110 to 220 converter?

People make up a 220 extension cord all the time. All you need is two heavy duty power cords and a junction box with a 220 outlet. Cost would be about $30 if you bought everything new.However, if you hook it up wrong, or a socket is improperly wired, you will get smoke or worse. Only a person who knows electrical hookups should ever attempt to make a temporary 220 hookup. (and your question tells us that you are not one of those people)

Your average power panel has two phases in it. If there are two outlets in the same area that you can plug the two legs of the cord into, you will have 220. This will work for a very temporary situation, but is not desirable for permanent use, and not safe for more than 2200 Watts (ten amps per phase). If you look at that ad, you will see the cords are 3 feet long. You won't likely have two outlets on different phases that close together. You should not use extension cords on one of these ( but you will notice they offer them for sale). The best thing is to run a dedicated 30 amp,220 volt line to your shop.

I wouldn't waste the money on this gizmo, but to answer your question - it will work.
Stacy

BTW, for the $150-250 you would put in this unit, you can have a legal outlet added.
 
Bryce

What are you trying to accomplish? If you need 220-240 V at 7.5 A or less (1.7 kW) a step up transformer would probably be less expensive.

Since 1.7 kW is the maximum amount of power that you can get from one 15 A, 115 V circuit, the device you have found appears to "combine" two separate 15 A (or 20 A) 115 V circuits to get one 15 A (or 20 A) 230 V output capable of supplying about 3.4 kW (or 4.4 kW). Each of these circuits would have it's own circuit breaker. I would guess that there is some kind of isolation transformer in the box along with the interlock circuitry that they talk about.

Phil
 
I agree with Stacy, what they are doing is adding up 2 legs, do it right, get an electrician to give you a 220 dryer outlet (typically 30 amp 220) wherever you need to get your power to ((unless you are renting in which case that might not be as feasable) if you are renting you can make a 220 extension cord to go from your dryer or electric range outlet to where you need) with heavy enough gauge wire for the load it will be like having it wired. If you don't know what you are doing, get someone who does.

As Stacy said your house power comes in as 2 legs with a phase differential of 205-230 volts, which to make 110 gets split against a neutral (common which is also ground) to get 22o they just run across the phases without using the neutral, your third wire would be ground, if there is a 4th conductor it can be used for tapping 110 for things like convenience lights, and control circuits I believe. This is what I recall from a year's day gig working for a general contractor doing mostly electrical and plumbing

-Page
 
I guess I just don't see the point, except in a dire emergency kinda scenario. Its pretty easy to pop in a 220 breaker and wire it proper like. ??

Could be just me...
 
here is the Scenario

I rent and probley will move within a few months

I really cant start wiring in stuff without approval (Not that I would do it myself I have an electrican friend but he isnt the easiest guy to find anymore)

I have Owned a KMG for a YEAR now and have researched for the last 5-7 years on knifemaking Yet I have made very few knives and my kmg and Baldor Dc setup has never even spun
I even have a couple grand worth of material's belts on my wall

I blame it on a lack of a shop but I really should blame myself

I dont know what im going to do but i want to make knives lol
so obviously i gotta figure something out I was about to go buy a 110 volt motor so i could start doing something

This is really getting sad a lack of 220 volts has prevented me from using probley the best machine and motor setup which has been sitting on my desk unused for far to long
 
For your application that gizmo will work. It isn't really a "gizmo" It adds together two out of phase legs, giving you 240 power from two separate 120 legs. The trick will be connecting it to one each of your two different legs, possibly in opposite areas of your home. Connect it to two legs in phase and you'll get nothing.

You can run it on extensions cords. Be sure not to pull more amps than the cords are designed for. A 2 HP motor at 240 volts shouldn't pull 8 amps. A good cord is rated from more than that. If the cord feels warm after a few minutes run, you're pushing your luck.
 
I went down and figured out what im gonna do instead,
my speed control arrived today too lol

Im just going to make a cord thanks for the imput though guys,
if i end up moving i may buy one because i might not have the option to get 220v
 
Bryce

Make sure that you can return it and get your money back if it does not work for you. Nathan's theory is probably more correct than mine about how this gadget works. You may not have both phases available in your appartment or house. I have heard of local codes where every second house has all the 120 V receptacles wired to one phase. This gadget would not work in houses connected this way. You also cannot guarantee that it will work at the next rental that you move to.

Depending on your experience with electrical work and the equipment available to you, it may be possible for you to figure out ahead of time if it is possible for this gadget to work or not.

If your motor is less than 2 hp, it would be simpler, safer and probably less expensive to get a 110-to-240 V step-up transformer.

Phil
 
pso said:
Bryce


snip



If your motor is less than 2 hp, it would be simpler, safer and probably less expensive to get a 110-to-240 V step-up transformer.

Phil
Click to expand...


Or look at the motor and see if it is dual voltage. Many motors in the size we use can be rewired for 120V. If it can, it will say on the voltage plate. I have a 2HP sitting in the shop right now that is currently wired to run on 120. Big amp draw though.

And just in case ya'll didn't know it, a "6HP" shop vac ain't 6HP. More like two. Them's is "Sear's HP" or as we call it in the shop, "HAAS power" (a Haas is a brand of mill who cheats a bit in their ratings). Just got a machine in with an "18 HP" spindle motor. Only needs 30 amp service at 208.

Keep in mind that at 100% efficiency a HP is around 760 watts. Watts is volts times amps, do the math...
 
Nathan is right on about how some manufacturers cheat. We regularly apply derating factors to make up for how badly we think a manufacturer has cheated on their specifications.

If the motor is rated acording to the NEMA standard and is from a "respectable manufacturer" then the nameplate rating should be pretty accurate. The hp rating is for the output power at the shaft. The actual input current will be about 5- 15 % higher than what Nathan indicates because of the mechanical and electrical losses in the motor.

Phil
 
bryce said:
I went down and figured out what im gonna do instead,
my speed control arrived today too lol

Im just going to make a cord thanks for the imput though guys,
if i end up moving i may buy one because i might not have the option to get 220v
Click to expand...

Bryce, several questions, how much do you know about electrical work?
Do you have a VOM or DVOM?

actually your answers to those two questions will preindicate further advice

-Page
 
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