Converting PowerPro to 220 Volt

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:28 pm

I just spoke to [font="Arial","sans-serif"]Duane Hoole[/font]at Quick 220, they have a device perfect for a PowerPro which sells for $160.00. It is a box with two 115 three prong plugs on one side and a 220 receptacle on the other. In-between is some electronics and they produce power company grade 220 by combining the two circuits. Duane also said if there is enough interest he would produce an adapter cable so the PowerPro could be plugged in without modification. The adapter I showed above would work but its low current carrying ability would make it quickly fail.[font="Arial","sans-serif"][/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]This solution is way cheaper then hiring an electrician to add a 220 circuit to an existing panel.[/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"][/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]Quick220 Electrical Systems[/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]Diamond H Co. LLC[/font][font="Arial","sans-serif"][/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]Phoenix, Arizona[/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]Phone: 1-800-347-0394 (US & Canada) or1-602-938-6057[/font]
[font="Arial","sans-serif"]Email: DHoole@Quick220.com[/font]

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm

paulmcohen wrote:I just spoke to [font=Arial&quot]Duane Hoole[/font]at Quick 220, they have a device perfect for a PowerPro which sells for $160.00. It is a box with two 115 three prong plugs on one side and a 220 receptacle on the other. In-between is some electronics and they produce power company grade 220 by combining the two circuits. Duane also said if there is enough interest he would produce an adapter cable so the PowerPro could be plugged in without modification. The adapter I showed above would work but its low current carrying ability would make it quickly fail.
[font=Arial","sans-serif]This solution is way cheaper then hiring an electrician to add a 220 circuit to an existing panel.[/font]

[font=Arial","sans-serif]Quick220 Electrical Systems[/font]
[font=Arial","sans-serif]Diamond H Co. LLC[/font]
[font=Arial","sans-serif]Phoenix, Arizona[/font]
[font=Arial","sans-serif]Phone: 1-800-347-0394 (US & Canada) or1-602-938-6057[/font]
[font=Arial","sans-serif]Email: DHoole@Quick220.com[/font]

For a meer $160!!! I'll bet he will.

If you are going to be using this in your shop, which if I remember correctly is in your garage, are you certain that you have two independent phases of 110VAC available.

Often the garage is serviced by a single run of 110VAC; maybe three or four outlets but a single breaker.

I don't have a PowerPro so I don't know for sure but I think a PowerPro comes with a standard 110VAC plug unless you ordered it to be 220VAC. If I am correct, in either case, you can not just change your mind and power it the other way without some hardware change.

Some one with a PowerPro please correct me if I am ill informed.

Just curious: Where is the breaker box with respect to the outlets that will be used for the PowerPro? Pulling a 220VAC line may not be all that expensive.

michaeltoc · Post by **michaeltoc** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:39 pm

dusty wrote: I don't have a PowerPro so I don't know for sure but I think a PowerPro comes with a standard 110VAC plug unless you ordered it to be 220VAC. If I am correct, in either case, you can not just change your mind and power it the other way without some hardware change.

The only "hardware change" would be the plug - or use a cheater cord. The PowerPro will take 110 or 220 with no internal modification.

As for the "box" I'm assuming that the electronics take care of phasing, so that you can simply plug into the same outlet. If this box requires you to plug into two different phases, you don't need "electronics", just wire and plugs. Simply connect the two grounds to the 220v ground and each hot wire to each side of the 220v outlet. Tape off the neutrals and you're done.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:02 pm

I'se confused!;) I thought the original objective was to be able to plug a power pro into a 230v receptacle without cutting off the 115v plug and replacing the plug with a 230v version.

The device just mentioned has a 230v receptacle as its output connection. That would require either the replacement of the original plug or an adapter. i.e. Right back to where we started.

The device mentioned requires access to 115v receptacles connected to branch circuits connected to opposite polarity at the breaker panel. I do not see that this device offers more than an output receptacle, two input power cords(and plugs) and an amber light and a box. Hardly a bargain as Dusty pointed out.

The 'electrician' added 230v circuit is the only practical(though not least expensive) approach. The electrician must provide the correct receptacle for that.

Since you do not wish to modify the power pro power cord, an adapter is necessary. That can be either a cheater cord or an improperly terminated branch circuit((115v receptacle)(NOT RECOMMENDED unless you do not mind someone plugging a 115v device into it and most likely destroying it as a result).

Finally you must ask yourself "Do I really need that small increase in available horsepower?".

The answer will tell you whether to call an electrician!

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:07 pm

michaeltoc wrote:The only "hardware change" would be the plug - or use a cheater cord. The PowerPro will take 110 or 220 with no internal modification.

As for the "box" I'm assuming that the electronics take care of phasing, so that you can simply plug into the same outlet. If this box requires you to plug into two different phases, you don't need "electronics", just wire and plugs. Simply connect the two grounds to the 220v ground and each hot wire to each side of the 220v outlet. Tape off the neutrals and you're done.

NOPE! Ya gotta try different receptacles until the amber light 'lights' indicating opposing phase(180°) connection.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 12:40 am

When I started this thread I thought the 115 volt PowerPro was 1.25 HP and 2HP at 220. Having just finished reading the manual it is 1.75 vs 2 and probably not worth the money.

My garage has 4 separate 20 amp dedicated breakers so the device would work for me but I will need an adapter.

I have two panels about 10 ft apart in my garage both within 5 ft of my machine. The one quote I got from an electrician to add a 220 plug was $800 and that did not include an adapter to the existing PowerPro plug.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 12:53 am

paulmcohen wrote:When I started this thread I thought the 115 volt PowerPro was 1.25 HP and 2HP at 220. Having just finished reading the manual it is 1.75 vs 2 and probably not worth the money.

My garage has 4 separate 20 amp dedicated breakers so the device would work for me but I will need an adapter.

I have two panels about 10 ft apart in my garage both within 5 ft of my machine. The one quote I got from an electrician to add a 220 plug was $800 and that did not include an adapter to the existing PowerPro plug.

Find a more reasonable 'electrician'. Did you tell him 20A? How far you from A1(Tim)? Send him PM. He could help, but he has not been posting of late?????

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:53 am

JPG40504 wrote:Find a more reasonable 'electrician'. Did you tell him 20A? How far you from A1(Tim)? Send him PM. He could help, but he has not been posting of late?????

Don't see an A1(Tim) on the member list, I am in Beaverton Oregon. $800 was the price to walk in to my house and do anything with the main panel. I have a friend in Washington who is a licensed electrician, it may be time to buy him dinner and a hotel.

michaeltoc · Post by **michaeltoc** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:40 am

paulmcohen wrote:I have a friend in Washington who is a licensed electrician, it may be time to buy him dinner and a hotel.

Definitely the way to go. Most, if not all, woodworkers are capable of any home improvement project - they just need to be shown how. Running a 220v circuit is not difficult at all. It's making the connections in the breaker panel that is the scary part.

The cost of dinner and a hotel is more than offset by the value of the learning experience and the time spent with friends. Just remember: WIRE first, BEER second.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 10:04 am

michaeltoc wrote:Definitely the way to go. Most, if not all, woodworkers are capable of any home improvement project - they just need to be shown how. Running a 220v circuit is not difficult at all. It's making the connections in the breaker panel that is the scary part.

The cost of dinner and a hotel is more than offset by the value of the learning experience and the time spent with friends. Just remember: WIRE first, BEER second.

Working in that breaker panel is not near as scary if you know that all power has been removed from the panel. Normally there is a breaker/switch on the input that does that. It is always nice to have a reliable multimeter on hand to double check.

Working on radio/radar equipment in the Air Force sorta taught me how to stay safe. It was seldom that we were able to shut it all down meaning that there were always hot circuits in and around where one was working. Making certain that the circuit you were about to probe into was not hot was a trick learned very early. If not, there might not be a later.