208v, 230v, 240v Whats the difference?

BJinaTJ

First of all I would like to thank everyone for any help they may provide.

I have recently purchased a Miller Syncrowave 180 SD welder. I am kind of confused on the wiring (not that I planned on wiring it myself).

Here is a picture of the manual page, I assume this is what people are going to be looking for.





Here is also the whole manual if anyone wants to look at it.

http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o360j_mil.pdf




The documentation shows that the welder is for 208 - 230 hookup, it mentions that it will damage the welder if is is connected to the incorrect voltage.

I have no idea about voltages, I thought residential voltages were 240v.

My question is what will I need to know to have this connected? Will it work with 240 if I have it?

Thanks again!
-Ronnie

joed

208 volts is the nominal voltage available from a three phase system. It is not found in homes.
I consider 230-240 to be the same voltage. It will very depending on the location, the time of day. This is the votage you will find a normal home or business with 240/120 volt service.

BJinaTJ

So I assume this machine is ok to connect to my home? I assume my house is connected no different than any other. It is approximatley 10 years old and has a normal run of the mill looking circuit breaker box. The breakers are labeled as follows:

Challenger
Type C230
120/240 VAC
CU/AL
HACR Type
LR48907


Thanks again!
-Ronnie

Sparky Joe

This is a single phase welder so it will work with your house voltage. The welder is rated at 230 volts and notice it has a tolerance of 10%(as with most all equipment), 230 - 10% gives 207(or 208) volts, that's where the dual voltage comes in.

As joed said 208 is a common 3 phase system as well as 240, but in every 3 phase system, single phase is available(2 hot wires instaed of three gives the same voltage but in single phase). A lot of people that don't understand electrical have a hard time understanding this.

Also it says to run #8 wire but I would use #6, note 4 says if your using a romex type cable assembly(or any cable assembly) you can't use #8. Also it says a ground the same size as the conductors, but I would use a #10 ground seeing as this is all the NEC requires for 54 amps.

Good Luck

BJinaTJ

I will not be using this welder anywhere near its full capacity. I currently have a 40 amp circuit in the garage running on #8 wire, would I be able to say connect this welder to it and not turn up the output amperage more than half way?

-Ronnie

Sparky Joe

Turn it up full blast if you like and see what happens. j/k everything you have will be just fine.

Keep in mind that breakers only protect wires, if you have a 40 amp wire connected to a 40 amp breaker then you have no worries, even if you did turn the welder all the way up, at most the breaker would trip and nothing else, and then you'd know how far you can turn up your welder

BJinaTJ

Thank you very much!

Sparky Joe

Thanks for the nameplate attachment. Most electricians won't hear a single thing a customer says about their equipment or their wiring until they read the nameplate