[buildyourown]

Welder?

220 for sure. There isn't a 120v machine on the market that can weld anything beyond sheet metal worth a damn. If you want to step up your welding, go 220v.

Not so. My Lincoln 120/240 Invertec welds 3/8" plate all day long on 120v. Best welder I've ever used for under a $1k.


Cairn,
The only difference in the wiring of 120 vs 240 is whether you pull 1 hot and 1 neutral or 2 hots out of the panel. 220 is actually easier to wire because the wire is half the size. (Higher voltage = lower amp draw = thinner wire)

Absolutly forget about 3 phase. I have a converter in my garage. For most apps, it's cheaper, and quiter, to by a new motor.

And there is no such thing as "2 phase"

 

[maxyedor]

You will as JBP said need to use both voltages in your shop. Drills, small saws, routers, grinders ect all run on 120v. Inorder to efficiently run bigger things like tablesaws, welders, Compressors you will want the 220v.

Personaly I prefer Lincoln Electric to Miller and Hobart. If you have the cash get an ESAB. Personally I have a Lincoln Migpack 130 or something like that, it is 120v and does 14ga in a single pass, and I have done up to 3/16 and had county building inspectors sign off on it. I am about to drop some coin on a Tig welder and will probably go for a Lincoln pressioon tig 185 or the 275, both are 220v, and some day I want to upgrade to a 220v mig capable of single pass 1/4". The 220 machines are more efficient for sure.Don't know anything about sewing machines tho.

 

[Murphy's Law]

Standard house power is delivered at 240 volts on two legs (hots), generally called 'single phase'

So coming into your house you will have 2 hots (Red / Black) and a neutral (white). The voltage potential between any hot and neutral is 120 volts (+/-). The voltage potential between the two hots is going to be 240 (+/-).

Three phase power is three hots (Red / Black / Blue), and a neutral. Voltage potentials are the same as single phase.

Ground is obtained by sinking a rod at least 36" into the earth (hence ground). But because the electrical potential of the earth is (theoretically) the same everywhere, the power company doesnt need to string another wire for ground.

You have to ask (and pay) to have three phase power installed in a residence. Most businesses have a three phase box.

For the type of equipment you describe, 220/240 is more efficient than 120, but the gear needs to be setup to handle the voltage. Sometimes its as easy as flipping a switch in the power supply, other times it requires a bunch of rewiring (and $).

HTH,

Marc

Somebody knows their NEC

 

[H8R]

Not so. My Lincoln 120/240 Invertec welds 3/8" plate all day long on 120v. Best welder I've ever used for under a $1k.

I was thinking along the lines of the average 120v wire feed machine. Most of them are pretty weak.

 

[Ciaran]

I was thinking along the lines of the average 120v wire feed machine. Most of them are pretty weak.

Yeah. My welder is an older model and is pretty weak. I used to weld pipe corrals about 7 years ago for a small corral company in San Diego, and we used some big Miller welders. I loved having all that power if I needed it, and not having to worry about whether or not the weld would penetrate. I figure I'll keep my current welder for light duty stuff, and get a new one for the medium duty stuff. Currently, most of my welding is either making armor or doing repairs to stuff that's broken, but I'd like to do more metal work in the future. I also plan on getting more machines like a table saw, a compressor, plasma cutter, and other fun stuff.