 20 amp.
I put in a new 60 amp service to my shop (aka detached garage) and a
subpanel a few years ago. SWMBO, <gloat on> who is an electrical
engineer <gloat off>, suggested that I put a 60 amp double pole GFI
breaker in the main panel to protect the whole garage.
These things are pretty pricey and not so easy to find, but after lots
and lots (and lots) more suggestions from SWMBO, I set eBay to search
for one. After about six months a brand new 60 amp GFI breaker for my
panel for turned up for $20.
It's tripped twice now. Once with a used 240 volt construction heater
that carbonized some animal matter remnants inside it, leading to
current leakage to the case, and after a leak in the roof dribbled
about three drops onto the table saw plug.
I'm sure neither one of these instances would have caused an
electrocution, but they were electrical problems I didn't know I had.
If there ever is a serious problem, it's nice to know I'll get some
warning.
Tim
: In article <[email protected]>, tim124c41
: @yahoo.com says...
:> Brian Elfert wrote:
:> > I did a fair bit of research on this, as unfinished basements are
:> required
:> > to have GFCI protection on outlets. 240V outlets are exempt from
:> needing
:> > GFCI. About the only way to do GFCI for 240V is through a GCFI
:> circuit
:> > breaker. The circuit breakers are quite expensive at about $145 each
:> for
:> > 20 amp.
:>
:> I put in a new 60 amp service to my shop (aka detached garage) and a
:> subpanel a few years ago. SWMBO, <gloat on> who is an electrical
:> engineer <gloat off>, suggested that I put a 60 amp double pole GFI
:> breaker in the main panel to protect the whole garage.
:>
: If you use a single GFI braker for the whole garage, it is a good idea to have
: your lights on a different circuit. That way you won't be in the dark when the
: thing trips.
Then it wouldn't be the whole garage, now would it???
George Pontis wrote:
> If you use a single GFI braker for the whole garage, it is a good
idea to have
> your lights on a different circuit. That way you won't be in the dark
when the
> thing trips.
That's the downside. In my case there's a yard light that shines in
the windows if lighting was lost at night, which allowed me to
rationalize the whole garage on a GFI circuit now that I remember it.
And I mostly work in there during daylight on weekends.
Of course, this is also a good incentive to keep tripping hazards off
the floor. ;-)
Tim
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 19:21:49 +0000, makesawdust
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I was out working in my shop (it's a garage, if you ask SWMBO, but
>hasn't had a car parked in it in two years) and noticed that a number
>of my power tools had really tattered cords, and some were missing
>grounding prongs on the plug. I'll even confess that six or seven
>years ago I had extended the length of the cord on by table saw by
>patching a piece into it with wire nuts and electrical tape. Let's
>just saw that the gleam of visible copper with 220 volts running
>through it motivated me to action.
>
>Anyway, a quick trip to the local Home Depot and $30 later I had a new
>20' cord on my table saw. For miscellaneous tools like a router, jig
>saw and skil saw, I used some orange extension cords I had bought on
>clearance a couple years ago. I purposefully left the new cords on my
>power tools on the long side, so I won't have to mess with using
>extension cords with them in the shop.
FWIW, using extension cords isn't really the way to avoid
electrocution... sounds like it was a step up for you, but they
usually end up laying across the floor and can get cut or otherwise
beat up pretty easily. For about $20, you can get 250 feet of (14
ga.- it's a little more for 10) two-wire romex with a ground wire, and
the various other outlets, boxes, and miscellaneous electrical items
are fairly inexpensive as well. All in all, you can install proper
outlets for all your tools for far less than the price of a couple of
good extension cords- and it's less hassle in the long run.
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam
Tim Douglass <[email protected]> writes:
>wire in bulk. You want the stranded stuff with a *rubber* insulation,
>rather than plastic. When I lived in Idaho the Orange Borg had the
>stuff with bright yellow insulation, but all I can get here is black.
I think the orange borg discontinued the yellow jacketed stuff. A year or
two ago the local orange borg had the stuff on clearance and I bought a
fair amount.
Brian Elfert
"toller" <[email protected]> writes:
>Well, outlets in garages have to be GFCI, so you would have been okay.
>Right?
>I wonder about 240v though.
I did a fair bit of research on this, as unfinished basements are required
to have GFCI protection on outlets. 240V outlets are exempt from needing
GFCI. About the only way to do GFCI for 240V is through a GCFI circuit
breaker. The circuit breakers are quite expensive at about $145 each for
20 amp.
Brian Elfert
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 09:01:11 -0800, Tim Douglass
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I really
>like the yellow because you are much less likely to walk or drive on
>it, so it lasts longer
Naughty practice in the UK to use yellow - that's reserved for the
110V centre-earth systems we use on construction sites. Our 240V
stuff should be blue (standard 230V colour) or high-vis orange.
It's worth buying "Arctic" cable, if you get the choice. This stays
flexible at low temperatures, which is worth it in this weather. Most
of mine are black though, in heavy-duty rubber for wear resistance. I
wouldn't them being a bit more visible.
On 23 Jan 2005 16:20:10 GMT, Brian Elfert <[email protected]> wrote:
>Tim Douglass <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>wire in bulk. You want the stranded stuff with a *rubber* insulation,
>>rather than plastic. When I lived in Idaho the Orange Borg had the
>>stuff with bright yellow insulation, but all I can get here is black.
>
>I think the orange borg discontinued the yellow jacketed stuff. A year or
>two ago the local orange borg had the stuff on clearance and I bought a
>fair amount.
I've got to check with the local electrical supply house. I really
like the yellow because you are much less likely to walk or drive on
it, so it lasts longer. Besides, that fat yellow cord on my cheap TS
just looks cool.
Tim Douglass
http://www.DouglassClan.com
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 23:51:40 +0000, Luigi Zanasi <[email protected]>
wrote:
> BTW, I didn't
>know you used 110V in the UK. Is is like our North American 110V (one
>wire is neutral at the same potential as ground/earth)?
No, it's earthed at a centre tap.
It's used on "construction" sites. The idea is that 50V is "safe" and
with this system you're never more than 50V above earth potential.
It's produced by either local generators, or by portable transformers.
Increasing rules are making it difficult to use 230V "workshop" tools
on a "site". I can see this when the "site" is a muddy field, but it's
a bit silly when you're kitchen-fitting and there's already a 240V
toaster sitting on the worktop.
The plugs and sockets are round, yellow with plastic sheaths. The
corresponding 230V version is blue, but not often seen.
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 19:21:49 +0000, makesawdust
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I was out working in my shop (it's a garage, if you ask SWMBO, but
>hasn't had a car parked in it in two years) and noticed that a number
>of my power tools had really tattered cords, and some were missing
>grounding prongs on the plug. I'll even confess that six or seven
>years ago I had extended the length of the cord on by table saw by
>patching a piece into it with wire nuts and electrical tape. Let's
>just saw that the gleam of visible copper with 220 volts running
>through it motivated me to action.
>
>Anyway, a quick trip to the local Home Depot and $30 later I had a new
>20' cord on my table saw. For miscellaneous tools like a router, jig
>saw and skil saw, I used some orange extension cords I had bought on
>clearance a couple years ago. I purposefully left the new cords on my
>power tools on the long side, so I won't have to mess with using
>extension cords with them in the shop.
Good caution. I've done the same thing with many of my small tools.
One other thought is that you can high quality extension cord type
wire in bulk. You want the stranded stuff with a *rubber* insulation,
rather than plastic. When I lived in Idaho the Orange Borg had the
stuff with bright yellow insulation, but all I can get here is black.
The rubber stuff is very flexible and stays so even in the cold. I put
a 20' #10 cord on my TS, which allows me to have it in the middle of
the shop and plug in at the wall.
Tim Douglass
http://www.DouglassClan.com
In article <[email protected]>, tim124c41
@yahoo.com says...
> Brian Elfert wrote:
> > I did a fair bit of research on this, as unfinished basements are
> required
> > to have GFCI protection on outlets. 240V outlets are exempt from
> needing
> > GFCI. About the only way to do GFCI for 240V is through a GCFI
> circuit
> > breaker. The circuit breakers are quite expensive at about $145 each
> for
> > 20 amp.
>
> I put in a new 60 amp service to my shop (aka detached garage) and a
> subpanel a few years ago. SWMBO, <gloat on> who is an electrical
> engineer <gloat off>, suggested that I put a 60 amp double pole GFI
> breaker in the main panel to protect the whole garage.
>
If you use a single GFI braker for the whole garage, it is a good idea to have
your lights on a different circuit. That way you won't be in the dark when the
thing trips.
On Tuesday 25 Jan 2005 3:51 am, Andy Dingley scribbled:
> On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 09:01:11 -0800, Tim Douglass
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I really
>>like the yellow because you are much less likely to walk or drive on
>>it, so it lasts longer
>
> Naughty practice in the UK to use yellow - that's reserved for the
> 110V centre-earth systems we use on construction sites. Our 240V
> stuff should be blue (standard 230V colour) or high-vis orange.
I use yellow for my 220V extensions to distinguish them from the others.
But I don't think there are any rules on that one here. BTW, I didn't
know you used 110V in the UK. Is is like our North American 110V (one
wire is neutral at the same potential as ground/earth)?
> It's worth buying "Arctic" cable, if you get the choice. This stays
> flexible at low temperatures, which is worth it in this weather. Most
> of mine are black though, in heavy-duty rubber for wear resistance. I
> wouldn't them being a bit more visible.
That stuff is just as useless as the rest at -40C (-40F Keith). It's
called "polar cord" at Crappy Tire. "Arctic" and "polar" are misnomers
as I can't even use it in the subarctic. The jacket breaks very easily
so they have to be stored in big wide loops. But then, at that
temperature, automobile tires keep their flat spot for a while and make
you think you've got flat tires until they warm up and become round
again.
In case you're wondering, we do use extensions outside, especially at
that temperature, to plug in our vehicles. Two block heaters, two
battery warmers and on oil-pan heater on my C2500 truck. At less than
2000 Watts, it's a lot cheaper than heating a garage, but then,
vehicles don't belong in the shop.
--
Luigi
Who is facing repairing a number of extension cords after the cold snap
we had last week.