What happens if you connect 240 device with 2 of same phase?

I recently got a Champion 4000wpeak/3500w continuous generator that has a 1

20v 30a output. I hooked up my elec panel with a 30a breaker with an interlock, ran a 10/4 and a generator inlet box outside. I made up my own extension SJ cord with a standard generator female plug at one end to plug in the inlet box, and o n the generator side is a 30A 120v plug that has both red and black bonded together inside the plug to make both sides of elec panel live. Now the only 220 device I have is my CAC, which I would not run anyway, but I was just curious, what would happen if you accidentally fed a 220v devic e with 2 hots of the same phase? Would anything happen? I'm thinking nothin g would happen, it would just be dead, and no damage would be done since no current would flow.
Reply to
Mikepier
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correct

Reply to
philo 

That's what I think too. All of the 120 volt circuits in the appliance would operate properly, such as the oven light bulb in an oven or the

120V indicator lights on the stoves console, but none of the heating elements would work because you've got the same voltage at each end of the heating element, and therefore no current flow.
Reply to
nestork

120v what would happen if you accidentally fed a 220v device with 2 hots o f the same phase? Would anything happen? I'm thinking nothing would happen, it would just be dead, and no damage would be done since no current would flow.

I'm thinking you already did this and are wondering if you did some damage.

No, you didn't.

Reply to
TimR

my neighbor installed a 240 volt compressor and it didnt work, i took a quick look, and said move the breaker one space. instant fix since i had done the same thing years before......

the whatever wuldnt work but it cant damage the device

Reply to
bob haller

I hooked up my elec panel with a 30a breaker with an interlock, ran a 10/4 and a generator inlet box outside. I made up my own extension SJ cord with a standard generator female plug at one end to plug in the inlet box, and on the generator side is a 30A 120v plug that has both red and black bonded together inside the plug to make both sides of elec panel live. Now the only 220 device I have is my CAC, which I would not run anyway, but I was just curious, what would happen if you accidentally fed a 220v device with 2 hots of the same phase? Would anything happen? I'm thinking nothing would happen, it would just be dead, and no damage would be done since no current >>would flow.

If it is pure 220 volt device, nothing would hapen. If you have some control circuits involved that internally operate on 120 , they may or may not come on. Even then I doubt there would be any damage done.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

What everyone else has said, you are right on.

Reply to
hrhofmann

There would be no damage to (or performance of) 240 volt devices with such a setup. But if you have two 120 volt circuits using a shared neutral, as is often the case with kitchen appliance circuits, a danger exists of overloading the neutral wire.

Reply to
Bob

Reply to
Nate Nagel

The potential between the to "phases" to the 240V circuits will be 0V, so those simply won't work. The potential between those conductors and ground will still be 120V, so there is a shock hazard of disassembling the appliances while they're plugged in even though they're apparently not working...

If you're powering your whole house panel with the generator however, make sure that there are no "Edison" or shared-neutral 120VAC circuits powered up by a single phase - that can result in the neutral conductor of those circuits carrying up to twice the current that it's rated for. (a good argument for a generator subpanel)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

continuous generator that has a 120v 30a output.

with an interlock, ran a 10/4 and a generator inlet box outside. I made up my own extension SJ cord with a standard generator female plug at one end to plug in the inlet box, and on the generator side is a 30A 120v plug that has both red and black bonded together inside the plug to make both sides of elec panel live.

I would not run anyway, but I was just curious, what would happen if you accidentally fed a 220v device with 2 hots of the same phase? Would any thing happen? I'm thinking nothing would happen, it would just be dead, and no damage would be done since no current would flow.

Agree. Nothing would happen. It's an interesting question.

Q: When I was a teen, we had a central vacuum cleaner system in the wood shop room at school. This was hosed and piped to the various machines, to remove the sawdust from saws, planers, etc. We could also run flexible hose, to act like a shop vac, if we had to clean around a machine. One of the boys asked what happens, if you take the end of one flex hose, and use it to vacuum the end of another flex hose?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Thanks. No I actually have not done it to my CAC accidentally, but I was just curious what would happen if I did. I have no Edison circuits, so no worries about overloading .

Reply to
Mikepier

One good reason to use a generator with a 240V output. It avoids that problem. I'm assuming Mike's doesn't have 240V.

Reply to
trader4

I had a 5,000 watt Coleman which I really liked. Noisy, but did the job. It was a bit too heavy for me, so I made a deal and traded my Dad for a smaller unit.

The power went out for Dad, at one point. The Coleman didn't start. A "helpful" neighbor took the spark plug out and sprayed ether into the spark hole. Locked up the piston, and threw a piston rod. It's Ok to spray ether on the air filter, or short burst into the air intake. But not into the spark plug hole.

The Coleman did have 220 volt output. The smaller 2500 watt unit I now have, does not.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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