[WingNut]

Hello, just to get this out there, I have almost ZERO electrical experience, so plz bear with me.
What I am wondering is if I can take a 30 amp dryer cord, run that to a new breakerbox of its own. Then have 4 ,30 amp fuses powering 4, 220v outlets. I am trying to wire up some 4 HID lights for my shop. I don't want them on the 120v, I would rather then be on the 220v. Make any sense even? Thanks.

 

[WingNut]

What I was thinking was something similar to this thing that is used for ponds? But I don't want to spend $355 to do this. http://www.pondepot.com/30amptimerbox.aspx

though mine doesn't need a timer

 

[Scuba_Dave]

What I am wondering is if I can take a 30 amp dryer cord, run that to a new breakerbox of its own. Then have 4 ,30 amp fuses powering 4, 220v outlets. I am trying to wire up some 4 HID lights for my shop. I don't want them on the 120v, I would rather then be on the 220v. Make any sense even? Thanks.

You want to use a dryer cord to feed a sub-panel?
I'm not sure its rated for that, but who knows

 

[InPhase277]

Yes it is possible, but not like they did it. That setup in your link is un-grounded. I don't see how they get away with it. Why can't you just run the circuits straight to the panel box? How many lights are you putting up, and how do you plan to control them?

You can get quite a few lights on a 20 A 240 V circuit. If you did build a similar setup as you posted, it would need to either be 240 V three-wire grounded, or 120/240 V four-wire grounded. A three-wire dryer cord is un-grounded and so, not suitable for use outside of clothes dryers.

 

[WingNut]

Yes, out in my pole barn there is already a outlet that is the same as the one used for dryers. 220v, 30 amp, 3 prong. i just bought this property so I am not sure what the plug was suppose to be used for, maybe a welder, maybe a dryer, I have no clue. I don't want to take apart the plug, so I was thinking of just running a breaker box, like the one in the link I put up, to feed the power for the 4,220v, HID. May sound stupid, but seemed like it would work good instead of running new wire or taking the existing outlet apart...

 

[WingNut]

Yes it is possible, but not like they did it. That setup in your link is un-grounded. I don't see how they get away with it. Why can't you just run the circuits straight to the panel box? How many lights are you putting up, and how do you plan to control them?

You can get quite a few lights on a 20 A 240 V circuit. If you did build a similar setup as you posted, it would need to either be 240 V three-wire grounded, or 120/240 V four-wire grounded. A three-wire dryer cord is un-grounded and so, not suitable for use outside of clothes dryers.

I have no clue about anything with wiring. Thats how I came up with the idea I did lol. I planned on controling the lights with the breaker. Was just gonna use the breaker as a switch. This whole idea could be retarded, but I saw the product in the link and thought i could probably make it cheaper and figured it would work

 

[WingNut]

I did a search for "30 amp timer box" and got a bunch of hits. I just can't see spending the $300+ for one of these...http://www.specialty-lights.com/734057.html looks pretty simple. maybe not tho

 

[InPhase277]

Apparently the pond and garden community likes those types of setups, but they are not electrically safe. No electrician or experienced DIY here is going to advise you on how to do anything that is that far out of tilt with the code.

If you have some patience and some skill at using basic hand tools and following direction, you can do it correctly and safely. Really, doing it right is no harder than filing the insurance claim when you do it wrong and burn the place down. Seriously, a three-wire dryer cord cannot be used in the manner that the equipment in your links shows. However, with a little direction, you can do it right for less than $100-$125.

 

[WingNut]

Apparently the pond and garden community likes those types of setups, but they are not electrically safe. No electrician or experienced DIY here is going to advise you on how to do anything that is that far out of tilt with the code.

If you have some patience and some skill at using basic hand tools and following direction, you can do it correctly and safely. Really, doing it right is no harder than filing the insurance claim when you do it wrong and burn the place down. Seriously, a three-wire dryer cord cannot be used in the manner that the equipment in your links shows. However, with a little direction, you can do it right for less than $100-$125.

Thanks, I definitly don't want to do anything unsafe. Like I said, I don't know what I am doing and when I saw that product, it suited my needs perfectly. By all means I would like to know how to do this safely. Is it possible with the existing wire? Do you have a link for instructions? Will a DIY book from home depot explain something like this? Should I hire a electician lol? Thanks...

 

[InPhase277]

Thanks, I definitly don't want to do anything unsafe. Like I said, I don't know what I am doing and when I saw that product, it suited my needs perfectly. By all means I would like to know how to do this safely. Is it possible with the existing wire? Do you have a link for instructions? Will a DIY book from home depot explain something like this? Should I hire a electician lol? Thanks...

A book from Home Depot could get you started. But the guys here are far more helpful. First things first. Turn off the power to that receptacle, and take a look inside. A pic posted here would be a great help.

 

[220/221]

You don't have to cobble this. You can do it right.


1. Check the amperage (amps) on the lights (printed on the ballast)

2. Run a properly sized cable (size to be determined) to a switch box.

3. From the switch box, run the cable to the first light, to the second etc.

(you will probably run the lights to junction boxes and mount the lights on the

 

[WingNut]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have any pics to post right now, but I had a quick question. Why is the product in the link unsafe? It was said it was because it has no ground. Why then is that power safe for the outlet(and dryer or whatever) but not the device? Seems like it is just a heavy-duty "power strip". Seems like its just taking the power provided and dividing it between the 4 lights. Like I said, I have no clue about any of this, the questions are just to help me better understand the circumstances. Thanks....

 

[InPhase277]

A clothes dryer is a relatively stationary device and will not be moved around, and plugged in and un-plugged alot, for one. Primary reason, without being too technical, is that the electrical codes, for a long time, allowed clothes dryers to be grounded through the neutral wire (which carries current). That's what that "L" shaped prong is. If that neutral becomes open somehow, then any current that was previously flowing on it will seek any path it can, and that may be through you.

The code no longer allows that setup for new installations. The pond and garden device you linked to is especially dangerous because it has a higher chance of being touched and moved and messed with. And it is near water. It has both 120 V and 240 V available, and bottom line is, anything that uses both 120 and 240 needs 4 wires, not three.

You do whatever you want, however you want. If you want to do it right, you are in the right place, there are several real electricians and lots of experienced DIY'rs here that can help. You want to do it like the pond guys, you won't find help here.

 

[InPhase277]

Basically, with or without pics, we need to know how many wires you have in the box at the receptacle.

 

[WingNut]

Lol, i will do what I want, fortunately what I want is to do it right. I just was wondering why it wouldn't work. i appriciate the explaination. I will post pics when I am closer to working on it, which should be soon. Glad to know NOT to go down the path I was.

 

[rjniles]

Yes, out in my pole barn there is already a outlet that is the same as the one used for dryers. 220v, 30 amp, 3 prong. i just bought this property so I am not sure what the plug was suppose to be used for, maybe a welder, maybe a dryer, I have no clue. I don't want to take apart the plug, so I was thinking of just running a breaker box, like the one in the link I put up, to feed the power for the 4,220v, HID. May sound stupid, but seemed like it would work good instead of running new wire or taking the existing outlet apart...

Are you sure this is a 30 amp dryer receptacle? Sounds like it could be for a RV hook-up. It looks like a 3 wire dryer receptacle but is actually a TT-30 receptacle and is 120 volt, 30 amp configuration. Test across the 2 flat slots (the U shaped slot is ground), if you get 120 volts(+ or_) you have an RV hook-up.