I Need some help. I just acquired a Century/craftsman 100 amp arc welder. It has a single polarized plug (20 amp). The sticker on the side says the Input for this unit is 115v 26.7 amps. Why does this unit have a 20 amp plug when the input is 26.7 amps? Does anyone know what type size electrical receptacle I should use? Breaker? I have never heard of a 30 amp single polarized plug! Does one exist?
Reply:I am wondering the same thing about my mig pak 15 its says that it draws 22 amps @ 208V and 20 amps @ 230V so what breaker do I need on my panel? Does anyone know how I tell if I'm getting 230V or 208V power? sorry didn't mean to steal your post
Reply:Take a voltmeter and check from each hot to neutral to see what the voltage is. I found that my residential "220V" service is actually 240V.As for the Century welder, I have an 85amp Century that was sold with a regular 15amp plug and said to operate on a regular 115V household circuit. Until I upgraded to 10ga wire from the panel to the receptacle and a 20amp breaker I was getting poor welds and the welder would quickly overheat. I put it into the same category as the Craftsman compressor that they were advertising as 5hp on 20amp 115V power -- advertising...You pretty much have to go to a 30amp breaker if it is drawing nearly 27amps.