From: dlatimer@iris4.chem.arizona.edu (Darin Latimer)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: making 110V into 220v
Date: 23 Jan 93 19:05:16 GMT
Organization: Chemistry Dept. Univ. of Arizona

In article <C19oyE.GnM@panix.com>, dannyb@panix.com (Daniel Burstein) writes:
|> someone or another (I don't have original posting) wrote that he was
|> moving from the UK (220V)  to canada (11oV) and asked about running his
                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
    Most facilites and houses use a 'wye' configuration which results in 120V 
    single phase and 208V across any two legs.

|> equipment.
|> 
|> It's -somewhat-doable if you are VERY careful, and check things out
|> extremely minutely.
|> 
|> In the United States and Canada, most residential electrical supplies are
|> designed with two separate 110V feeds.  the vast majority of appliances in
|> the house are plugged into standard outlets, which use a single leg of the
|> 110 line, and go to ground for the other.  hence actual voltage will be 
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    When I was doing my M.Sc. in Canada we had a major uproar because the 
    installer of a high power piece of equipment in our lab connected the 
    equipment using 3-phase and ground.  According to the electrical code there
    a neutral line IS REQUIRED and you are not to use ground as your return. 
    Here at U of A they use four wire three phase --- but for single phase
    120V you still have a live, a neutral and a ground.  Why do you think that
    that there are three lugs on a CSA/UL approved plug/socket?

|> 110V.
|> 
|> For various electrical purposes, the house should be wired so that the
|> loac on each leg will be approximately equal, but that's not too critical
|> an issue here.          
|> 
|> Heavy duty appliances, such as electrical dryers, stoves, ovens, or
|> (large) air conditioners will run on 220V.  They get this by feeding both
|> legs of the electrical supply (which are 110V in opposite phase) to the
                                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   Again, usually three legs at 120V each, 120 degrees out of phase with 
   respect to each other.

|> outlet.  so as leg #1 "pushes" 110v, leg #2 "pulls" and you get an
|> effective 220V supply.
|> 
|> Reason for this use is that net wattage ("power") is based on
|> voltage*amperage.  so if you double the voltage, you can get twice the
|> power through (roughly) the same wiring.
|> 
|> ANyway, what this means is that yes, in most cases, you can get a 220V
|> supply in your residence in the US/Canada.  But you have to be VERY
|> careful that you tap the right wires, etc.

   Digging into the breaker box is not really a good idea unless you really
   know what you are doing --- even then, if you mess up and you are not a 
   journyman (sp?) electrician your house fire insurance will likely be void 
   after you burn your house down.  

|> 
|> ALso, the outlets used for 220V are DIFFERENT than the ones for 110V (for
|> obious safety reasons)...
|> 
|> If having 220V is important to you, then the simplest (from building code
|> and electrical code purposes) way is to simply 
|> tell them to install a 220V circuit for an airconditioner/heater, etc.  
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  THE BEST PIECE OF INFORMATION SO FAR!!

|>You can then use standard extension cords and outlet taps, although you 
|> will have to replace the 110V sockets with the 220 ones.
                                 ^^^^^^^
   Have them install the correct socket when they install the electrical feed. 

|> 
|> (many years ago, long enough for the statue of limitations to protect me,
|> I had a shortage of outlets in my dorm room.  However, there was this nice
|> 220 volt circuit just sitting there, designed for a heavy duty air
|> conditioner.  So I replaced the 220v physical outlet with a 110 volt one,
|> and plugged in various appliances I had that were dual voltage, like my
|> electric shaver, radio charger, and radio power supply.  NOT receommended
|> for children and other healthy living things <g>)
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   Or your roommates computer! <g^2>.           

|> 
|> danny (zap/slash/singe) burstein
|> 
|> dannyb@panix.com

Darin.