picked up an air compressor 220 volt 4 prong plug. my house is a 3 prong plug how is the best way to make this thing work??

Thanks, Tony

 

Just take the 4 wires from the 4 wire plug and wire up 2 110 volt plugs with 2 wires each, then plug it into 2 separate 110 volt outlets. I *think* that will work!


Actually, 2 of the wires are hots, one is a neutral and the last is a ground. I believe you eliminate the ground wire, or wire it together with the neutral when going from 4 wire to 3. I think. Pretty sure anyway. Try it, if we don't hear from you in 24 hours we'll know something didn't work as expected!


NOTE: Not responsible for death or injury that may occur for listening to an idiot like me.

 

You should only need to use the two hot wires and ground. Either your compressor has some fancy display requiring the neutral (120 V) or it was wired with the 4 prong because the previous owner has a 4 prong outlet, but only 3 wires are connected. Is the cable a 12/2 or 12/3 (meaning 3 wire or 4 wire)? Household compressors requiring 240V is typically wired with 12/2 - that is how mine is.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

The other option is that it's 3 phase, in which case it won't work no matter how you wire it, but it might kill you trying.

Would help to see a picture of
1. The plug
2. the metal label on the motor.

 

 

When this guy agrees with me, it's time to start worrying. Regardless of the topic.

 

I tried to get some pics up but they are too large!

Thanks

 

This post helped me with a friends dryer. Probably would work with your air compressor.
http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...ryeroutlet.htm

 

This!

At the minimum, please look at the data plate on the motor and tell us what is in the area labeled phase.

Should be a 1 or a 3.

If it is 1 you should be good, if it is 3, you need to buy a motor. ( you can use a phase converter, but that isn't a good long term solution......)

 

With 4 pins, it is wired for 3 phase. Check the motor data plate, some motors have additional windings and can be changed to single phase.

 

I have my 3-HP Speedaire compressor wired using a 230-volt 30-amp 3-wire plug from the compressor motor through a pigtail terminating into a 30-amp 3-blade dryer plug, the dryer recieptle is specifically for the compressor, but I can also unplug my compressor and plug in the extension cord for my mig welder.

The dryer recieptle is protected locally through a 2-pole fused disconnect.
My compressor is mounted on a 2X6 platform with casters so can move it to drain and clean it.

Check the data plate?,
How many Horsepower?
Single or Three Phase?

Jim

 

Folks thanks for the help!

Here's the deal it is a single phase motor 220 volt 30 amp. It came with a 3 prong (dryer plug) however in about 2000 at least locally ALL 220 receptacles are now 4 prong 30 amp! 2 hots 1 ground 1 neutral.
I simply put and old style 3 prong 30 amp plug....the 4 prong plug was only wired with 2 hots and 1 ground.

 

Motor is 30-amps, or the old plug was?
1 HP shouldn't be much over 7 amps on 230 volts.
Is it a portable or stationary air compressor?

 

The old plug was a 30 amp 4 prong. I put a 30 amp 3 prong plug on it.

 

Cool. That's what I had run into with my friends dryer.
http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...ryeroutlet.htm
Glad you got it figured out.