The Blob
Amorphous... totally
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
I'm putting in wiring for a compressor. It will be a 5HP, 240V (obviously) motor. The manufacturer says it will pull 22.5 full load amps.
What size wire and breaker should I use?
I'm putting the compressor in a separate shed so the wire run will be about 60 feet. Except for about a 6 ft underground run the wire will not be in any conduit... it'll just run through the rafters.
The manufacturer (Ingersoll Rand) suggests 8 gauge wire for anything over 50 feet and a 60 amp breaker. I've got a bunch of 10 gauge on hand and really would rather not shell out the bucks for 8 gauge if I don't have to. And the 60 amp breaker doesn't, to this layman at least, seem like it would be protecting much. Does the motor really pull that much startup current?
I will do whatever is right... I just need to know what right is.
What size wire and breaker should I use?
I'm putting the compressor in a separate shed so the wire run will be about 60 feet. Except for about a 6 ft underground run the wire will not be in any conduit... it'll just run through the rafters.
The manufacturer (Ingersoll Rand) suggests 8 gauge wire for anything over 50 feet and a 60 amp breaker. I've got a bunch of 10 gauge on hand and really would rather not shell out the bucks for 8 gauge if I don't have to. And the 60 amp breaker doesn't, to this layman at least, seem like it would be protecting much. Does the motor really pull that much startup current?
I will do whatever is right... I just need to know what right is.