Compressor wiring to detached garage

Hello to all,

I have a old speedaire 2hp compressor I want to connect in my garage, about 65-70 ft away from the breaker.

The Compressor motor says it's 115/230 and FLA is 24.4/12.2

I want to run it on 230v

I figured maybe 30a with 10/2 ? because of the distance, But I'm no expert, it has a magnetic switch wired with it I don't know if this changes anything.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Let me know if you need any more information Thanks in advance!
-Eddie

 

Welcome to the forums!

You need 120V hot-to-ground for most of your loads, and maybe 240V for a heavy load or two. It sounds like that's what your compressor can supply.

You need to connect it with 10-3/G, or the equivalent in single conductors, to get that. How are you planning to connect the supply from your compressor to the loads you want to back up?

 

Thank you there's a lot of good info on this site!

From what I understood you can switch around the wires on the compressor motor and run either 115v or 230v.

I'm not understanding your last question can you dumb it down for me please bear with my ignorance.

 

Whoa, let's back up a minute. Is this garage attached to the house or is it a separate structure? If it is a separate structure does it already have any electrical service?

If it is separate and also has electricity a whole different set of rules applies. You will not be able to simply add to what is existing but will need to instead remove the existing wiring between the house and garage and install a new "feeder" circuit with a sub-panel in the garage.

If the garage is attached to the house then it is just a matter of running a new 240 volt circuit from the service panel to the desired location.

 

The garage is not part of the house as stated in title, it's a separate structure an does not have any power of its own. Its just a garage left over from a torn down house and it is about 65 70 feet from the breaker box that I'm getting th power from. i'm planning to run the wire under ground to where the Compressor would be.

 

Assuming it already has a 120 volt feed for lights and such that feed will have to be abandoned. You can have only one feed to a detached structure. Probably a subpanel supplied from a 30 amp 240 volt breaker in the main should be adequate for your needs. You can use either 10-3 UF-b or four #10 THWN individual conductors in conduit. For a subpanel cost and versatility wise your best choice may be a 100 amp main breaker package that comes with breakers.

You will need to buy a ground bar to add to the subpanel. Also one or two eight foot ground rods connected to the subpanel with #6. Ground bar bonded and neutral bar isolated in the subpanel

 

I was thinking about a generator feed. Not your ignorance. Mine.

What do you want to feed in your garage? If you post a full list it will help us focus our answers.

 

I want this to be solely for the compressor and nothing else.

 

So you have no plans to ever have any lighting or any other electrical usage in the garage? If so then probably what you want is a big long extension cord. A 10/3 type S with the proper plug and connector would work.

I suppose you could run a 10/2 type UF cable underground to the proper receptacle. An inspector would likely not approve it because the tendency to then attempt to "tap" it for lights and or 120 volt receptacles would be great.

 

and you want to violate national code why? As previously written:

 

From post #5 I understood there was no power in the detached garage.

 

Well that assumption is wrong, there is no previous wiring as I stated before. the garage is merely a storage shed at this point. This is not your typical "home" it's just our property where we keep and maintain our bobtail trucks, which is why I want the air compressor hooked up. There is a small (20x20) fully furnished man cave room which I call the "house" that I will be getting the power from.

 

I have about 200ft of this will it suffice for a extension cord with the proper plugs, of course cut down to the length I need about 65-70ft.
Sorry for the upside down first picture. It reads: Royal Electric a 8/4 SO 90C

 

Too large but it will work with dificulty because of the wire size. Just remember extension cords are for temporary use only. They should not be used in place of permanent wiring.

Better idea run 10-3 UF-b to the structure. For now the neutral won't be used. Connect to a 20 amp 240 volt breaker in your main panel. Convert the compressor to 240v. If you want lights in the future you can add a subpanel easily.