For those of you with an Alkin W31, could you please tell me what the length of the power cord is?
Thanks,
Keith.
Thanks,
Keith.
Alkin power cord
- Thread starter Keith2324
- Start date
No problem.
You will have to supply your own plug for the cable. That makes it easier to match up to your existing power supply.
You will have to supply your own plug for the cable. That makes it easier to match up to your existing power supply.
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similar to buying a 220 dryer. they do not come with a pigtail. you look at your 220 outlet and take a picture of it, then go to the hardware store and tell them this is what you have and you need a plug and pigtail or a just a plug to connect to your compressor.
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In that vain, what would be the preferred connection method if using a pigtail? Would you solder it or just use connectors to connect the wires together? Or should I simply put a male and female plug on the ends? I'm a novice when it comes to 220v stuff and I would like to make ensure there is no drop in amperage in the cord and everything is safe.
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You do not want to solder anything. If you need a pigtail (you won't with the Alkin) there should be terminal screws for your connection. If the terminals are an insert type you can crimp ferrules in place to keep the stranded wire tidy. Voltage drop will occur only if the wire or terminals are undersized for the load and/or line length. (That is, deleterious voltage drop. For the pedants there will always be some voltage drop, but it will be negligible if everything is appropriately rated.)
You can look up appropriate wire gauge by current here: Wire chart . It doesn't hurt to go bigger (as long as the wire fits your terminals).
Remember that the wire in your walls is part (probably most of) the circuit, so your current draw cannot exceed the rating of that wire. For the average Joe, that means you are limited to your existing breaker rating, and you should NOT replace your breaker with a higher current unit without replacing the wiring in the walls.
Finally, your plug should also be rated, not only for 220V, but for *at least* the current you will use. With compressors this shouldn't be a problem as most dryer-style plugs and receptacles are rated for 220V/50A.
HTH,
GsT
You can look up appropriate wire gauge by current here: Wire chart . It doesn't hurt to go bigger (as long as the wire fits your terminals).
Remember that the wire in your walls is part (probably most of) the circuit, so your current draw cannot exceed the rating of that wire. For the average Joe, that means you are limited to your existing breaker rating, and you should NOT replace your breaker with a higher current unit without replacing the wiring in the walls.
Finally, your plug should also be rated, not only for 220V, but for *at least* the current you will use. With compressors this shouldn't be a problem as most dryer-style plugs and receptacles are rated for 220V/50A.
HTH,
GsT
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The only reason for the pigtail was to give me some extra space/length to move around the compressor and still use it. But if the attached cord is around 10ft, then I should be good-to-go. And yes, your info helped quite a bit.
Thanks.
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I thought about that but the 220v, from what I've been told, is the better way to go. I won't need to do anything with my electrical panel and since the cord is long enough, I can just use my dryer outlet.
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You can't go wrong with 220v. I said 110v because after much deliberation, I went with the Alkin W31 110V version, I literally purchased it today direct from Alkin. I spoke with their technical folks and while 220v is more energy efficient, everything else is the same (except for the motor of course). For me they recommended a 40/50 amp breaker but I have a dedicated 30 amp breaker that I'm going to try it on. If it trips the breaker, I'll bump it up a bit. Enjoy your W31! -Dave
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Don't "bump up" that breaker unless you know that the wiring is rated for higher current! If necessary, run a new line with appropriate wire, or hire an electrician to do so. If you can locate the plug near your electrical panel it's not a lot of work.
GsT
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Good advice GsT. That's something I wouldn't do myself, I would hire an electrician to do it. Appreciate the reminder though! -Dave
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