Tapping into 220V circuit
 

Our apartment (built early 60's) is woefully underpowered. There's
one 20A circuit to service the entire living room, dining area AND
kitchen. However the stove and oven have separate 220V circuits
and breakers.

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

From what you are asking, you should be calling in a professional
electrician to do a proper job for you. The installation has to be safe, and
also meet the regulations for safety. There are strict standards that have
to be complied to.

--

JANA
_____


"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...
Our apartment (built early 60's) is woefully underpowered. There's
one 20A circuit to service the entire living room, dining area AND
kitchen. However the stove and oven have separate 220V circuits
and breakers.

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

Technically it is not that hard, however, since you are a tenet in an
apartment it must be done by a qualified electrician. With approval of the
landlord or landlord companies involved. Otherwise you will be in violation
of the renter's agreement and therefore assume all possible future failures
as your responsibility. IMHO: Don't do it unless the landlord contracts
someone to do the work in a qualified way.
"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...
Our apartment (built early 60's) is woefully underpowered. There's
one 20A circuit to service the entire living room, dining area AND
kitchen. However the stove and oven have separate 220V circuits
and breakers.

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

You may have another little problem: the "220V" may in reality be only as
high as 208V. Many apartment buildings are using a 3 phase supply and not
the single split phase supply that houses are normally using so instead of
having two 120V and one 240V available you have one 120V and one 208V (phase
to phase in the 3 phase system). Your AC, if built for a split phase
residential system was intended to operate at 240V, at 208V (never tried
that) the compressor may not have enough torque to start. But it will
definitely operate with really crappy efficiency and may even get toasted
because of the higher current the induction motors need to suck to provide
the same torques as when they operate at 240V. I would suggest you first
determine which type of supply your building has, before even trying to tap
into the "220V" circuit.

....sm

"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...
Our apartment (built early 60's) is woefully underpowered. There's
one 20A circuit to service the entire living room, dining area AND
kitchen. However the stove and oven have separate 220V circuits
and breakers.

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

In article . net,
says...

snippety

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

I would not advise this for numerous reasons.

First and foremost, it's an apartment. Unless you're the building
owner, adding unauthorized wiring and/or plugs could get you evicted in
a big hurry.

Second: You have no way to know for certain how the extra load
will affect existing breakers and wiring.

Third, and perhaps most important: What you describe will likely
violate local electrical codes.

I would ask your landlord or manager about getting an extra outlet
put in. If no joy there, you may want to consider moving (or, better
yet, have you looked into getting your own place?)

Keep the peace(es).


--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?"

"Dr. Anton T. Squeegee" wrote in message news:MPG.1d038f73d0d09d22989750@localhost...
In article . net,
says...

snippety

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

I would not advise this for numerous reasons.

First and foremost, it's an apartment. Unless you're the building
owner, adding unauthorized wiring and/or plugs could get you evicted in
a big hurry.

Second: You have no way to know for certain how the extra load
will affect existing breakers and wiring.

Third, and perhaps most important: What you describe will likely
violate local electrical codes.

Thanks for the info. If you could see this place you'd know
just how funny your response is. The complex is totally
fend-for-yourself; the owner and property manager simply
can't be bothered... None of the 110V outlets in the
complex are grounded, no GFCI in the bathrooms, etc.
In fact the bathroom features a dimmer switch controlling
the fan, so that if the switch isn't turned all the way up the
fan begins to stall and burn out. Beyond ridiculous. Each
apartment is held together with a different assortment of
string and duct tape. How it's passed code over the years
or hasn't already burned to the ground is beyond us. But
in any case one more kludge will go completely unnoticed.

I would ask your landlord or manager about getting an extra outlet
put in. If no joy there, you may want to consider moving (or, better
yet, have you looked into getting your own place?)

The way the complex is constructed, there is no access to
wall interiors (we couldn't even get a second phone line
put in), and neither of the last two suggestions is an option
for us financially, at least at this point.

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

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used).

Why a 220 V AC? Why not a 120V?

Does the stove plug in?

N

"NSM" wrote in message news:2Fmme.22867$on1.17154@clgrps13...

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

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used).

Why a 220 V AC? Why not a 120V?

Not enough juice. 120V units only go to ~12000btu, which
is what we have now, and it's not enough to put much of a
dent in the heat. Beside the fact it's on the same circuit as
the living room, dining area AND kitchen (including the
fridge and microwave oven). We're constantly tripping
the breakers.

Does the stove plug in?

No.

"Rich" wrote in message
ink.net...

Not enough juice. 120V units only go to ~12000btu, which
is what we have now, and it's not enough to put much of a
dent in the heat. Beside the fact it's on the same circuit as
the living room, dining area AND kitchen (including the
fridge and microwave oven). We're constantly tripping
the breakers.

Does the stove plug in?

No.

Convert the stove to plug in (standard parts from Home Depot). That'll be
almost unnoticeable to any inspection.

Make up an adaptor to let you plug the A/C into the socket. Do check the
voltages first to be sure you have enough - check at the breaker panel or at
the stove (unplug element). The warning about 208 is correct.

N

"Rick" wrote in message
ink.net...
Our apartment (built early 60's) is woefully underpowered. There's
one 20A circuit to service the entire living room, dining area AND
kitchen. However the stove and oven have separate 220V circuits
and breakers.

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?



That's not really a good idea, there's no reason you can't learn enough on
your own to safely install a new circuit but if you don't know what you're
doing please call in someone who does, it's not worth burning the place down
or getting electrocuted.

Something reasonably safe you can do yourself is to put an oven power cord
on a box with a 240v outlet for your A/C on it and plug it in that way but
don't go hacking in permanent circuits connected to the oven circuit.

"Rich" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Dr. Anton T. Squeegee" wrote in message
news:MPG.1d038f73d0d09d22989750@localhost...
In article . net,
says...

snippety

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers
by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here,
the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and
junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily
accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this
junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

I would not advise this for numerous reasons.

First and foremost, it's an apartment. Unless you're the building
owner, adding unauthorized wiring and/or plugs could get you evicted in
a big hurry.

Second: You have no way to know for certain how the extra load
will affect existing breakers and wiring.

Third, and perhaps most important: What you describe will likely
violate local electrical codes.

Thanks for the info. If you could see this place you'd know
just how funny your response is. The complex is totally
fend-for-yourself; the owner and property manager simply
can't be bothered... None of the 110V outlets in the
complex are grounded, no GFCI in the bathrooms, etc.
In fact the bathroom features a dimmer switch controlling
the fan, so that if the switch isn't turned all the way up the
fan begins to stall and burn out. Beyond ridiculous. Each
apartment is held together with a different assortment of
string and duct tape. How it's passed code over the years
or hasn't already burned to the ground is beyond us. But
in any case one more kludge will go completely unnoticed.



Yikes, isn't there anything else around that's at least a little better?
That place sounde like a health hazzard.