ryanb Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Thanks for all the advice so far men! So I had an electrician come out and it looks like he can do a 220v outlet on our circut. He needs to know how many amps the thing is pulling (as was said) so Im checking on that. But, it was mentioned that it was possibly rewired to run on 220v. So that begs the question, can I have it rewired back to 110/120 and save myself some trouble? Anywhere that I could take this that could do it? As far as I can tell, this is the model, http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?...00&tab=des#tabs The guy is about 30 min. away so I havent seen it in person, yet. I just emailed him to confirm the model, but from his description, thats it. Any advice? ← If that is the correct model, it clearly was originally a 110V model. Most likely it was converted to 220V (I think most of the Craftsman models can be rewired), which would mean you could easily switch it back. But if the motor was switched as well, you wouldn't necessarily be able to convert back. Craftsman in particular really inflates the CFM and HP statistics. Figure out what CFM you need for your spray gun, and make sure your compressor has a good amount of headroom in its rated value. That compressor is probably more than enough for your needs, but I have found that I always wished I had more CFM than i have. This is one case where bigger is better ... but it all really depends on how big and efficient your gun is, and how often you are willing to pause your working to wait for the tank to fill up. You might see if you can try out that compressor first. Take the gun you want to use, and spray some water or thinner for a while as a test. If the motor has to run contuinuously to keep up (or still isn't keeping up), you need a bigger compressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2005 Well, Im going to pick the compressor up over the weekend. When I get home it will be the matter of figuring out if it can be rewired or if I'll need to get a 220v line wired in. Either way, I think its a pretty good deal. Worst case, I resell it and move on. Thanks a ton fellas. I'll let you know what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Where can I get a new cord to replace the 220v one??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Any hardware store should be able to sell you a new 110V plug that has screw terminals as opposed to solder terminals - cut the 220 plug off and wire up the new plug . Where can I get a new cord to replace the 220v one??? ← Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 You the man..............me not so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 (edited) I've just had to do it before... I have a 220v Marshall my friend used in England for a long time, and a transformer he used in England that'll go 220->110 or the other way. He was using it 220-110, so it had a British plug to go into the wall and an amercian socket. I needed both plugs to be American 110 - Cut off both plugs, replace with hardware store variety, voila! By the way, by "screw terminals" I mean that rather than a lug you solder the wires to there are screws that you screw in to clamp the wires down - works just as well and requires less equipment (large guage wires can be hard to solder). Edited October 9, 2005 by jnewman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 This thing draws 15 amps. Do I need to get a certain guage wire or anything special? Any particulars to look out for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 (edited) Any of the equipment you'd end up buying from a hardware store should be rated in terms of amps - if you replace actual electrical cable, make sure it's rated at least 15 amps (although most of it should be). I think pretty much every actual plug out there should be rated at least 15 amps - I think you'd have a hard time finding one that isn't. You want something like this: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...RN-L&lpage=none All the electrical wire listed on Lowe's site is rated for at least 600V/15A, so you'd be fine. If you're just replacing the plug, make sure to get one with screw terminals. And make SURE it's a three-prong . Edited October 10, 2005 by jnewman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 So I should be able to just replace the plug? I was thinking I was going to have to install a hole new power cord (of which I can find none rated above 13amps). I dont plan on doing it myself, unless it is outlined in the manual 100% clearly. My EE friend will most likely get the nod here. I just wanted to have everything ready for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 So I should be able to just replace the plug? I was thinking I was going to have to install a hole new power cord (of which I can find none rated above 13amps). I dont plan on doing it myself, unless it is outlined in the manual 100% clearly. My EE friend will most likely get the nod here. I just wanted to have everything ready for him. ← You can just put a 110 plug on rather than replacing the power cord - but if the motor is still set for 220 input you will absolutely need to rewire the the inside as well (if you open it up, there ought to be lugs for 110 next to where the cable is currently hooked up). Sorry for the red, but that can't be emphasized enough and I didn't want you to skip over it and end up plugging a 220 motor into a 110 socket . I don't think it'd actually hurt it, but it wouldn't work right. There are two problems here - that you have a plug that won't plug into 110 power and that the motor isn't set up to take 110 power, and you need to fix both of 'em before you use it. Anybody can replace the plug, and anyone can do the rewire, too (they just don't know it). I'm not sure exactly what it looks like on the inside, but if you pop the cover off and take a picture of the area where the cable terminates someone here should be able to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanb Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 For 15 amps, you need a minimum of 14 gauge wire. If you plug it into a 15 amp circuit, you will likely pop breakers often, so I would suggest using a 20 amp circuit if possible. As for rewiring the motor, it all depends on the motor and wiring you have. Many newer (especially consumer-oriented) models are set up so that all you have to do is literally change the plug, and not do anything to the motor wiring. Others absolutely do have to have the wiring changed. You need to find the manual for this compressor -- it will tell you exactly what you need to do, and will include the wiring schematics. You should be able to find the manual on the web site if you don't have it. Otherwise, get your friend to take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Thanks for the info gents! I'll keep you updated (ie keep bugging you). Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X1TX Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 If it's rated at 15 amps at 220V, you'll pull 20+ if you rig it to run on 110V. I have one of those "6HP" Sears compressors and it will pop the breaker on a 15A circuit on start up when it's trying to refill a half full tank. Sometimes a 20A circuit has problems. I'm going to rewire mine to run on 220V. Having worked my way through school as a 'spark-trician' it's easy for me. Having everything open in the garage helps a lot too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanb Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Yeah, good point. When he said 15A, I assumed he meant at 110V. But i've never seen a Craftsman that had that big of a motor on it. The 6HP compressors are really 2HP (or less) compressors. But it will probably still pop a 15A breaker on startup ... so find a 20A circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Well it says 15 amps at 110v so think that number is right. Tell me this, are most circuts in a home 15 amp? How can I tell how many amps a certain outlet is rated at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 If you look at the breaker for the circuit in question it will have a number on it. That number is the amp rating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X1TX Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 Well it says 15 amps at 110v so think that number is right. Tell me this, are most circuts in a home 15 amp? How can I tell how many amps a certain outlet is rated at? ← If it's 15A at 110V, that wouldn't get you 6HP. 20A @ 110V barely gets you there. Especially if you figure line losses, etc (about 1V per 100' of electrical line). If you can run this on 220V you'll be better off. I used my '6HP' compressor at my dad's place and if I plugged in at an outlet far from the panel or into a long extension cord it would trip the breaker. Plugged in close to the panel and it would work okay. Of course, that house was fairly old......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Well, I just picked up the compressor. I'm not sure, but I may not be able to rewire the motor afterall. It appears to be model from a couple years back, nothing I researched. Looks just like the one on the Sears site though. It says 240v right on the side, nothing about 110 or 115 or whatever. It also says it makes 15cfm @ 40psi , is a 2 cylinder, oil less motor and is single phase. It also says that it draws 14 amps though, which seems low to me. It appears to have an aftermarket plug on the end of the cord. So, what kind of pics would you guys need to know if this thing can indeed be rewired to run on 110v? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_A_T_T Posted October 27, 2005 Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 It also says it makes 15cfm @ 40psi :blink:right] CFM is not the same as SCFM. SCFM is a more accurate description, and can be much less than SCFM. Using CFM is a way for tool manufactures to market the tool as more powerful than it actually is, like 'peak horsepower'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Well, actually it is 15 scfm, so I dont know what I have gotten myself into LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted October 27, 2005 Report Share Posted October 27, 2005 Well, actually it is 15 scfm, so I dont know what I have gotten myself into LOL. ← LOTSA AIR!!! Now you can try shaping a neck with a die grinder. Its the only way I do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 well, here are a few pics, anyone have any advice on the possibility of rewiring this beast? I am trying to find the owners manual online. Cord wiring and another and another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanb Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Well, actually it is 15 scfm, so I dont know what I have gotten myself into LOL. ← LOTSA AIR!!! Now you can try shaping a neck with a die grinder. Its the only way I do it. ← Craftsman is notoriously bad at inflating their specs. This is a 6 PEAK HP compressor ... which is actually more like 2HP for real. I can assure you from experience that you will not get 15scfm@40 psi or 11scfm@90 psi. Those numbers are very inflated. (You will get that until you have depleted the tank supply, which won't take long ... the compressor itself can't sustain that load.) It will probably be big enough to suit your purposes however. Craftsman generally advertises it heavily if the motor can switch voltages. The fact that the label says 240V and not 120/240V means there is a good chance it isn't meant to switch. Look up the model number and try to find the manual -- it should tell you. If you can't find that, pull off the motor cover and find out what motor is in there, and what it can handle. (You also might be able to call the Sears parts service and let them look up the motor part and tell you what it is ... which you should be able to do online as well.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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