Look at the screw terminals on the back of the mating socket. Is
the screw for the third terminal green? If so it is definitely for the ground,
not the neutral. I am 99% certain it is for the ground.
BTW, devices like dryers or stoves that need both 115 and 130 volts will have
a four-terminal plug that gives them both hots, the neutral, and the ground.
Some older
appliances used a three-pin plug that provided hots and neutral, but no
ground. These plugs are considered obsolete and should not be used any more.
Also, there are different connectors for different ampere ratings. For example,
we have a Miele washing machine that uses a 120-240volt 4-pin plug rated for
20 amps. It looks like a regular 120-volt grounded plug with a fourth flat pin
opposite the ground one. When we installed the washer and went to find the
correct socket, the guys in the electrical store looked at us like we were from
Mars.
(And it was a standard USA NEMA type, not a European type).
Last fall I added real 240 volt, 50 amp electrical service to my detached
garage.
I did a lot of research, bought a National Electric Code book, got permits and
inspections,
etc. If anybody has any questions on doing this kind of thing, let me know.
Doug Braun
'72 Spit
At 05:28 AM 2/20/2004 -0800, Barry Schwartz wrote:
>I am now ready to wire the new service for the new Hobart 230 VAC mig
>welder and the new two stage compressor (for LBC work of course) in the garage
>There are three connections to wire the 230V plug, a rather large vertical
>spade, a smaller vertical spade, and the usual U shaped lower middle
>connector. The plug looks like a very large 115V grounded plug (if you
>have seen a typical welding plug you know what I am talking about) but my
>question since there are actually four wires servicing the house ( 115V,
>115V, neutral, and ground) is in reference to the ground/neutral and are
>the connections as follows: 115V to large spade. Other 115V to smaller
>spade. Now, to the actual question, is the U shaped connector connected to
>the ground or the neutral bar?
>Barry Schwartz - San Diego -(bschwart@pacbell.net)
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