Juanjo, why not just let a professional do the job? It will be safer, and, in my opinion, worth the price to avoid electrocution......and I hate when that happens.

ohh Scott,

I AM letting an electrician do the "dirty" job.
I'm getting the material and running the line to the wall, going to leave the cable to the fuse box untouched..


thanks,

a short update.. with a HUGE THANKS for all the good info I got in this thread.

about 10 days ago I finish the 220V line...
I KNOW that many times I said I was not going to do it and let an electrician make the connection.. but after having the fuse box expose, and watching it day and night and playing in my head where the connection and the circuit breaker was going to be... and on top of that, the machine already in the apt and ready to go.. I couldn't wait.

but I took all precautions.. my wife was in the basement with the main fuse box and on the phone with me.. just in case..
but everything went super smooth.
I use 10gauges cable with metal cover (OVERKILL)

and in the last 10days the machine is ON from 8am to 11pm
not once I have had a problem with the fuses..
So I think I can now with confidence say.. it was a success

THANKS A LOT again.

imnewuser wrote:While it's not rocket science - I am extremely uncomfortable with a situation where someone who last week didn't know how to get 230 volts out of a panel is going to run a 230 volt line.

Juanjo wrote: just because someone explained to me how the fuse panel works, and seems like I got it right, doesn't mean that I'm going to go ahead and do the job by meself

Well, whatever works. OTOH, we give instructions on how to make a decent espresso all the time. And that's far more complicated than explaining how to wire up a 220V machine. I was helping to set up a jam once, and the espresso technician from the local repair maintenance joint had me explain how this all worked. He'd been wiring by rote since he started his company seventeen (now nineteen) years ago, and just always done it how he'd been instructed. I explained why he had done it that way.

mhoy wrote:Something about lethal voltage that just makes me want to get back to digital circuits.

Ah, it's almost as dangerous as dealing with lethal temperatures of water and steam.
Knock wood, I've been damaged far worse by the steam wand and steam than 120V or 220V bites I've taken. Granted, I was far more shook up after the electrical mishaps, but there it is.
There is an old sailor's adage that applies to electrical work really well; "One hand for the ship, and one for yourself". Keep one hand in the box, and the other in your pocket. Never have two hands in the box at the same time.

Psyd wrote: I've been damaged far worse by the steam wand and steam than 120V or 220V bites I've taken.

If you ever get in a situation where you can't readily let go of it or readily get away from it - it will change your outlook.

Oh, I have BIG respect for electricity. One need only to spend a coupla seconds with a MIG welder to understand the havoc that can be wrought when electrons get angry. I'm not suggesting that electricity can't be dangerous, but that we deal with dangerous things all the time. Stoves and oil, steam and boiling water and such are pretty dangerous things, but we pay attention and we ask all the right questions, we make sure that we're on the path of righteousness, and we're careful.
I'm pretty sure that the reason that I get more damage from steam than from electricity is that I have far more fear/respect for electricity than I do steam. I forget the danger that lurks there, occasionally, but the Astoria is always helpful in reminding me when I do. ; >
Somehow, I never forget that there is big bad juju hiding behind the faceplate of the breaker panel, especially when it is open and my hand is going into it. Even if it's disconnected!
I'm just saying that with caution and direction, a lot of us deal with a lot of fairly dangerous things every day.
The same thing could be said for open flames, but I'm still using my gas stove every day.
Much respect for the man that came here, asked all the right questions, did some research, learned what he needed to do, approached the problem with due caution, and learned a new skill.
But yeah, electricity can kill, I'll grant that.