electric wiring

[ldj]

I have a 220 plug that was for a ac. The 220 plug isn't used any longer. Can I make for a 110 plug using existing wire?

 

[David G]

Here we go again.

Four wire yes, three wire no.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Simple to do legally. Remove power fron the white wire and connect it to neutral in load center. You'll have one 120v outlet.

 

[ldj]

Thanks

 

[Janicholson]

I will amplify this. The typical (older) 220 circuit will have 2 "hot" and one ground (not a neutral). It is not code, nor advisable in any way, to use this ground for a neutral. The second issue is circuit protection. If the primary use of the outlet is 15 amp, the device will burn before a 30 amp breaker will trip. If it has 4 wires it will include a neutral and a ground. Then the unused hot wire should be made unusable at both ends, and a single breaker of the appropriate outlet capacity used to assure safety. I still recommend running a new wire to code. Jim

 

[John T]

Here we go is right LOL cant wait to read the responses, should be a ton of them.

You ask: "I have a 220 plug that was for a ac. The 220 plug isn't used any longer. Can I make for a 110 plug using existing wire?"

ANSWER: If wired right, wires are big enough size, and the wires are properly color identified YES see below:

Ifffffffffff the 220 receptacle contained AT LEAST two Hots L1 & L2 (typically Black & Red) plus a Bare/Green Equipment Grounding Conductor YES you can provided you wire and label and identify the wires correctly and if the conductors are of adequate ampacity. Many 220 receptacles have ONLY 3 wires, HOT L1, HOT L2, Ground,,,,,,,, while other 120/240 receptacles may have 4 wires, Hot Hot Neutral Ground

You can REIWIRE a three wire 240 volt (Hot Hot Ground) circuit for use as a 120 Volt receptacle as follows:

a) In the Panel remove the two wires (ones to the AC receptacle, typically Red and Black) and the two pole 240 VAC circuit
breaker where they were connected...?.
b) Replace it with a Single Pole 15 or 20 Amp Circuit Breaker...??.. I would never tell a rookie or non electrician to use
just ONE of the two poles on a 240 breaker...?.Replace it with a single pole !!!!!!!!!!!
c) You can use a 15 amp breaker if the wire size is 12 or 14 Gauge or a 20 amp if its 12 Gauge (NOT if only 14 Gauge).....
d) I would use the Black wire (if available) wired to the single pole circuit breaker as the new HOT 120 Volt.
e) I would use the Red wire (if available) or if another color tape and identify the end with WHITE and wire it to the panels
Neutral Buss Bar where other white Neutrals and sometimes Bare/Green grounds are connected.
f) At the new 120 VAC 15 or 20 Amp NEMA 5-15R or 5-20R Receptacle, wire the Hot (Black) feed from circuit breaker to the Hot
receptacle terminal,,
Wire the new identified with tape White Neutral (one to Neutral buss bar in panel) to the receptacles Neutral terminal,,
Wire the Bare/Green to the receptacles green grounding screw.

Again if its 12 Gauge wire you can use EITHER 15 or 20 amp single pole circuit breaker and you can use either a 15 or 20 amp receptacle. 15 Amp requires 14 Gauge or bigger wire while 20 amp requires 12 Gauge.

In the event (which I doubt) its a 120/240 volt 4 wire receptacle and circuit, you can do basically the same above and if available use the White for Neutral, the Black (if available) for the Hot (to breaker) and the Bare/Green for Ground

If you use a wire for the Neutral and its NOT already White, be sure to tape and identify it as a WHITE NEUTRAL at BOTH the Panel and new receptacle.

If you use a wire for the Hot (to breaker) its usually Black

Now lets see if others can add more to this...?..or correct me if I'm wrong because its been yearsssss since I retired form Electrical Power Distribution Design Engineering and things can change and my old memory fail me grrrrrrrrr

John T

 

[John T]

David, its my opinion if its a THREE wire 240 Volt circuit having Two Hots L1 L2 plus a Bare/Green Equipment Ground Conductor YES he can use it for a 120 Volt Receptacle iffffffffff wired as I described above, but hey I'm rusty as an old nail lol and may well be wrong. Take a look at my post above and please correct me if I'm wrong, it will NOT be the first time lol

John T

 

[Russ from MN]

I must add, the wire used for neutral should be white on the ends, if not, put some white tape on it.

 

[tech4]

I am not familiar with the current code, but many kitchens before GFCI were wired with 3 wire and ground to the receptacles. The tab between the top and bottom hot side was broken and the neutral was common to both plugins. The microwave used one plug and the toaster oven the other. The circuit breakers were supposed to be connected so that a fault on either line would pop both breakers. My house was wired that way, but the breakers were not connected and I got some sparks and a slight shock when I was installing GFCI's. Somebody current on the code might comment if split circuits are still legal with the code. That would be one way for him to get 2 high current outlets.

 

[Mule Meat]

(quoted from post at 16:54:35 02/01/20) Here we go again.

Four wire yes, [b:bfa79243b3]three wire no[/b:bfa79243b3].

Please explain to me why he cannot convert a three wired 220 outlet to make it 120.

You mean that I can not use any wire that has a Black (hot), White (netutal) and a bare ground on a 120 volt outlet?

Gotta go and warn the town that 1500 houses are about to go up in smoke for using three wire 120 outlets..
=================
Geeze..
If it is a three wire outlet just replace the breaker with a 120, connect the black to the breaker, white to common and the bare ground to ground. Then wire the outlet correctly. Just as others have suggested.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 04:53:05 02/02/20)

(quoted from post at 16:54:35 02/01/20) Here we go again.

Four wire yes, [b:d8606b7823]three wire no[/b:d8606b7823].

Please explain to me why he cannot convert a three wired 220 outlet to make it 120.

You mean that I can not use any wire that has a Black (hot), White (netutal) and a bare ground on a 120 volt outlet?

Gotta go and warn the town that 1500 houses are about to go up in smoke for using three wire 120 outlets..
=================
Geeze..
If it is a three wire outlet just replace the breaker with a 120, connect the black to the breaker, white to common and the bare ground to ground. Then wire the outlet correctly. Just as others have suggested.

Exactly. I have done it that way many times. Nothing went up in smoke.

 

[John T]

Tech 4 Great Question, I can answer it as it was when I practiced power distribution engineering but codes and practices may have since changed, so no warranty.

What you are talking about in the trade is referred to as a "Multi Wire Branch Circuit". As such its (per the NEC when I last practiced) code permissible (in certain applications and locations) for two 120/240 Volt Single Phase Three Wire Circuit L1 & L2 legs TO SHARE A COMMON NEUTRAL. L1 would feed one receptacle while L2 fed the other BUT BOTH USE ONE SINGLE COMMON NEUTRAL.

However, that would require FOUR conductors (Hot L1, Hot L2, Neutral, Equipment Ground) to a typical modern grounding duplex receptacle, yet if the poster has a typical straight 240 Volt branch circuit he would ONLY have three wires, L1, L2, Bare/Green Equipment Ground, SO IF ???? THATS THE CASE THERES NOT ENOUGH WIRES for a multi wire branch circuit.

NOTE: In the jurisdictions where I practiced Multi Wire Branch Circuits were frowned on and I never specified such in a residential application since Billy Bob and Bubba and other lay persons who may not understand electrical safety and theory and be seriously confused with that type of circuit and get killed !!!!!!!!!

NOTE Multi Wire branch circuits that shared a common Neutral WERE NOTTTTTTTTTT used if the loads were highly inductive such as say ballast style fluorescent lighting or transformer equipped computer power supplies or motors etc. due to harmonic currents possibly overloading/overheating the single common Neutral.

Maybe some current practicing professional Electricians or Engineers can add to or correct this since Im rusty on the latest codes ??????????????

John T Too long retired EE and rusty so no warranty

 

[John T]

Mule Meat, to your post "Please explain to me why he cannot convert a three wired 220 outlet to make it 120."

If you read my response below I EXPLAINED HOW AND WHY HE CAN DO SUCH. If I'm incorrect (long time since I practiced and Im rusty grrrrrr lol) please help me out.

John T

 

[tech4]

John T, I always enjoy and appreciate your answers to electrical questions. In my case, it was and is 3 current-carrying conductors and bare ground. I just thought if he had 3 wires and ground that he could easily install a split receptacle that could, for instance, provide power to two electric heaters without overloading the circuit. I was cautioning about using single circuit breakers should be handle tied together so that both circuits would be broken when tripped or manually opened.

 

[John T]

Yep you had all the necessary conductors and actually having TWO circuits in a duplex receptacle is great for say a coffee pot and microwave at the same location (no forseeable excess Neutral harmonic current problem there) but Billy Bob and Bubba may get cornfused lol

Nice chatting with you take care

John T

 

[David G]

Yes, I stand corrected.

 

[buickanddeere]

If there is two insulated wires, a bare or green ground and a roll of white tape to ID one colour as the neutral . Good to go .
Install a 20amp single pole breaker and a 20amp T-Slot receptacle .
Then again what is being plugged in ? May require an AFCI and/or GFCI.

 

[Dusty MI]

(quoted from post at 16:52:55 02/01/20) I have a 220 plug that was for a ac. The 220 plug isn't used any longer. Can I make for a 110 plug using existing wire?

If this is a cable assembly, then it's going to be Black, White used as a hot leg, and Green/Bare used for ground.
Then take the White off the breaker and put it on the Neutral bar.

Dusty

 

[Stephen Newell]

As long as you use a 110v breaker and a 110v receptical I don't see any reason you couldn't use the wire. I normally reduce the breaker size appropriate to the device used on the new outlet even if the wire is
rated for 30 amps or more.