For the electrical gurus

[pjkjr4]

How many amps do a blower take? I was thinking of making a 220 extension cord for the barn with (4) 110 outlets coming outto run 4 blowers (2 Sullivan Y's). It is on dual 40 amp breakers. Surely that would be enough, wouldn't it?

Thanks!!

 

[peachy]

I would like to  see a wiring diagram of that before i would give any advise, I would talk to your local electrician.

 

[afhm]

You'd be better off with a 30 amp breaker for each blower.  They pull closer to 20 amps and can trip 20 amp breakers at times.

 

[6M Ranch]

I believe the blowers pull about 14 amps, although they will pull more at start up.  The thing a lot of people don't understand, is that breakers protect the wire, and aren't based on what you are plugging in.  How long is your extension going to be?  What size wire are you running? Copper or aluminum?  Minimum would be 10/3 SO or SJ rated.  I would step up to an 8/3 cord at least.

 

[pjkjr4]

Thanks....I'm planning on having an electrician make the cord for me. I'm pretty sure that he will use copper, and I assume he will use SO cord, but then again, I don't know. The plug in was intended to run a 220 welder, so it should be pretty heavy duty.

 

[BudE]

Sullivan blowers actually pull between 18 and 19 amps continuously.  You won't run 4 off a 40 amp breaker on a generator.  I made a cord like you want, fairly simple.  There's a new blower out now that pulls 21.6 amps.  That's going to screw a lot of people when they plug it in there 20 amp system at home.

 

[pjkjr4]

The breakers are (2) 40 amp breakers running in parallel.

 

[BudE]

What is the service size in the barn?  You have to look at the full load amps. I don't know what you mean by running "in parallel".  Do you mean there are 2 40 amp breakers in the box to 2 separate welder plugs?  If you mean there are two breakers for 1 plugin then whoever wired it should be shot on site.

 

[6M Ranch]

Have the electrician check current draw on one of the blowers, and he will size the wire accordingly.  Sullivan's literature states 13.7 amps on their new blowers. 

 

[wrc]

What is the service size in the barn?  You have to look at the full load amps. I don't know what you mean by running "in parallel".  Do you mean there are 2 40 amp breakers in the box to 2 separate welder plugs?  If you mean there are two breakers for 1 plugin then whoever wired it should be shot on site.

The only way to have a 240 volt service is by using 1 breaker off of each hot leg.  There is no other way than by using 2 breakers.  What he means by running in parallel is he has 2 120 volt services from the 240 volt plug. 

 

[Rockstar]

Where alot of people screw up is they use junk extension cords and here've longest ones they can find.  #12 is the size for 20 amp breakers,  but if you put a hundred foot extension cord the you have a voltage drip so rule a thumb is bump up the wire size every hundred foot.  I've been an electrician for 14 years so if you have a question email me'. 

 

[afhm]

Have the electrician check current draw on one of the blowers, and he will size the wire accordingly.  Sullivan's literature states 13.7 amps on their new blowers. 

the ones I have show they pull 19 something I'll look at them tommorow.  They are several years old, maybe they have reduced the draw on them.

 

[wiherf]

sullivan's blowers around 17 amps, (16.8 on the amp meter)  With good 20 amp breakers within 100ft of service I can run 1 blower and 1 fan per curcuit, due to old breakers, and after they trip alot, they become weaker. With the right wire that should be fine, I have a double 20 amp breaker, 10-4  SO cord ( I over rated it to reduce heat of the cord ) and can run 2 blowers and 2 fans around 100 ft.

I tested motors after I burned a motor out of a circ 2, and replaced it with a air express motor, the crazy part was the two motors are the same amperage, markings and fins, the difference is circ and Hamm's only put 14 ga. wire on their blowers, each motor is 8.5, but when both turned on are only 14.5 amps due to resistance, so I put new cords and sullivan's fronts on my old blowers and thats what I use in the shed.

 

[wiherf]

on second thought, it can be done, but will never be code.  There isn't a Standard recepticle rated for that  much.

 

[BudE]

The only way to have a 240 volt service is by using 1 breaker off of each hot leg.  There is no other way than by using 2 breakers.  What he means by running in parallel is he has 2 120 volt services from the 240 volt plug. 
[/quote]

You do not use two single pole breakers to create a 240 volt service leg.  If you do your asking for trouble.  A double pole 220 breaker is used and hits both buss bars.  I'm not sure but I don't think you can get a single pole 40 amp breaker for residential use.  I don't have any residential equipment catalogs here everything we do is on an industrial scale.

 

[CAB]

  From following this thread, all I can say is that you need to get a certified electrician involved. You do have the required knowledge to tackle this project  on your own. JMO.