110 or 220

[Mr Peabody]

I'm thinking I'll buy a new bottom pour pot. Which works better the 110v or the 220v? I wired my shop for both so I'd only have to buy the 220 receptacles.

[jmorris]

I used 220 for my heating element because it was "off the shelf" and takes has half the amp draw for the same output.

[Pipefitter]

Half the amp draw at twice the voltage is still the same amount of current,,,, can't get around Ohm's law....

[farmerjim]

Loss due to resistance in wires = I^2 R. There is less loss at higher voltages because of less amperage needed for the same wattage. It is quite small in the short length of wire you have, but it is there. I use 220 every place I can.

[lightman]

Most 220 volt melting pots are for the European market where they use 50 cycle with a hot, neutral and ground. Go with the 120 volt model.

[leeggen]

Where you really save on the 220volt is acually in the wireing. There is a small redution in amps but until you get into large draws it is minor.
CD

[jmorris]

Half the amp draw at twice the voltage is still the same amount of current,,,, can't get around Ohm's law....

No you can't but you can get away with more stuff powered by a smaller wire as you raise the voltage, why the voltage delivered to your transformer is many thousands of volts or they would need a cable bigger than a storm drain, at least in the city, to power everything that needs to be ran. ;)

3500 watts at 220v is almost 16 amps. Almost 32 amps at 110.

I can run a 220vac element at 15 amps of off 14 ga wires, would take 10 ga wire to do the same thing at 110vac at the 30 amps. Not many places have 30 amp 110v breakers.

Might not matter if you have a dedicated circuit but if you have more "stuff" that wire diameter, higher voltage can help you out.

[Mr Peabody]

OK, thanks for the good help here guys.

[Rizzo]

Half the amp draw at twice the voltage is still the same amount of current,,,, can't get around Ohm's law....

No, half the amp (current) draw at twice the voltage (220v) is NOT the same amount of current (amps) with 110volts.
The Power (watts) is the same though.

"Basic" Ohm's Law for Power:
P (power) = E (Voltage) x I (current)

[454PB]

If the pot is rated 1200 watts or below, 120 volts is all you need (10 amp draw) and wire size becomes unimportant unless the supply circuit is hundreds of feet away. Besides, it's easier to use the pot elsewhere or resell a 120 volt pot.

[Jim_P]

What it boils down to is it doesn't make a difference. Especially if you have both voltages available in your casting location and are using non-professional gear. If you don't have 220 at your location then there is no real reason to incur the cost to install.

Both will heat and melt the lead at about the same rate and to the same temp and will draw the same approximate watt-hours of energy.

The math aside, there is no real reason. But there may be logistical reasons such as the 220 version is more expensive, less available, etc.

[Mike W1]

If the pot is rated 1200 watts or below, 120 volts is all you need (10 amp draw) and wire size becomes unimportant unless the supply circuit is hundreds of feet away. Besides, it's easier to use the pot elsewhere or resell a 120 volt pot.

That's kind of what I'd think about it and worded better than I could have done.

[jsizemore]

If the pot is rated 1200 watts or below, 120 volts is all you need (10 amp draw) and wire size becomes unimportant unless the supply circuit is hundreds of feet away. Besides, it's easier to use the pot elsewhere or resell a 120 volt pot.

I'm with him on this.

[Screwbolts]

After getting my LEE pot in 220V I would never go back to 110. I also run all I can on 220. Running on 220, at least you have equal load on both legs of the circuit.

Titan has all 220v pots in stock, just checked for you.

Ken

[Catshooter]

Screwbolts,

Almost every piece of equipment, 120, 240, 277, 480 or higher voltage single or three phase all have the same amount of current running on each leg, wether it's two or three wires. Doesn't matter. Electricity, to perform work must flow, voltage makes no practical difference.

If you have less current on one leg than any other you usually have a problem. That is how a ground fault interrupter works: it sees that difference and shuts things down. If there is a difference that means that usually there is power going where it's not supposed to. Danger danger Red Ranger.


Cat

[Lloyd Smale]

yup you gain nothing other then the ability to run smaller wires to feed the outlet. Pot takes about 10 amps and if you run a dedicated 120 vt circuit off your panel to feed it with a 15 amp breaker youll be fine and if you using an existing circuit and your house is wired to code you already have plenty big enough wire. You watts (useage that you pay for) is the same. Only difference is instead of running 10 amps on one leg your running to legs with 5 amps each. like was said all your doing is making the pot harder to sell if you ever quit casting.

[Catshooter]

When you're wiring a paper mill or steel foundry, yes using a higher voltage lets you run a smaller set of wires.

Not so in a house. The Lee pot at 500 watts, either 120 or 240 still needs a minimum of #14 wire as you can't use anything smaller.

And the current on either/both legs is the same! Voltage doesn't matter, the current is split evenly between the conductors, however many there are, for a single electrical device (like one Lee pot). Two, three, four (I've never seen more than four, doesn't mean there aren't any though) makes no difference.


Cat

[bangerjim]

I only use 220 on tool motors, welders, and such.....you know, induction BIG STUFF......not little lead pot heaters.

Also resale value of a 220 pot may not be there. Certainly not for me.

banger

[alamogunr]

Just browsing around and found this thread. All the above posts are valid and in most cases it is prudent to just use 110v casting pots. I use a 220v Pro Melt because I happened on a clearance sale on the 220v model. The price had been cut over $100 and back then the regular price was much lower. I already had 220v service in my shop for the table saw. Just a matter of replacing the European female receptacle on the pot cord with the appropriate standard plug.

[Mike W1]

Actually I believe they run high voltage lines cross country as there's less power loss then there'd be at lower voltage. Voltage is kind of like water pressure in that respect. You're still only generating so much power but with less loss getting there.

[Plate plinker]

2nd all points are valid here, but I have a curve ball to think about. Do any of the members here notice the gauge of wire used on different devices and if so are you concerned the wire is undersized?

Seems manufacturers use the smallest gauge wire possible to save money.

My experience has been a melted extension cord or two. Matter of fact I roasted one while running a small belt sander last week.

[Lloyd Smale]

yes sir. less voltage loss and they can send a lot more power over wires that are manageable in size. If you took the high voltage transmition lines coming into the substation closest to your house and dropped the voltage for 345000 volts to distribution voltage of 7200 youd have to string wires as big around as a dinner plate. Stepping up voltage allowed utilitys to go from huge heavy copper wires to much smaller lighter aluminum wires.
Actually I believe they run high voltage lines cross country as there's less power loss then there'd be at lower voltage. Voltage is kind of like water pressure in that respect. You're still only generating so much power but with less loss getting there.

[Petrol & Powder]

Half the amp draw at twice the voltage is still the same amount of current,,,, can't get around Ohm's law....
Pretty much sums it up. "current" isn't quite the right word (should be watts) but I know what you are trying to say.

There is some advantage to using more voltage when the amps get way up there (you don't need wires the size of fire hoses) but for the most part you are trading volts for amps or amps for volts to get the same amount of power (watts)

[Dragonheart]

Have you considered that you might want to cast somewhere else, like a friend's house? Having 220 could be a problem?