> Looks like I should be using 6/2 wire w/ground for this right? I.e. two 6
> guage shielded conductors, w/ a single (smaller, solid) bare ground wire?
6 AWG should be adequate, however normally a range outlet has 4 pins and would
be wired with 6/3 w/ground. It might be permissible under codes in your area to
leave the neutral pin open (but absolutely do not connect it to the ground wire)
... however many devices will not work correctly without a neutral connection
and so my preference would be to wire the neutral as well (which means using 6/3
with ground). For example, my range has an oven light that is wired to the
neutral. If your welder has a cooling fan, it may run on 110v and so be wired
to the neutral.
> As I recall, 220v single phase has all the current going through the two
> shielded conductors (which are tied to the two 110v legs in the box, one
> on one, one on the other), and the ground doesn't come into play, correct?
There are two different terms here, the difference is important. 'Ground' is
only for safety, it is never connected to a load. 'Neutral' is the
power-carrying wire that is grounded at the breaker panel, and it can be
connected to a load. They must be separate wires, joined only at the breaker
panel.
> I'm asking because the 6/2 wire I just bought seems to have a much smaller
> bare ground wire, which I wouldn't think would cut it if there was any
> current normally going through there.
Right, it's for the safety ground and does not normally carry current. It would
only carry current if there is a short, and then it only has to carry it long
enough to blow the breaker, thus it can be smaller.
Randall
|