220 Outlet Question... (From a Dummy)

[Guest]

I'm getting too much drop in power running my welder from a 30' extension cord to do the final welding on my frame. It worked OK to do all my tacking, but I noticed that the welder doesn't "sing" like it should and I'm concerned about not getting enough penitration running it this way.
There is a 220 outlet out back which a former owner installed to run a hot tub, but I think it's a 50 amp outlet... all my other outlets are 30 amp which have two hots and a ground. This outlet out back has an extra slot for a prong which I assume is a neutral... So, when I convert this outlet over to match all my other 30 amp outlets, what do I do with this extra wire? Cap it off or does it need to go into the mix somewhere?

Just for some clarification... This outlet has three vertical slots and one round hole.. I assume the round hole is a ground and the upper most vertical slot is a neutral and the two outer slots are the hots.
On the other hand... all my other outlets have two slanted vertical slots and a "L" shaped ground hole...

[bdosborn]

I have a receptacle chart at work, I'll look and see if the plug is listed. If there is a neutral, you won't need it. I'd cap it off and stuff it back into the box. That way you still have it if you want it for another purpose. Don't forget to replace the 50A breaker with a 30 amp.
Bruce

[Guest]

Thanks Bruce...
I know just enough about electricity to be dangerous...

[Woody]

Doesn't the plug pattern designated wether it is a 30 amp verses a 50 amp circuit? Or something like that

[madjack]

...since it was on a hot tub previously...I'd say it was a ground for ground fault use...all outlets should have a "safety" ground run seperately from the "neutral" ground whether they are 110 or 220
madjack(buzzttt)

[WoodSmith]

If you can find the box that feeds it, (and you are comfortable changing breakers) open up the panel and trace (VISUALLY NOT WITH YER FINGER!) the wires that feed it. You're going to have to find the breaker anyway, my guess is that you are right, two hots, a neutral and a ground.

Once you find the breaker, turn it off and then go take the cover off the outlet. The wires SHOULD be "labled" with colored electrical tape or actual colored insulation. Black and Red are the hots, White - neutral and Green - ground. Then go back to the breaker panel and look for those wires, they ought to be right hefty big-uns. Red and Black should come from the breaker, white will come from a neutral bar with a bunch of other white wires screwed into it, and green will be screwed to a ground bar with other copper or green wires screwed to it.

edit to add that if the socket that you need for your welder does not need the neutral, you can cap it off and be done with it. But do yourself a favor and don't cut it so short you can't get it back when you decide in the future you want that hot tub again!

NOTES to anyone trying this:
Don't do this at home. IF you don't know what you are doing you can get dead quick. Chafing at spending the $100 for an electrician to do it for you will heal much quicker than your loved ones paying for your funeral. Don't lick elecltrical wires. Cut wire ends are extremely sharp. This is not professional advice. I am not an electrician. (I have (successfully) wired 220v outlets though.)

[An Ol Timer]

Dean,
your initial post is probably the most logical answer because the controller will be using 110 vac if it's like most. The heaters are 220 and the controller 110.

[Guest]

I capped off the neutral wire and tested the new outlet...
I've got power, but I'm going to change the circuit breaker before I do any welding.
The old outlet did say 50 Amp on it, but the circuit breaker is a 40 Amp, not a 50.
I'll get a 30 Amp breaker tomorrow...
It probably would be a good idea to get an electrician over here just to give things a look see with all the electrical, because I'm the third owner since this fire station was sold after it was "Prop 13'd" and closed.
(Which BTW, was a bunch of BS IMO)
They had some interesting equipment in here too...I see labels in the electrical panel that say Steam Table, Truck Plug and Pump. (Not your ordinary hosehold hardware)
I'm a bit miffed about the extension cord deal...
The retailer that sold me the welder told me that I could go 30' using #8 wire... I think I would have been fine if only I had used #6...