[GlennCMC70]

there is no 220V service in my garage - thats about to change.

i picked up a 250V 30A outlet (3 slots arranged in a circle w/ one looking like a "L") which matches the plug on the welder.
i have a 30A breaker that takes up two slots in the breaker panel for the house (located in the garage!)
i have some new 10 gauge 3 conductor wire (black, white, and green conductors).
snap the breaker in place - make sure its switched off.
install a black and white conductor in one of the two set screw slots in the 30A breaker.
connect the other ends of the black/white to the outlet and the ground to the ground on the back of the outlet and inside the breaker panel (metal box).


to be honest here, the only thing i know about A/C electricity is it can kill you. other than that, i don't know jack. i can replace a bad outlet/socket/switch, but i couldnt wire any 110v circuit from the box to the wall if i had to.

so does the above sound right? i know there should normally be a red wire to use in place of the white, but i've read thats really only required for 4 prong plug/outlets.

looking for the FRAXX guidance here oh wise one's. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/drink.gif)

[sgarnett]

220V dryers and ovens get a neutral, because they may have a few 110V parts (like light bulbs). That's why they have a 4-prong plug. Devices that are purely 220V (like water heaters and welders) do not use or need a neutral, so welders typically have a 3-prong plug.

I did run a neutral wire in mine just in case I ever need to add a 4-prong outlet for some reason, but it's just capped with a wire nut inside the box.

BTW, the difference between a neutral and a ground is that the neutral is intended to carry load current in normal operation and the ground is not. That's why metallic conduit can be used as the ground but not as the neutral. There may be several volts difference between neutral and ground at some outlets depending on how well the loads are balanced.

Neutrals and grounds must be tied together at the main panel ONLY. They should never be connected at the outlet or in subpanels. So, a main panel may have one big ground bus for all the grounds and neutrals, but subpanels must have separate ground and neutral buses with the neutral bus isolated from the enclosure.