The OP doesn't really make it clear if this is a house, apt, or commercial
building, so anything is possible



"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...

"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
There is a particular type of three phase service called a "Delta", where
two of the three legs will give you 120 volt to neutral, but the third
leg,
called the wild leg, high leg, delta leg, or red leg, gives a much higher
voltage to neutral and is not used in single phase applications




"Joseph" wrote in message
ups.com...


On May 13, 9:52 am, "DanG" wrote:
Joseph,

As others have said, it sounds like your knowledge level might be
inadequate for the task at hand.

Your meter will probably show you 220V between red and black.
Each of them is probably 110V. Black is NOT ground in utility
wiring - it is in automotive DC (perhaps explains your confusion).
White should be neutral, red should be 110 and black should be
110. The bare copper is ground. This sounds like commercial
wiring - NOT Romex. BE CAREFUL, it may be 3 phase with a high leg
for lighting, you will destroy whatever you hook to it. Tapping
into an existing circuit without having any idea what it is
feeding, where it is coming from, and how it is being used is NOT
smart. If you are dealing with a receptacle or lighting circuit
that is not critical or serving a designated circuit, the idea
will probably work. You really need to know the FROM and the TO,
before you proceed.

HI DanG,
I will probably back out from this plan seeing that it might be
dangerous. By the way, you mentioned 3-phase with high leg. What did
you mean by this? I am pretty certain these are used for the
fluorescent lamps, because the other wires and panels are hooked up to
fluorescent ones. I don't know why this one is just lying around,
unhooked, maybe its for future expansions? I had wanted to hook it
up so I can use a vacuum cleaner and such. Maybe I opt to go with a
cordless vacuum cleaner and scrap this plan since its obviously too
involved.


May be 480 Wye using 277 volt fluorescent fixtures...