Replies

1. 
   beejay | Nov 05, 2008 06:08am | #1

   The short answer is yes.  Before you get bogged down with information of all stripes, get Taunton Press book on electric wiring by Rex Cauldwell.  It is the best.

   BJ

   Gardening, cooking and woodworking in South'n Murlyn'
2. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Nov 05, 2008 06:53am | #2

   As said above, Yes.

   View Image View Image Here are two common configurations for 240 v outlets. The first you connect your two hot wires to the two outside pins for 240 v but no ground is available ,on the one on the right you connect to the two outside pins for 240v and the "D" shaped pin for ground.

   Jack

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 06, 2008 05:59am | #6

   The receptacle on the picture on the left has a ground on the vertical pin.  It is the neutral that it doesn't have if it is wired correctly

1. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Nov 06, 2008 06:40am | #7

   The one on the left has two hots and a common not a ground. Common should never be used as a ground. Dryers typically need both 120 and 240. 120 for the timer and motor and 240 for the heating coil. A ground was not always required. Newer wiring would be 3 cond plus ground, 2 hots, a common, and ground.

   Jack

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 17, 2008 04:52am | #13

   Sorry to be so late.  You will notice that the OP has a four conductor hookup for his dryer.  It is wired correctly.  He is wanting to hook up a wood working machine. If he used the receptacle that you show, it should be hooked up to the ground to transfer any extraneous currents to the ground, otherwise there is no use made of that convenience.  I assure you that is the way a electricians would hook it up.

   Edited 11/16/2008 10:02 pm ET by Tinkerer3

1. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Nov 17, 2008 05:06am | #14

   You're right I missed the 4 wire notation which would be this outlet View Image

   Jack

2. 
   BillHartmann | Nov 06, 2008 07:23pm | #9

   ""The receptacle on the picture on the left has a ground on the vertical pin. It is the neutral that it doesn't have if it is wired correctly">"On the contrary.That wiring system was used long before it became common to have EGC's (equipment grounding conductors, ie "the ground").The dryer requires 3 CURRENT CARRYING CONDUCTORS. The 2 hots and the neutral.A ground is never allowed to current current on purpose. That can be very dangerous. And that is why you isolated the neutral and ground buses in sub-panels.The code makes it very clear that for a grandfathered 3 wire dryer or range connection that the it is a NEUTRAL. And that you are allowed to bond the case of the applicance to the neutral.Possibly the confusion comes from the fact that, with one exception, the neutral is required to be an insulated conductor.That one exception is for service entrances. Look at the common triplex power drop. You have 2 insulated conductors twisted with a bare NEUTRAL conductor.And some SE cables (service entrance) have the 2 hot wires wrapped around by bare neutral wires and the whole assembly covered by an outer sheath.And the code specifically allows the of SE cable for 3 wire dryer and stove circuits.Also note that the 1996 NEC no longer allows for 3 wire installations for NEW installations. But specifically allows calls them out for existing installations.
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   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

1. 
   drum2nite | Nov 08, 2008 06:54am | #10

   Just want to say thanks for all the help, I'm learning a lot!Vick

3. 
   SantaFeTom | Nov 05, 2008 07:20pm | #3

   With 12 guage wire, your TS and BS probably use less than 20 amps each. I would guess the dryer is at least a 30 amp circuit and probably 10 or 8 guage wire. It won't be 12 guage for 30 amps. Also you probably have 3 wires going to the TS and BS, two hot and one ground. Be sure to run all three from the dryer outlet and don't confuse the ground wire with the neutral wire. The ground wire will typically have green insulation and the ground prong has been described in another post.

   I would use the same guage wire for the extension cord as is used for the wire going to the dryer outlet. The circuit breaker is sized to to the capacity of that wire so if you overload the wire, the breaker trips rather than the wire heating up and causing a fire. If you want to use smaller wire for the extension than I would replace the breaker for the dryer curcuit so it is matched to the smaller wire size. Otherwise, you could overload your extension cord and create a fire hazzard and the breaker would never trip.

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 06, 2008 05:55am | #4

   Changing the breaker for the smaller gauge extension cord is going to be bothersome.  The dryer won't run on it without blowing the the breaker.  better to have an extension cord with its own appropriate protection.  It might be useful to have the heavier cord, then split at the end for the two woodworking machines so you don't have to change plugs each time you want to use the machine.

2. 
   kreuzie | Nov 06, 2008 05:56am | #5

   If he uses a smaller (20 amp) breaker on the dryer circuit, there's a good chance of tripping the smaller breaker when the dryer is started.

   Probably better to make an extension cord with 10 gauge, 3 conductor SO cord (the flexible stuff). That way, there's little voltage drop at the tools.

   Or, run the SO from the dryer receptacle to a small 2-space breaker box with a 2 pole 20 amp breaker in it, so this breaker would trip first in case of a tool short, etc.

   A handi-box with 220V receptacle could be attached to the side of the small Square D breaker box.

   Kind of a Rube Goldberg solution, but if you can't modify the existing wiring...

   kreuzie

1. 
   SantaFeTom | Nov 06, 2008 06:45pm | #8

   I agree with what you say. I wasn't sure if the plan was to build an extension cord to plug into the dryer outlet and not use the dryer outlet for a dryer or to extend the wires and continue to use the outlet for the dryer. If the latter then changing to a smaller breaker would definitely be the wrong thing to do.

4. 
   DonNH | Nov 08, 2008 07:44am | #11

   What's the motor size on the saws?  Typically if they're 1-1/2 HP or less, you can rewire the motor to 110V (switch a couple wires in the connection box-should be a diagram somewhere).  Then just plug into a nearby 110 outlet. 

   Don

5. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 17, 2008 04:33am | #12

   This is a little late but I write because I think you have gotten some misleading information. You mention that you have a four conductor receptacle.  That would indicate that you have two live wires, a neutral and a ground.  This is a modern installation.  In your case, you could run either a three or four conductor extension cord.  For equipment that is purely 220 volts you only need run three conductors - two hot and a ground but if you think you might use a tool or appliance with a 100 volt component you should use the four conductor cord.  If you use the three wire cord you should wire the plug so the two hot conductors are wired respectively and the third wire should be wired so it contacts the ground of the receptacle. 

   If you hook the third wire to the neutral you will not get the added protection that the ground would otherwise give you.  The neutral should go no further than the receptacle.  If using a four conductor cord and plug, continue the respective wires to the cords four conductor receptacle end.  You can use a four plug for the machine but eventually the neutral will be terminated.  You don't need it in a purely 220 volt machine and there is probably no place to hook it to either, however the extension cord will be ready to accept a machine or appliance at any time that uses a 110 volt component. 

    I see that there is a disagreement on this issue so if you are confused, my advice is to consult a trusted electrician.

    

6. 
   notatexan | Nov 25, 2008 08:56pm | #15

   I made and extension cord for my arc welder when I needed to add door and a steel frame to the shop.  I think it is 50' long and the appropriate wire size.  One size bigger is usually better but costs more.