40A 110v install

[ncc74656]

I recently bought an air compressor that runs 110V at 40A. all my outlets are 20A max so i would like to install a new one.

menards has a 40A 110/220 dual wide breaker, this has 2 terminals on it and i wounder how that would hook up? i plan to just pop it in place of our current deck outlet and if possible use the existing wiring. the total run length of the wire is no more than 15ft from box to outlet.

currently there is a single wide dual 20A breaker for the deck outlet that i intend to replace or perhaps augment. the garage also runs off of this same breaker so i know there are at least 2 sets of wires running out there. im choosing the deck outlet to change as it has the shorter wiring and perhaps i can get by with out needing to change that.

any opinions or suggestions?

thanks

[HayZee518]

a 40 amp load would require a cable change to a #8 cable. your existing wiring couldn't handle this. paralleled 12 gauge wires would not be the answer as they have to be an exact length for 40 amp. a 40 amp receptacle would look like a range plug and receptacle with an L shaped equipment ground.

[ncc74656]

re

thing is this compressor has a standard plug like you would see on any other item. and it is a 110, i used it at an apartment building i do work at and it worked.

[HayZee518]

I'm not going to argue with you in that it worked but from a safety standpoint it just won't do! a standard 120 volt plug doesn't have the insulation quality for the higher load of 40 amps. the parallel blades might carry 40 amps in an ideal situation but in the long run IT WILL FAIL. Now you are looking at a large fire! The electrical codes aren't meant to scare you but are there for safety. If you don't want to follow the code and do what you want to, then don't come to the forum asking approval. I'm telling you for 40 amp you need #8 SO or SJO cord or #8-2 with ground romex.
who makes this air compressor. a dual breaker or whatever you call it is confusing. normal designation is either a single pole device or a two pole device with a common trip. this I think is what you are referring to. you have a double pole 20 with either a common internal trip or a tie-bar between the two handles on the two pole device.

[ncc74656]

teh compressor is Campbell Hausfeld, you dont need to get defensive, my question was more a point of confusion. why would this air compressor come with a standard plug when you say this standard plug cant hold the amperage the compressor needs?

ive heard of compressors being spun to hold 220 and 110, im looking into that but im not sure if this compressor can be changed.

[HayZee518]

OK, sorry. First of all no one makes a 40 amp plug OR receptacle. For utilization equipment it's either a 30 amp or 50 amp plug and receptacle. Even the "twist-lok" plugs and receptacles are not 40 just 30 or 50 amp. I know about Campbell-Hausfeld now give me a model number so I can look it up and see what you have electrically. If it is convertable from 240 to 120 I'm sure we can reach an understanding.

[HayZee518]

I think maybe you are reading something wrong on the compressor. if you take 40 amps and multiply it by 120 volts then divide by 746 watts you'll get 6.3 hp. a 5 hp motor running at 120 volts will draw about 31 amps. divide this by two and you'll get the running amps at 240 volt - any value no where near the 40 amps you quote.

[ncc74656]

it is entirely possible that things are being read wrong. the compressor is about 20 years older than I am. its very worn on the side. what i can read are 2 marking of numbers: VT-3310-00 and 056

here is a link to a PDF i found witch i believe is the manual to my compressor. wwwDOTmegauploadDOTcom/?d=CAMWNF6T

the breakers at the apartment building are also 20A, i just checked that earlier today. so for some reason this dual 20A breaker that is single slot at the house trips while the single slot 20A does not? the dual breaker looks like this:
home-and-garden.becomeDOTcom/viewpak-ubiz0220-unique-breakers-zinsco-dual-pole-thin-circuit-breakers--compare-prices--c207743782

[HayZee518]

what you have at the house are half sized breakers whereas two single pole half sized breakers fit one one inch breaker space. square D and westinghouse and some challenger panels made these. they fit between two opposing bus stabs. because each is marked 20 amps I believe you are adding the two and coming up with 40 amp. regardless the compressor is only drawing 20 amps or less at 240 volts. the mega upload doesn't work. I'll see what I can find off that stock number you gave

[ncc74656]

the compressor is 110V not 220V and it says 40A on the plaq on teh side of the motor. its very worn and dingy so maybe im reading it wrong.

[HayZee518]

take a picture of it and upload it to this forum. maybe I can make heads or tails of it. but still 40 amp at 110 volts still doesn't make sense.

[ncc74656]

ill go grab my camera. i cant post links untill i post 15 things on here. give me 15 min or so

[ncc74656]

megaupload /?d=CAMWNF6T add a .com at teh end of mega upload and before the / with no spaces and it should work

[HayZee518]

zinsco panel boxes are obsolete because of fire hazards associated with them. their circuit breakers fail to trip when they're supposed to. I went to the zinsco site and found a 40 amp tandem 120 volt breaker -as you stated - but there were two single pole devices on one breaker position - still, the load was two 20 amp breakers even though it lists it as a 40. internally there is a common trip if one side goes the other will follow. go to zinsco in your browser and read about it. most breakers they list are reconditioned. frankly I wouldn't trust a reconditioned breaker.

[ncc74656]

imageshack us/g/269/boxpmv.jpg/ put a . in place of the space between imageshack and us.

these are pictures of the compressor wich is strapped and clamped into the truck and the fuse box down stairs.