On some appliances such as dryers and ranges, the voltage required is shown on the tag as 120v/240v. So, when on leg is at 120V, the other leg acts as the neutral and visa versa. Because the two 120V legs are 180 degrees apart, when the one leg is at 120V, the other is at 0 volts and visa-versa. This makes the 120V legs on different cycles 180 degrees apart. Only two 120V legs, one from each side of the panel and a ground. In a 240V only circuit, there is no separate neutral. All components within the air compressor and welder are 240V items so the circuit that feeds them is only going to be 240V. In the case of your air compressor and welder, they require a 240V only circuit.
Outside those two categories is 240V (two hots and a ground) and 120/240V (two hots, neutral and ground) This is why it needs to be remembered that this whole 3-wire vs 4-wire "220V" thing ONLY applies to household cooking appliances and dryers, NOTHING else. Because the neutral carries current, and any compromise in this neutral would create a dangerous situating if a bare ground were used. THIS is why you use a neutral, NOT a ground, in "3-wire" dryer and range circuits. WHO Keeps perpetuating this dangerous MYTH? Yes, it definitely matters, and NO, the recommended way is NOT to use the ground wire instead of the neutral. "220v" is not only an incorrect term, it is only half of the circuit description. The configuration of the blades determines both. There are 240V receptacles and 120/240V receptacles. I'm more curious than lazy.įirst off, you cannot just go swapping "angled blade" for "straight blade" "220" receptacles without confirmation of what wires exist and what the amperage is. I should not be seeing any current through the grounding prong, so neutral as a ground should be OK. However - in the case of my air compressor, welder, and space heater, all of them have 3-prong plugs. This would give you a hot ground wire, potentially compromising the rest of your circuits? Seems to me the danger lies with converting 3-wire to 4-wire outlets (ex: some dryers), and using one wire for both neutral and ground. I know the recommended way is to use the ground wire instead of the neutral, but it got me thinking.does it really matter? Neutral goes to neutral bar, which goes to main breaker, and then bonds with the ground. The wires were connected to the subpanel as you would for a 4-wire 220V setup. What Uses 220V In A House?ĭifferent appliances require a 220-volt or over the electrical line.When changing out the 3-wire 220v outlet in my new garage for a straight blade vs angled-blade 220V design, I noticed that the PO had wired the two hots correctly, but attached the neutral to the ground blade and left the ground wire floating in the box.
In comparison, a ground wire protects the circuit from instability and other possible problems. It’s also important to mention that a neutral wire is different from a ground wire. This wire carries the power from the device back to its origin. What Does The Neutral Wire Do?Ī neutral wire in an electrical setup helps take on the role of completing the circuit. But 10/3 wires can be better options than their 10/2 counterparts for 220-volt setups. Many 220-volt electrical connections require 10/2 wires to complete 30-amp circuits. Since clothes dryers often need over 110 volts to function, these appliances typically need at least 10/3 size wires to prevent overloads and fires. On that note, 10/2 wires often only have one hot wire, which is the hot and neutral wires.
3 PRONG 220 PLUG CODE
So it can be ideal to use a 10/3 wire instead.Īlso, using the 10/2 wire can be a violation of the National Electrical Code (NEC) 250.140, which mentions that the supply circuit for a 120/240-volt setup should possess three wires. However, you might run into some issues with that size wire. It’s possible to use a 10/2 wire for a clothes dryer. Low risk of hazards like shocks, surges, and electrical fires.The creation and maintenance of a zero-voltage point.The prevention of electrocution, especially during lightning strikes.
Low resistance to trip the circuit breaker and prevent serious electrical issues.
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