I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

In "M. L." writes:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Short answer: No

Longer answer: Unless you really, really, really, know what you're
doing (and the fact that you're asking this question suggests
you don't have solid, err, grounding in this), the answer is
still no.

Chances are that the 240V outlet (you're talking the US here, right?)
has three wires in it. The two flat parts of the outlet are
both "live" at 120V, giving you 240V to the appliance.

There's a roundish third one which is a safety ground.

You might be tempted to build an adapter cable BUT this
will mean using the "ground" as a neutral. DON'T.

Yes, you can maybe run a separate wire as the neutral,
or might be able to take one of the hot wires and,
both at the outlet and at the breaker box, convert
them to a neutral, but again, this requires that you
really, really, know the deal.

--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 05:56:23 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In "M. L." writes:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Short answer: No

Longer answer: Unless you really, really, really, know what you're
doing (and the fact that you're asking this question suggests
you don't have solid, err, grounding in this), the answer is
still no.

Chances are that the 240V outlet (you're talking the US here, right?)
has three wires in it. The two flat parts of the outlet are
both "live" at 120V, giving you 240V to the appliance.

There's a roundish third one which is a safety ground.

You might be tempted to build an adapter cable BUT this
will mean using the "ground" as a neutral. DON'T.

Yes, you can maybe run a separate wire as the neutral,
or might be able to take one of the hot wires and,
both at the outlet and at the breaker box, convert
them to a neutral, but again, this requires that you
really, really, know the deal.


Have someone who knows a bit about electricity check to see what
color the wires are in the outlet.
If you have black, white, and red you CAN connect a 120 volt outlet to
either black and white or red and white.
If you have black and red only you cannot get 120 without rewiring
(and remarking the red wire with white shrink tube on both ends)
If you have black and white you can rewire it for 120.
The wires will need to be moved in the panel. I would recommend
getting a licenced electrician to do the job - but at least you do not
need to have new wire pulled in.

On 12/3/19 12:49 AM, M. L. wrote:
I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner. Is there a converter available that
would allow me to safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 5:51:44 AM UTC-5, Mac Sparks wrote:
On 12/3/19 12:49 AM, M. L. wrote:
I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner. Is there a converter available that
would allow me to safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V. It's likely the only receptacle on that
circuit, so there won't be a problem with other 240V receptacles also
going to 120V. Changing the breaker and putting in a new breaker is
not a big deal, but if you need an electrician to do it,
it's probably going to cost more than a 240V AC.

On 12/3/2019 12:49 AM, M. L. wrote:
I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

There are ways but it may not meet code or could be dangerous. I'd
either buy a 220V AC or have an electrician convert it to a 120 outlet
the right way.

Do it right, not some half assed rig your neighbor can make for you.

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....


--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny
burstein wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.


240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

In micky writes:

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Oh, absolutely there's no guarantee as to what you'll find
and when/where. But I have bumped into 120V AC units at
these places and... have even dropped my own with them when
I upgraded.

Come to think of it I've seen them at pawn shops, too.

So yeah, it's worth looking around. Especially if you're
in no hurry.

(Plus, natch, craigslist, ebay, etc.)


--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the
220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.

In article , lid says...

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.




You are talking portable AC that can be moved from room to room and not
a window unit ? right ?

I am not sure why anyone would want to fool with those, but many must as
there are many kinds for sale.

Shouldn't you be able to just plug it in ane standart 120 V receptical
in the room ?

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:05:26 PM UTC-5, M. L. wrote:
I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the
220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.

When we lived in Europe we used transformers to run American 120V appliances on German 220V power.

But one large enough to handle an AC unit is going to cost a lot, probably more than the AC unit, and they are massively heavy.

With German power we also had to worry about 50 Hz vs 60, but you're on American power so there should be no issue.

On 12/3/19 2:05 PM, M. L. wrote:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the
220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.

As said, a transformer for 220-to-120V would be the size of an AC & the
price (or more)! Relatives in the UK had one so they could use a
favorite American vacuum cleaner (Filter Queen). It was a big as the vacuum.

By "portable" A/C do you mean free-standing, or a window-mounted, unit ?
how many BTUs are you looking for ?

Is there no standard 120 volt outlet nearby ? Even if a heavy duty
extension cord is needed ?

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:15:55 -0500, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny
burstein wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Because they won't take them - particularly if over 3 years old.


240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:44:22 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 05:56:23 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In "M. L." writes:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Short answer: No

Longer answer: Unless you really, really, really, know what you're
doing (and the fact that you're asking this question suggests
you don't have solid, err, grounding in this), the answer is
still no.

Chances are that the 240V outlet (you're talking the US here, right?)
has three wires in it. The two flat parts of the outlet are
both "live" at 120V, giving you 240V to the appliance.

There's a roundish third one which is a safety ground.

You might be tempted to build an adapter cable BUT this
will mean using the "ground" as a neutral. DON'T.

Yes, you can maybe run a separate wire as the neutral,
or might be able to take one of the hot wires and,
both at the outlet and at the breaker box, convert
them to a neutral, but again, this requires that you
really, really, know the deal.


Have someone who knows a bit about electricity check to see what
color the wires are in the outlet.
If you have black, white, and red you CAN connect a 120 volt outlet to
either black and white or red and white.
If you have black and red only you cannot get 120 without rewiring
(and remarking the red wire with white shrink tube on both ends)
If you have black and white you can rewire it for 120.
The wires will need to be moved in the panel. I would recommend
getting a licenced electrician to do the job - but at least you do not
need to have new wire pulled in.

I bet he has a black, white and bare wire in that box and the
electrician may have reidentified the white but I wouldn't count on
it. Black red and bare, 2 wire romex is so rare I doubt most people
have ever even seen it.
It still sounds like he should have a qualified person in that panel
but the fix might be as simple as moving the white wire in the panel
to the neutral bus and changing the receptacle.

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

It should be whatever their minimum trip charge is but that is easily
around $100. I would call around.

In Clare Snyder writes:

[sniiiippp]

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Because they won't take them - particularly if over 3 years old.

I suspect there's a lot of local policy there, as I've
personally handed over units that were five years old...

(and seen others for sale).

In any event, the bigger point still stands. A commodity 120V
unit is _much_ cheaper than any 240V the original poster
is likely to find.

--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:17:11 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:15:55 -0500, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny
burstein wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Because they won't take them - particularly if over 3 years old.

That may just be a local thing. I have seen used window shakers here
in thrift shops and pawn shops. I think they were $20-30 but I wasn't
really paying that much attention. I gave one away with the shed I had
converted into a play house for the kids and it may have been one of
the first "she sheds" for the lady who bought it.

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 4:53:31 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On 12/3/19 2:05 PM, M. L. wrote:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the
220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.

As said, a transformer for 220-to-120V would be the size of an AC & the
price (or more)! Relatives in the UK had one so they could use a
favorite American vacuum cleaner (Filter Queen). It was a big as the vacuum.

By "portable" A/C do you mean free-standing, or a window-mounted, unit ?
how many BTUs are you looking for ?

Is there no standard 120 volt outlet nearby ? Even if a heavy duty
extension cord is needed

No one has yet commented that the stated 220/120V does not compute.
Today in the USA it's 240 or 120V and when it was 220V, it was presumably
110V, ie 220/110. So I assume they meant 240/120V.

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:29:55 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:44:22 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 05:56:23 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In "M. L." writes:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket.
Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs.
Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner.
Is there a converter available that would allow me to safely plug the
120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Short answer: No

Longer answer: Unless you really, really, really, know what you're
doing (and the fact that you're asking this question suggests
you don't have solid, err, grounding in this), the answer is
still no.

Chances are that the 240V outlet (you're talking the US here, right?)
has three wires in it. The two flat parts of the outlet are
both "live" at 120V, giving you 240V to the appliance.

There's a roundish third one which is a safety ground.

You might be tempted to build an adapter cable BUT this
will mean using the "ground" as a neutral. DON'T.

Yes, you can maybe run a separate wire as the neutral,
or might be able to take one of the hot wires and,
both at the outlet and at the breaker box, convert
them to a neutral, but again, this requires that you
really, really, know the deal.


Have someone who knows a bit about electricity check to see what
color the wires are in the outlet.
If you have black, white, and red you CAN connect a 120 volt outlet to
either black and white or red and white.
If you have black and red only you cannot get 120 without rewiring
(and remarking the red wire with white shrink tube on both ends)
If you have black and white you can rewire it for 120.
The wires will need to be moved in the panel. I would recommend
getting a licenced electrician to do the job - but at least you do not
need to have new wire pulled in.

I bet he has a black, white and bare wire in that box and the
electrician may have reidentified the white but I wouldn't count on
it. Black red and bare, 2 wire romex is so rare I doubt most people
have ever even seen it.
It still sounds like he should have a qualified person in that panel
but the fix might be as simple as moving the white wire in the panel
to the neutral bus and changing the receptacle.
That is my strong suspiscion

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:32:27 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

It should be whatever their minimum trip charge is but that is easily
around $100. I would call around.
Around here a non union sparky can usually be had for about $75
minimum charge - up to half an hour - Plus about 2 bucks for the new
outlet and a buck for the plate. No need to change the breaker
(usually -)

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 22:33:34 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In Clare Snyder writes:

[sniiiippp]

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Because they won't take them - particularly if over 3 years old.

I suspect there's a lot of local policy there, as I've
personally handed over units that were five years old...

(and seen others for sale).

In any event, the bigger point still stands. A commodity 120V
unit is _much_ cheaper than any 240V the original poster
is likely to find.
Agreed. 240 volt AC units other than central units are scarce as
hen's teeth around here.

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:40:46 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:17:11 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:15:55 -0500, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny
burstein wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

I wouldn't rely on that. I've been to Habitat once and to Goodwill and
the S. Army many times and don't remember ever seeing an AC.

Because they won't take them - particularly if over 3 years old.

That may just be a local thing. I have seen used window shakers here
in thrift shops and pawn shops. I think they were $20-30 but I wasn't
really paying that much attention. I gave one away with the shed I had
converted into a play house for the kids and it may have been one of
the first "she sheds" for the lady who bought it.
Around here more likely to find it on the kerb on trash day than at
a thrift shop - - - sometimes find them at a garage sale - ask on
them about 35 to 50 - and just as often at the end of the driveway
when the sale is over.

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's
designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would
be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance
compatible with my American 220v socket.

You are talking portable AC that can be moved from room to room and not
a window unit ? right ?

I am not sure why anyone would want to fool with those, but many must as
there are many kinds for sale.

Shouldn't you be able to just plug it in ane standart 120 V receptical
in the room ?

Yes, that look like what I'll have to do but I wanted to use the 220v
plug because it's going unused and it's on its own circuit.

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into
the 220V outlet? Thanks.


By "portable" A/C do you mean free-standing, or a window-mounted, unit ?
how many BTUs are you looking for ?

Free-standing, like this 115v/12,000 BTU unit from Amazon:
https://urlzs.com/TXnw9

Is there no standard 120 volt outlet nearby ? Even if a heavy duty
extension cord is needed ?

I'll use that if I have to but the unused 220v socket is on its own
circuit. No extension cord needed.

On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 00:34:59 -0600, "M. L." wrote:


I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall
socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance
prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air
conditioner. Is there a converter available that would allow me to
safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into
the 220V outlet? Thanks.


By "portable" A/C do you mean free-standing, or a window-mounted, unit ?
how many BTUs are you looking for ?

Free-standing, like this 115v/12,000 BTU unit from Amazon:
https://urlzs.com/TXnw9

Is there no standard 120 volt outlet nearby ? Even if a heavy duty
extension cord is needed ?

I'll use that if I have to but the unused 220v socket is on its own
circuit. No extension cord needed.



You just need to change that at the panel to 120 (move the white wire
from the breaker to the neutral bus) and replace the receptacle.

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 8:58:00 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:32:27 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

It should be whatever their minimum trip charge is but that is easily
around $100. I would call around.
Around here a non union sparky can usually be had for about $75
minimum charge - up to half an hour - Plus about 2 bucks for the new
outlet and a buck for the plate. No need to change the breaker
(usually -)

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
....

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

Only (used to be but even it isn't allowed any more) was the 3-wire
service for dryer-like appliances with the ground serving as secondary
110V circuit neutral. That now requires 4-wire, not just three.

--

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 10:22:47 AM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
...

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

There would be a neutral when you connect it. Right now there are two hot
legs from a 240V breaker, going to the receptacle. What I assume Clare
meant by "no need to change the breaker" is to just move one wire from the
existing breaker to the neutral bar. That would work, the only question
is if it's code compliant or not. I would not do it though, because
breakers are cheap and to do as suggested is going to be confusing for
anyone else who comes across it.








Only (used to be but even it isn't allowed any more) was the 3-wire
service for dryer-like appliances with the ground serving as secondary
110V circuit neutral. That now requires 4-wire, not just three.

--

On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 06:30:47 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 8:58:00 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:32:27 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

It should be whatever their minimum trip charge is but that is easily
around $100. I would call around.
Around here a non union sparky can usually be had for about $75
minimum charge - up to half an hour - Plus about 2 bucks for the new
outlet and a buck for the plate. No need to change the breaker
(usually -)

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Might look sloppy but not illegal. It is just a "spare" overcurrent
device as long as there are no wires connected.

There is one remote possibility here that they actually did run 3 wire
with ground into that box in which case he could install a 5-15/6-15
combo device and have the best of both worlds. I would be surprised if
it was true tho.

This is what the 5-20/6-20 (20a) device looks like but they also make
the 15a.
http://gfretwell.com/electrical/5-20-6-20.jpg

In dpb writes:

On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
...

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

Only (used to be but even it isn't allowed any more) was the 3-wire
service for dryer-like appliances with the ground serving as secondary
110V circuit neutral. That now requires 4-wire, not just three.

As some background, that was allowed so that items such as dryers
(or more commonly, ovens) whose main power draw (such as the
heating elements) was 240V, could also operate some secondary
items (such as the timer, lighting, fans..) at 120V.

This was Way Back, before routine international shipping, when
getting 240V versions of clocks and light bulbs was a pain...



--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 09:22:37 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
...

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

Only (used to be but even it isn't allowed any more) was the 3-wire
service for dryer-like appliances with the ground serving as secondary
110V circuit neutral. That now requires 4-wire, not just three.

A range or dryer is assumed to be a 120/240 load and needs a neutral
but if the equipment is 240 only, it is not required to have a
neutral. (no 120v load).

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 11:12:55 AM UTC-5, danny burstein wrote:
In dpb writes:

On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
...

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

Only (used to be but even it isn't allowed any more) was the 3-wire
service for dryer-like appliances with the ground serving as secondary
110V circuit neutral. That now requires 4-wire, not just three.

As some background, that was allowed so that items such as dryers
(or more commonly, ovens) whose main power draw (such as the
heating elements) was 240V, could also operate some secondary
items (such as the timer, lighting, fans..) at 120V.

This was Way Back, before routine international shipping, when
getting 240V versions of clocks and light bulbs was a pain...



Funny then that today they typically still require 120V. It's also illogical
to suggest that the major companies building millions of machines
can't easily source
240V timers or light bulbs. Many of them were also major electrical
component suppliers themselves too. Westinghouse can't find or make
a 240V timer or bulb? It is an interesting question as to why they evolved
to require 120V, but I doubt that it's because 240V timers were hard to source.

In trader_4 writes:

[snip...]

As some background, that was allowed so that items such as dryers
(or more commonly, ovens) whose main power draw (such as the
heating elements) was 240V, could also operate some secondary
items (such as the timer, lighting, fans..) at 120V.

This was Way Back, before routine international shipping, when
getting 240V versions of clocks and light bulbs was a pain...

Funny then that today they typically still require 120V. It's also illogical
to suggest that the major companies building millions of machines
can't easily source
240V timers or light bulbs. Many of them were also major electrical
component suppliers themselves too. Westinghouse can't find or make
a 240V timer or bulb? It is an interesting question as to why they evolved
to require 120V, but I doubt that it's because 240V timers were hard to source.

Legacy and inertia.

Same reason, more or less, that many of the hybrid cars, with their
high voltage DC battery systems, still (usually) have a second 12V
wiring harness for the radio (well, "enterntainment system"),
lighting, and, to quote from the first season of Gilligan's Island,
"and all the rest".


--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

On 12/3/2019 2:05 PM, M. L. wrote:

I have a broken air conditioner that plugs into my 220V USA wall socket. Its prongs look quite different from typical 120V appliance prongs. Before next summer I'd like to buy a 120V portable room air conditioner. Is there a converter available that
would allow me to safely plug the 120V 3-prong socket portable air conditioner into the 220V outlet? Thanks.

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

I'm having trouble finding a 220v "portable" air conditioner that's designed and priced for a bedroom-sized area. I was hoping there would be a converter box available that could make my American 120v appliance compatible with my American 220v socket.


Ugh! Those "portable" air conditioners are ****ing noisy.Â* At the very least, buy a thru-the-wall unit.Â* For a few hundred more, you could put in a nice quiet mini-split.

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 11:09:51 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 06:30:47 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 8:58:00 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:32:27 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 16:51:15 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
wrote:

In trader_4 writes:

Why not buy a 240v unit so you don't have to rework/run new wires?

That's probably the cheapest and easiest solution. As others have said,
if it's a straight 240V circuit, no neutral, it would take changing the
breaker to convert it to 120V.

The costs of having an electrician (depending on your
area, of course) setting up a 120V outlet and then
getting a commodity 120V unit is probably, once everything
is totaled up, is likely to be about the same as getting
the 240V unit.

At least in the US...

120V air conditioners are commodity, highly competive,
and pretty low priced (in comparison...). Also readily
available at second hand outfits like Habitat,
Goodwill, and the like.

240V units are targetted more to the commercial market,
may (or may not!) be better quality, but are certainly
going to be more expensive....

It should be whatever their minimum trip charge is but that is easily
around $100. I would call around.
Around here a non union sparky can usually be had for about $75
minimum charge - up to half an hour - Plus about 2 bucks for the new
outlet and a buck for the plate. No need to change the breaker
(usually -)

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Might look sloppy but not illegal. It is just a "spare" overcurrent
device as long as there are no wires connected.

There is one remote possibility here that they actually did run 3 wire
with ground into that box in which case he could install a 5-15/6-15
combo device and have the best of both worlds. I would be surprised if
it was true tho.

This is what the 5-20/6-20 (20a) device looks like but they also make
the 15a.
http://gfretwell.com/electrical/5-20-6-20.jpg


So it comes down to if he wants to convert the circuit to 120V,
minimally it takes moving one wire at the breaker and putting in
a new 120V receptacle. Optionally and to avoid confusion and make
it look normal, he could remove the old 240V breaker, put in a new
120V one. A competent person could do that in 30 mins. IDK what
an electrician would charge. The other alternatives are to buy
another 240V AC, which could be costly too, or plug a 120V AC into another
120V receptacle.

On 12/3/19 5:23 PM, trader_4 wrote:

[snip]

No one has yet commented that the stated 220/120V does not compute.
Today in the USA it's 240 or 120V and when it was 220V, it was presumably
110V, ie 220/110. So I assume they meant 240/120V.

I have heard of:

110/220
115/230
117/234
118/236
120/240
125/250

There is always a 1:2 ratio (higher voltage is twice lower one). Older
people often say 110/220. I measure almost exactly 120/240 here.

--
21 days until the winter celebration (Wed, Dec 25, 2019 12:00:00 AM for
1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Being unable to reason is not a positive character trait outside
religion." [Dewey Henize]

On 12/3/19 8:00 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:

[snip]

Agreed. 240 volt AC units other than central units are scarce as
hen's teeth around here.

I have a friend who used to live in a house too old to have central AC.
It had 240V 20A recepticles in each bedroom for window AC. I installed a
5000BTU unit about 10 years ago and it was 120V 4.7A. It cooled the room
adequately, and appears to be much more efficient than those they had
60-70 years ago.

--
21 days until the winter celebration (Wed, Dec 25, 2019 12:00:00 AM for
1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Being unable to reason is not a positive character trait outside
religion." [Dewey Henize]

On 12/4/19 9:48 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 10:22:47 AM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 12/4/2019 8:30 AM, trader_4 wrote:
...

A 240V breaker sits across both hot legs. I doubt it's code compliant
to use just half of it for a 120V circuit, but IDK. Fretwell?

Isn't. No dedicated neutral to the circuit that way.

There would be a neutral when you connect it. Right now there are two hot
legs from a 240V breaker, going to the receptacle. What I assume Clare
meant by "no need to change the breaker" is to just move one wire from the
existing breaker to the neutral bar. That would work, the only question
is if it's code compliant or not. I would not do it though, because
breakers are cheap and to do as suggested is going to be confusing for
anyone else who comes across it.

Maybe replace (that double-pole breaker) with TWO single-pole breakers,
so you don't have a hole in the panel. You'd now have an extra breaker
in you later need a new circuit.

[snip]

--
21 days until the winter celebration (Wed, Dec 25, 2019 12:00:00 AM for
1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Being unable to reason is not a positive character trait outside
religion." [Dewey Henize]

In Mark Lloyd writes:


[snip]

I have heard of:

110/220
115/230
117/234
118/236
120/240
125/250

There is always a 1:2 ratio (higher voltage is twice lower one). Older
people often say 110/220. I measure almost exactly 120/240 here.

Except where there isn't.

Many places in NYC are... 120/208

This is what happens when you take two hot legs
of a "three phase" circuit.

Because of the housing density (especially with
all the apartment office buildings) it's quite
common to have three hot legs (plus neutral) come
off the local transformer.

Apartment A will get legs 1 and 2 (plus neutral),
apt B gets legs 2 and 3, C gets 1 and 3

Rinse, lather, repeat.

All three legs (plus neutral) go to the
elevator motor and the HVAC system, etc.

This is also the case with private homes,
where the first one on the block gets
legs 1 and 2, etc., etc.

And yes, despite manufacturer claims that their
higher voltage equipment can handle the lower
voltage, a LOT of the time it doesn't.



--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]