recommendation needed - Running grinder on 220 w/20A with male socket rated at 125V?

F

Foot Patrol

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Mar 5, 2013
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I had an electrician put in a 220V 20 amp line in my garage. The socket is a 3 prong with the left side prong being horizontal and right side prong vertical. This week I purchase a Leeson 2 HP motor and VFD from Beaumont Metal works. I set up the motor and VFD for 220. Went to Home Depot and picked up the male plug socket that matched the 220 wall socket and 50 feet of 10 gauge wire. I cut 10 feet off the roll of 10 gauge wire and added the male plug to it and attached it to the VFD. I followed all the wiring directions on the motor and VFD. I plugged the unit in and walla it all works. I then started to make an extension cord out of the other 40 feet of 10 gauge wire. This is when I noticed that the male socket reads 20A 125V on its face and the female socket I bought has the reverse wall socket configuration with the left side prong being vertical and right side prong horizontal and says 20A 250V. So now I am really confused.

Did the electrician put the wrong 220V wall socket in? Do they offer the same male socket for both 125V/250V? Will the 20A 125V male socket work correctly? Do I have the wrong female connector plug?

Thanks for any help. I plan to call the electrician tomorrow or Monday but I would like to use the grinder if I can.

Scott
 
There are indeed both. One is rated for 125v while the other is rated 250v. If you are confident that the electrician installed a 125v to a 250v circuit, you should call him and suggest he fix it. Any of the electricians I know would fix the problem right away. They prefer to keep their license.

Bob
 
Its Sunday morning and I have not been able to reach the electrician so far. The receptacle on the 20A 220V line is a NEMA 5-20R. The plug I bought mates with it NEMA 5-20P. Both are listed as 125V.
 
While they look similar, 5-20R/P and 6-20R/P are made opposite each other in blade placement so they can not be accidentally inserted in the wrong socket. They both will carry 20 amps, so there is no danger of overheating, but one is designed to be installed on 125VAC circuits and the other for 230VAC. Using them for the wrong circuit is a really bad idea.....as well as illegal for him to install.

Your situation happens more often than you would guess. It is very easy to reach into a box of plugs/sockets and get the wrong one. I have even seen them in the wrong bin at Home Depot.

I had a friend who moved into a small restaurant that had a 230VAC-20Amp socket with the fryer plugged into it. When the fryer died, he got another one, but the plug wouldn't go in. He asked me to come and switch the old plug to the new fryer. Turned out that the socket was put in with a NEMA 5-20 type, and the old fryer power cord was the wired to match. I explained that if I did what he asked, the fryer work fine. However, if someone in the future didn't know that it was a 230VAC circuit, and plugged a 125VAC appliance into it there would be smoke when the power switch was flipped on. I bought a proper 6-20 socket and the problem was solved forever.


From your descriptions, it sounds like you bought two 5-20P and one 6-20R and the electrician put in a 5-20R.

Call the electrician have him come out immediately and replace the socket. Do NOT let him say it doesn't matter....because it does. I would exchange the two 5-20P plugs you bought and have him make up the cords for you when he installs the proper socket. He should not charge you for any of this.
 
Thanks Stacy for your input and yes you have it right. I will discuss this with the electrician and make sure it is done properly. I agree with your assessment that he should exchange the plugs and make the cord at no cost.

Scott
 
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