Workshop heater plug

Mark E Smith

Member
Messages
190
Location
Arkansas
OK Leo in another thread got me thinking about putting an overhead heater in too...thinking about the same one Leo is looking at, or maybe the 5000 watt unit. I have a 220v plug but I am a little confused about it. My dad built this shop back in the 80's (he passed in 2005) so I am still learning it and what he had set up. The plug looks like the pic below, which is a 3 prong 50amp plug, but the breaker box has it as a 30 amp dual pole breaker. Seems confusing, do I need to update the plug to the correct one for 30 amp, seems mismatched. I can get a pigtail for this plug from the heater, so that is not a problem. I don't want to hardwire the heater, because I want to plug it in, just in case I need to use the outlet for future use, (maybe a welder, could unplug the heater and plug the welder), or what ever else I might need that is 220v... if I hardwire I lose that circuit ...


RANGE-3-WIRE-OUTLET.JPG
 
The big thing in my opinion, is what is the wire between the plug and the outlet!!! If the wire were up to the 50 amp spec, then he may have only used it for a tool that needed a 30 amp breaker, and used a common (although I don't think code) 50 amp plug. (easier to find) I know people do this and make adapter (short) cords, so they can use other tools later.
 
Mark, As long as the wire size is appropriate for 30 amps, the plug really doesn't matter since you have a 30 amp breaker feeding it. Now if some one were to put in a 50 amp breaker and only have 8 or 10 gauge wires, then actually draw 50 amps, the wires then become the fuse as they are the weakest link. As it is now, if the wires are the correct size for 30 amps, the most that can be drawn is 30 amps, then the breaker should throw. So the plug size being greater than 30 amps is no issue.
 
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