Ask Me Help Desk - Connecting 220V wires

240 V window Airconditioner mixed use receptacle wiring

The outlet that I have is with 3 wires, White, Black, and Red with no ground. This is connectec to a double pole at the main panel. I want to connect a receptacle to power an air conditioner unit 220V the receptacle has 3 crews Green which I know is ground. And two brass screw. The white wire is 110v and the red is 110v. How should I connect this wires to the receptacle? I see that the whitewire and the red wire are hot and the black wire is the neutral. Any help will be greatly appresiated.

I need Help. I am trying to install a window air conditioner it needs 20amp - 240v - 60 hz. In the service panel I see a 2 pole circuit braker d square 20amp 120/240v and 10k. The red wire is connected to one of the braker terminal and the black wire is connected to the other leg of the braker, the white wire is connected to the neutral bar of the panel.

On the receptacle outlet I see the 3 wire Red(hot) Black(hot) and White(neutral) how do I connect these wire to the receptacle? The receptacle is 20A - 250v with 2 brass screws and one green.

When I plug in the air-cond the ac unit don't see to start the motor turns on but very little air come out. After all that I find out that the red wire is not giving any current. I check all the wire and the black is giving 110v. The white is neutral and the red is giving 0.

What could be wrong? PLEASE HELP ME.

<edited for readability - KISS>

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Sounds like you have two 120V circuits sharing a neutral and split outlets. Is this outlet the only thing on the circuits?

Yes this circuit will be for the air conditioner only. Only that outlet. This is what happen after I try everything.

At the service panel the 2 pole braker see link below for a picture of the braker.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360173786474
The red wire is plug connected to one leg and the black wire is connected to the other leg of the breaker. The white wire is coneccted to the neutral bus.
But every time I turn the braker on it strip. I check the wires to see if they were peel or chip but I did not find anything. Maybe this explanation could be better. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

Should not Black and Red be carrying 120 VAC when compared to Neutral and Ground?
Are you trying to convert an existing 120 VAC circuit to a 240 VAC circuit or are you trying to connect to an existing two wire (black/white) 240 VAC connection?

No this line was there with the 3 wire connected but since I got a new ac and the plug was a different one I went to home depot and got the correct receptacle. But when it come for me to change the receptacle it got confusing.

Yes this circuit breaker will be for the air conditioner only. Only that outlet.

At the service panel the 2 pole braker see link below for a picture of the braker.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360173786474
The red wire is connected to one leg and the black wire is connected to the other leg of the breaker. The white wire is coneccted to the neutral bus.
But every time I turn the braker on it strip. I check the wires to see if they were peel or chip but I did not find anything. Maybe this explanation could be better. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

Does the breaker have joined levers?

Bare of the cable should be connected at each end. Bare to the green screw. White or black to the brass screws in any combination.

Check the red at the panel. Make sure it's connected to the wire and not the insulation.

Your measuring from either neutral or ground to one of the hots (red or black), correct?

Yes I am.

At the service panel the 2 pole braker see link below for a picture of the braker.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360173786474
The red wire is connected to one leg and the black wire is connected to the other leg of the breaker. The white wire is coneccted to the neutral bus.
But every time I turn the braker on it strip. I check the wires to see if they were peel or chip but I did not find anything.

What is the insulation? I am not familiar with this term.

Does the breaker have joined levers?

Bare of the cable should be connected at each end. Bare to the green screw. White or black to the brass screws in any combination.

Check the red at the panel. Make sure it's connected to the wire and not the insulation.

Your measuring from either neutral or ground to one of the hots (red or black), correct?

Are you installing new wiring and outlet or are you trying to convert an existing outlet?

Sounds like you have two 120V circuits sharing a neutral and split outlets. Is this outlet the only thing on the circuits?

Should not Black and Red be carrying 120 VAC when compared to Neutral and Ground?
Are you trying to convert an existing 120 VAC circuit to a 240 VAC circuit or are you trying to connect to an existing two wire (black/white) 240 VAC connection?

How many threads do we need on this topic??
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/electr...es-387600.html plus the one that was already closed. :rolleyes:

Is this an apartment?

Can't see you pic for some reason. How many wires in the outlet box?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peligro007

What is the insulation? i am not familiar with this term.

That scares me.

It is the black or white or red plastic like stuff around each wire.

Are you in U.S.?

This whole thread (and the others he started) scares me.

<Threads merged> Lets stay on track from now on!

PS: The eBay links make no sense at all

At the service panel the 2 pole braker see link below for a picture of the braker.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360173786474

What a messy thread.

Let's start over from the beginning.

Peligro, where are you at with this?

Have you checked the 2 pole breaker? Does it have 240 volts across both poles? 120 Volts across each pole and neutral and/or ground?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkrussell

What a messy thread.

Let's start over from the beginning.

Peligro, where are you at with this?

Have you checked the 2 pole breaker? Does it have 240 volts across both poles? 120 Volts across each pole and neutral and/or ground?

I am very sorry for all the confusion in regards to this thread. I just wanted to give as much detail this way I could get a clear answer.

The breaker that I have is a D Suqare 20amp - 2 pole 120/240v - 10ka with 2 different legs. In the panel box the black wire is attach to one leg of the breaker and the red wire is attach to the other leg of the breaker. Now the white wire is attach to the neutral bus. There is only 3 wires. Hope we are clear.

At the receptacle box the end of the 3 wires are located here. I will take a pic and posted later.

Nope, not clear yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peligro007

I am very sorry for all the confusion in regards to this thread. I just wanted to give as much detail this way i could get a clear answer.

The breaker that i have is a D Suqare 20amp - 2 pole 120/240v - 10ka with 2 different legs. In the panel box the black wire is attach to one leg of the breaker and the red wire is attach to the other leg of the breaker. now the white wire is attach to the neutral bus. there is only 3 wires. hope we are clear.

At the receptacle box the end of the 3 wires are located here. I will take a pic and posted later.

I know what you have for a breaker, and I know how it is connected, what I don't know is what is the voltage across both legs (or pole) of the breaker and across each leg (or pole) to neutral and or ground.

You mentioned earlier what you had for voltage at the receptacle, but need to check what voltage is at the breaker.

Sounds like it is connected properly, but may be a defective breaker, or not installed properly, somehow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP

The breaker that i have is a D Suqare 20amp - 2 pole 120/240v - 10ka with 2 different legs.

Does "two legs" mean "two terminals" or "two independent actuators"?

Would it be too hard to post the model number of the breaker?

Note to AMHD: I'm thinking he has a tandem breaker which will not work.

5 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkrussell

Nope, not clear yet.

I know what you have for a breaker, and I know how it is connected, what I don't know is what is the voltage across both legs (or pole) of the breaker and across each leg (or pole) to neutral and or ground.

You mentioned earlier what you had for voltage at the receptacle, but need to check what voltage is at the breaker.

Sounds like it is connected properly, but may be a defective breaker, or not installed properly, somehow.

Thank you TKRUSSELL for your response.
Ok the black wire to neutral is 110 and the red wire to neutral is 1. this is at the receptacle box. Could you explain to me how would I do this for the main panel.

Here are some pic hopefully they could help.
Attachment 23596

Attachment 23597

Attachment 23598

First measure the voltage from the big fat red to the big fat black wire at the top of the panel. You should have 240 V.

With the outlet breaker on:

Measure across the terminals of your 240 V breaker (read and black). You should have 240 V.

Put one clip on the white bus at the bottom and measure to RED of the breaker and then Black of the breaker. Both should read 120 VAC.

Do as Kiss said, you been doing voltage tests at the receptacle, but none that I have seen at the panel.

Until the voltage is understood at the panel, anything done at the outlet is only guessing.

Sorry, I really do appreciate the effort with the pictures, but don't lose your day job.

Only kidding, pictures make the problem so much easier to understand.

Fill in every knockout opening in that panel. Any spark or arc fault in the panel will escape through any opening, and start a nice inside wall fire.

Sloppy job with that BX on the upper left, at least tape was wrapped around the exposed metal.

I find something odd, each of the single pole breakers are all on the same leg. And I am sure all of those work fine since they are all on the same leg that feeds the black on the AC breaker.

Any bets the red feeder is the fault?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkrussell

Do as Kiss said, you been doing voltage tests at the receptacle, but none that I have seen at the panel.

Until the voltage is understood at the panel, anything done at the outlet is only guessing.

Sorry, I really do appreciate the effort with the pictures, but don't lose your day job.

Only kidding, pictures make the problem so much easier to understand.

Fill in each and every knockout opening in that panel. Any spark or arc fault in the panel will escape thru any opening, and start a nice inside wall fire.

Sloppy job with that BX on the upper left, at least tape was wrapped around the exposed metal.

I find something odd, each of the single pole breakers are all on the same leg. And I am sure all of those work fine since they are all on the same leg that feeds the black on the AC breaker.

Any bets the red feeder is the fault?

Thx Kiss and Russell.

I tested the breaker. First I tested the red to the white and is at 0. then I tested the black to the white and it gave me 120. Then I tested the black and red and is giving me 120. I did not tested the two big wire because I got scare I don't want to get shock. I don't like it. Are these two wire safe I got intemidated by their size.

Are you guys sure this is OK.

Your way beyond where you should be anyway, you crossed the line of safety when you first connected the breaker.

So carefully test from each leg to neutral, and each should see 120 volts. Then across the two main lugs you should see 240 volts.

At least wear safety glasses. Never mind the voltage rated gloves.