quick home electical question

[thjones3]

My plasma cutter (110V) says that the circuit should have at least a 20 amp breaker. My garage circuit has a 15 amp breaker. I am triping the breaker with the plasma. Can I just change the breaker out to a 20 amp? I realize that the wires for the higher amp circuits are a heavier gauge, but what I don't know is if I can go to a 20 from a 15 without changing the wiring. It is a short run from the breaker box to the outlet (same wall). I really don't have the $$$ to put in a dedicated ciruit, but I don't want to burn my house down either. :dontknow:

 

[scoobert]

no, you need a 10/2 to do 20amps, also a special outlet. if your not far from the circuit box just add a breaker and a short wire and a 20 amp plug.

 

[SRT-IZ]

Tryto find out what gauge and how old the wireing is.

 

[thjones3]

no, you need a 10/2 to do 20amps, also a special outlet. if your not far from the circuit box just add a breaker and a short wire and a 20 amp plug.

Thanks scoobert! looks like a trip to Lowe's is in order.

Tryto find out what gauge and how old the wireing is.

Looks like a 14 gauge and the house was built in 05

 

[SRT-IZ]

Thanks scoobert! looks like a trip to Lowe's is in order.

Well there you go!

 

[thjones3]

no, you need a 10/2 to do 20amps, also a special outlet. if your not far from the circuit box just add a breaker and a short wire and a 20 amp plug.

Is it any more or different to do a 30 amp? If I'm going to go through the trouble, might as well do it right!

 

[viperhauler]

12 gauge wire for 20A, 10 gauge for 30A...

 

[srt 10 jimbo]

14 gauge= 15 amp, 12 gauge =20 amp , 10 gauge=30 amp, 8 gauge =40 amp

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

My plasma cutter (110V) says that the circuit should have at least a 20 amp breaker. My garage circuit has a 15 amp breaker. I am triping the breaker with the plasma. Can I just change the breaker out to a 20 amp? I realize that the wires for the higher amp circuits are a heavier gauge, but what I don't know is if I can go to a 20 from a 15 without changing the wiring. It is a short run from the breaker box to the outlet (same wall). I really don't have the $$$ to put in a dedicated ciruit, but I don't want to burn my house down either. :dontknow:

I say dont plug it in at all, it just leads to cutting usless things up:argh:

you will spend hours upon hours thinking you are a master fabricator ,just to find out in the end, all you made was a birdhouse:argh:

so relieve your pain and jsut ups the cutter to me

 

[srt 10 jimbo]

Look at yor plasma cutter and see how many amps it draws. Breakers are supposed to trip at 80% of the load, thus a 15 amp breaker will trip at 12-13 amps a 20 amp will trip at 16-18 amps. If your cutter only draws 14-15 amps , just stick a 20 amp breaker in , your house wont burn down, thats what the breakers are for.

 

[Jeff Kehoe]

12 gauge wire for 20A, 10 gauge for 30A...

This is correct, and they do have 20a regular sockets. Also make sure your plasma cutter is switched to 120 inside and out. Sometimes you have to switch a wire inside the machine.

 

[viperhauler]

yeah, i forgot to add..if you're running this wire specifically for the cutter, then put a 20A recep in with it...

or hire me

 

[perk_1405]

if its a short run like you said just run new wire 12-2 should be fine and install a 20 amp breaker and dont forget to use a 20 amp receptacle.

 

[mr. anderson]

or you could go to lowe's and get a heavy duty 100' extension and plug into the neighbors garage outlet and use his juice on his nickel, even better

 

[viperhauler]

make sure you get a 10 gauge cuz of the voltage drop!!!

 

[thjones3]

haha you guys are funny :marchmellow: :marchmellow: :marchmellow:

I ended up getting a 20A recepticle, 6' of 12/3, and put the outlet under the main breaker box. Works great!

Stinker, you are correct! I *think* I am a master fabricator now!!! I have a bad habit of buying tools with the excuse that I need them to work on my rockcrawler :rock: .

 

[ZCx]

TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[thjones3]

TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HATE it when they jump in front of you like that!!!