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220 volt N.S.T.

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Adam Munich

Tue Nov 02 2010, 05:36PM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

Different circuits can have either same or different hots. To see if two circuits, say your kitchen and your bath are on different hots, plug an extension cord into each and measure the voltage across the two hots. If it reads 220V then there's your 220V for experiments.

HV Enthusiast

Tue Nov 02 2010, 05:50PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
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Posts: 3068

wrote ...

Different circuits can have either same or different hots. To see if two circuits, say your kitchen and your bath are on different hots, plug an extension cord into each and measure the voltage across the two hots. If it reads 220V then there's your 220V for experiments.

You ABSOLUTELY DO NOT want to do this. This is extremely dangerous.

Why?

Because if you have two power cords plugged into two outlets to get your 220V, then if you unplug one power cord, you now have the hot voltage on one of the exposed outlet pins of that power cord. Very dangerous!

It also lacks a single circuit breaker. With a 220V breaker, if one leg trips, it will disconnect both legs.

If you want to run 220VAC, then run a dedicated 220VAC breaker / outlet.

Adam Munich

Tue Nov 02 2010, 06:03PM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

I figured that he would be competent enough to not touch the hot plug. I have done this in the past successfully, and it works.

I know that if a breaker trips it won't disconnect both legs; That's why when I do this I feed the power though a 10A common trip breaker before giving it into the load. This way the dual breaker would trip before my 20A ones, and I can manually trip it before unplugging things and thus not have live voltage on the male plugs.

ScotchTapeLord

Tue Nov 02 2010, 06:14PM

Registered Member #1875 Joined: Sun Dec 21 2008, 06:36PM
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Posts: 635

It works, in theory, but there's a reason for females being hot. Connections, I mean, of course!

Tesla Fan

Tue Nov 02 2010, 06:29PM

Registered Member #3353 Joined: Sat Oct 23 2010, 11:21PM
Location: Greece
Posts: 90

Hi,

First of all we are getting a bit off topic here but,

If you planning to get a â€œhot-hotâ€ 220V line from the main breakers point, you shound use a dedicated wire and fuse (breaker=auto fuse). Remember, the fuse is there to protect the wire from â€œover-currentingâ€ which will lead to the wire getting hot, wire insulation melting, possible short-circuit, wire catches fire.... Also, the fuse must be a double one, disconnecting both wires, and of course the line must also include a ground wire (something like a 3x1,5mm or 3x2,5mm and so on).

Also, do you use a safety relay? I think it is mandatory for most countries (Greece included). You must be sure the safety relay will trip in any and all cases of current â€œleakâ€

Tesla Fan

Tue Nov 02 2010, 06:59PM

Registered Member #3353 Joined: Sat Oct 23 2010, 11:21PM
Location: Greece
Posts: 90

Something like that :

This is a quick draw , symbols are wrong, this is just to show what kind of set-up i suggest.

HV Enthusiast

Wed Nov 03 2010, 12:26AM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Grenadier wrote ...

I figured that he would be competent enough to not touch the hot plug. I have done this in the past successfully, and it works.

I know that if a breaker trips it won't disconnect both legs; That's why when I do this I feed the power though a 10A common trip breaker before giving it into the load. This way the dual breaker would trip before my 20A ones, and I can manually trip it before unplugging things and thus not have live voltage on the male plugs.

If you're competent enough to do this (and thats REALLY assuming a lot), you're also competent enough to run your own 220VAC plug.

Just run a dedicated plug. Because the life and house you save may be your own. I've seen plenty of "trained" professional electricians cut corners like this only to see disastrous results including one that blew their hands right off their arms.

Tesla Fan

Wed Nov 03 2010, 01:02AM

Registered Member #3353 Joined: Sat Oct 23 2010, 11:21PM
Location: Greece
Posts: 90

EastVoltResearch :

"If you're competent enough..."

It is not just a matter of skill, think of a simple word : accident
Having hot naked wires lying around is one waiting to happen.
Don't get killed trying stuff. Better safe than sorry.

I agree with EastVoltResearch:
Just run a dedicated plug.

Adam Munich

Wed Nov 03 2010, 01:14AM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

I would, but my father wouldn't appreciate me tearing up the walls. I also don't use 220V enough (maybe once every two months) to warrant all that work.

"Having hot naked wires laying around" I think variable autotransformers and MOTs classify as "hot." It's just a matter of paying attention to what you're doing, and I'm always on high alert when I plug in things in the mains. I also always plug things into a power strip on their "maiden voyage" since power strips have circuit breakers.

Tesla Fan

Wed Nov 03 2010, 02:10AM

Registered Member #3353 Joined: Sat Oct 23 2010, 11:21PM
Location: Greece
Posts: 90

OK,

Just a last note, i have been very very careful in my life (at least after a point) and still i got zapped a couple of times. Also i did this for a living, and like EastVoltResearch i have seen and heard a lot of frightening stuff. People who did it all â€œby the bookâ€ have lost there lives. Also remember that this post is perhaps read by some underage kid who would like to play with a MOT and 220V. How does that sounds to you?

I will let this go, because i do not want to be a safety-freak and i believe that everyone who made a Tesla Coil was at some point in close proximity of a naked hot wire (or something). After all a bare copper tube carrying 15KV is considered a hot wire also.

Sorry if i got a bit carried away, i do want to offend anyone, it is just a thin line between telling an experienced friend to â€œjust plug it in temporary without any protection and tell me what it doesâ€ and generaly telling people to just leave hot wires laying around.

Again sorry for the long post (plus being off-topic), i do not want to put down anyone, i have nothing but good intentions.

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