Is there a 220v to 110v wall plug converter - Question

[Oracle]

Hi,
I have in the garage, right by the workbench a couple of unused 220v plugs and I would really like to have a 110v plug there..

(The 220v installation came with the house, I don't have any diagrams)

Does anyone know of a plug/adapter to convert that to a regular 110v ?

Or should I make one but I don't know if a StepDown voltage converter is needed or if I just pick one of the leads + neg + ground and call it a day...

Any advise?


Thanks

[Hugh R]

New plug and use one of the two hot legs. Disconnect the other leg at the circuit breaker. If you don't know what you are doing, don't.

[rwest]

Like Hugh said, 220 is just two 110 legs, BUT you might not have a neutral at the outlet. Is it a 4 "slot" outlet or 3?

Also as Hugh said, if you're not comfortable doing it, hire an electrician, probably won't be too costly.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by rwest

Like Hugh said, 220 is just two 110 legs, BUT you might not have a neutral at the outlet. Is it a 4 "slot" outlet or 3?

Also as Hugh said, if you're not comfortable doing it, hire an electrician, probably won't be too costly.

Correct on the neutral. When I had this house built, I had the electrical put in a 220 outlet near my workbench for my compressor. I wanted to add something a few years later and found no neutral on that one.

[rockfan4]

What colors are the wires going into the back of the outlet?

If you're not comfortable answering that question, stop now and call an electrician.

If they're black and white, piece of cake, pull the old 220 breaker, move the white wire to the common bar, put the black one on a new single pole breaker, replace the outlets, done.

If they're black and red, you can do the same thing but using red for a common is not to code, so if someone else has to service it later they will curse you.

If it is a 4 wire 220 with black, red, white, and green, then you can just rewire and not use the red, wirenut both ends. But since you said it's an old install it's unlikely it's 4 wire.

Disclaimer: I am not an electrician, I have electrocuted myself however not lately, and I despise arc fault breakers.

[jcommin]

Don't trust the color of the wire - use a multi-meter.

[rwest]

Any chance you got lucky and the wiring is in conduit? It that's the case, you can just pull in the correct wires.

One last thought and I'm not sure what Canadian code is, but you might be able to tape or paint the other conductor, re-wire and use it as a neutral.

Can't say it enough, if you're not feeling 100% sure of what to do, don't do it- getting shocked can range from "ouch" to "dead."

[1990C4S]

You CAN use tape most places in Canada to change wire colours. Mark both ends and it's legal.

If you have three conductors make a split receptacle giving you two 15A outlets for your shop with a common neutral.

If you don't know what that means you should use an electrician...

And check the breaker/fuse size. You don't want to wire up a 40A 115V receptacle.

[unclebilly]

Gaspar,

I will build you one if you want. Email me a photo of your 220 plugs.

[Brian 162]

Home Depot/Lowes sells a 220-110 adapter plug. I never bought it I went another route.
If you're not sure what you have now call an electrician.

[Oracle]

Thank you everyone for your advise... definitely I'm not comfortable doing any work with a 220v.
That is not something to play with..
If its a hassle I'll just live with an extension cord from the regular 110v outlet a few feet away on the opposite wall...


Scott,
I'll take you up on your offer to build the adapter. I will buy with a food & beers ;-)
I have to figure out what breaker switches what plug, we need to consider the Amps...
Will send pictures. If its too cumbersome/risky forget it... as I said extensions cords can be used and they're cheap...

thanks everyone!

[Charles Freeborn]

Properly done you'd switch out the 22o breaker for a pair of 110's and then switch outlets accordingly. Using 1/2 of a breaker and expecting it to operate correctly is not to code or a good idea.