Electrical Circuits

[lucky13]

I am having an Electrician friend of mine come over this weekend and fix a couple of circuits for me. I am thinking about having him drop in another circuit for a welder "to be named later". I guess what my question is, for a home garage, how many amps should I be running? I haven't talked to him about it yet but he's not a welder at all, so I thought I'd ask here first. I have 220v 30amp in the garage already, but the compressor is on that circuit. I know for sure that I want a dedicated circuit for the welder. Thanks

[Rodsmachineshop]

at least a 60 amp

[Tritium]

Depends on the welder. 60A is what I use for my PU205P but it has excess capacity.

Thurmond

[lucky13]

I haven't completely chosen the welder yet. Keep tossing around a couple of different models. Most likely wont go over 200 amps, but maybe up to 250. I'd like to have some room for growth for, just in case purposes. I don't like doing things over again. So i'd like to do it once and not worry about it. Thanks for the help guys

[kenwhite]

I haven't completely chosen the welder yet. Keep tossing around a couple of different models. Most likely wont go over 200 amps, but maybe up to 250. I'd like to have some room for growth for, just in case purposes. I don't like doing things over again. So i'd like to do it once and not worry about it. Thanks for the help guys

It really depends on the welder and its source voltage and current requirements. For 220-240 VAC single phase welders a 60A branch should be more than adequate.

[everlastsupport]

220vac 60AMPS, 50 will work fine too. But I would go 60. It will handle anything we have single phase.

[Brian Ski]

50-60 amps is sufficient. But for me I would go with a 100 amp sub panel. If you already have 30 amps for a compressor, another 30 for a welding, and a lighting circuit.

The other way I look at it... #6 copper is rated for 50 amps, to provide service for the garage. It is pretty expensive. If you go with #2 alum triplex in conduit it will cost about the same amount (probably cheaper) and the breaker box should be about the same amount. Run it past your electrician and see what he says.

BTW it also depends on the room you have in you main breaker box. You can't put a 100 sub panel breaker in a 100 amp main box. (or shouldn't) Also need to look at the distance between the 2. The wire gets expensive fast...