New shop electrical question

[Peter Tremblay]

Tom, which prongs are positive, negative, and I'm guessing the round is ground?

[WilliamHodge]

Tom, which prongs are positive, negative, and I'm guessing the round is ground?

If you have to ask, you are better off hiring an electrician.

Using that outlet for other than its intended purpose could hurt some else, besides just you. It sounds like there are other people in this building. You owe it to them to do the right thing and spend $200., or just run a heavy duty extension cord.

[TDKPE]

Tom, which prongs are positive, negative, and I'm guessing the round is ground?

It's a 50A 250V 3-phase receptacle, which has no neutral.  It was probably a branch circuit for a large commercial dryer.  It's possible it was wired on 120/208 system with the ground pin used as a neutral (not good), but I doubt it.  But if it is on a 120/208 system, it would be a simple job to replace the receptacle with the correct one, and reconfigure a few conductors in the panel to give you what you need.

But you have to first determine what's on the other end.  As someone suggested, got any sparkies in your congregation who can just take a peak?  


But at least the hard part is done - conduit and conductors. The rest, if anything, is just breaker and receptacle, assuming you have the source voltage you need and the motor(s) is(are) compatible.

[Roly]

Roly, 

I want to power a 120V single phase motor.

So can I power it with one phase and neutral?

I was thinking of wiring the male plug for this to take power from only one prong and neutral.  Will that get me safe 120V single phase?

Is there a problem with pulling 20 amps from a 50 amp circuit?

 A phase and a neutral will give you 120 volts,   BUT a 20 amp receptacle is not permitted on a 50 amp circuit.  Roly

[AgGEM]

If you have to ask, you are better off hiring an electrician.

Using that outlet for other than its intended purpose could hurt some else, besides just you. It sounds like there are other people in this building. You owe it to them to do the right thing and spend $200., or just run a heavy duty extension cord.

Peter,
You have gotten good advice from knowledgeable people here, but this is the best by far, in this situation.
Ag

[Steve N]

Peter,
You have gotten good advice from knowledgeable people here, but this is the best by far, in this situation.
Ag

As suggested earlier, check with parishioners, and I bet one would be able to do it in a flash, and without you going flash

[Peter Tremblay]

Thanks guys.

I asked because I was looking for some helpful advice.

I really appreciate you guys offering it. I'll be sure to heed what's been offered.

Thanks again!

[TDKPE]

Peter

My youngest is starting grad school at Duke in a couple of weeks, and we'll be passing through Durham at some point in the near future for a quick visit (on the way to visit our oldest, in TX, and look for a place to retire to
), so if you haven't done anything with it or found someone to look at it by then, I'll be happy to make a quick detour and take a peek.  But I don't have a timeline yet, so if you find a sparky who's willing to have a look-see, don't turn him/her down.  

[fredhargis]

Peter

My youngest is starting grad school at Duke in a couple of weeks, and we'll be passing through Durham at some point in the near future for a quick visit (on the way to visit our oldest, in TX, and look for a place to retire to
), so if you haven't done anything with it or found someone to look at it by then, I'll be happy to make a quick detour and take a peek.  But I don't have a timeline yet, so if you find a sparky who's willing to have a look-see, don't turn him/her down.  

,
Everything...the offer to help, the Grad school stuff, and looking for a place to retire......

[Steve N]

Tom would be a really good neighbor to live next too.