I am getting ready to run a 220 circuit to my garage. My question is what do I need in the garage in order to wire my compressor. It is a 60 gal Kobalt and uses a 15 amp circuit. I have to run a new line to the garage and it is about 50 feet from the panel, so I was planning on burying a 10-2 UF cable. Now, once in the garage is where I am stumped, do I use a standard 220 plug and a box with a receptacle or something else.
The compressor does not have a plug so that needs to be added. I looked at the connectors and it has two bayonet type connectors. Can this be wired directly to a shutoff?

Thanks for the help!
George

If your going to use a plug, use a Twist-Loc style plug and receptacle. Compressor vibrations won't cause it to loosen and fall out.
If you hard wire to a shut off, try and get a shut-off that can be fused for added protection.
Ideally it would be nice to have both... IE: A fused shut-off switch, supplying a receptacle.


P.S. Any particular reason why your using a UF cable?

May want to consider running a larger wire for a little extra amps while your at it. Mine runs from a breaker box to a diconnect that has 30 amp fuses in it. I still turn it on and off at the breaker box but I could use the disconnect also to turn it on and off. Sounds like it's designed to be hard wired not plugged in.

50'+ on 10/2 running a compressor is OK, but heavier (8?) would be nicer on compressor, I don't care what the books say. Are you running anyting else off this 10/2 circuit, such as lights, outlets, etc? ( which means you will need a nuetral also) How much duty cycle will compressor be running?

I woudn't run a 10-2 . I'd suggest running a 10-3 or larger, depending on what else you want to run out there. That wire would be connected to a sub panel which would hold several breakers. You could hard wire the compressor to one of the breakers. What about lights, receptacles? Do you need those too?

Is there room in your main panel?
Sounds like you need to find someone who knows alot more about electricity to do the work.

10 gauge wire will handle a "constant" 30 amp load at 220 volts out to 75 ft with no discernable voltage drop. You don't need a bigger cable.
10-2 which has 2 leads and a ground would suffice in this case, however... 10-3 which has 2 leads a neutral and a ground would be preferrable in most cases. Required if running to a subpanel.

His compressor runs on a 15 amp circuit, which means that it draws at least 20% less than that at start-up... unless he has reported it wrong, he does not have an issue.

I already have separate circuits for lights and power. When the garage was built a 10-2 circuit was put in. The second circuit will be for the compressor only. It will be on a light duty cycle, hobby use only.
BTW - I do not have any room in the current garage box, it only holds two circuit breakers. One for the lights and the other for a 20 amp 125 circuit.

Thanks for all the help - George

My compressor draws 23 amps on start up and I run it on a 10-2 with ground. The run is about 55' or so, no problems at all. In fact this is the wire size recommended by the dealer I got the motor from. I used a 30 amp blade plug, recepticle and 10-3 SO (very flexable) cable from Lowes. My compressor was one I put together from parts so I used a 30 amp Square D switch mounted to the frame to turn it off and on as needed.