I have 120v 20 Amp at the pool power box and Need to add a 220 v circuit box for a 220v 1ph motor. How can I do this without adding a new line?. The current pvc piping is 3/4 inch installed below grade with 3 wires, Blk, Wht, Grn.
Sorry, you're out of luck...120V was what was needed at the time and that's what was pulled. You're a minimum (old Code) one wire short; by present would need a 4-wire feed.
Please clarify. You say have to add a new line. Or do you mean you want to replace the 120V line with a 220V line?
You can add red tape to the ends of the white line and hook the wires to a 220V breaker and use the green as the neutral. You won't have a separate ground wire.
Two bad answers so far. If this is conductors in pipe, not a cable. you CAN'T re identify the white, you need to pull another wire (any color but white or green). If it is a cable you can re identify the white and use it for 240v loads only. (no neutral) Adding a wire to a cable run is usually not allowed since you can pull the cable out and do it right.
Will your house burn down if you did re identify the white? No but it is not legal and you would be limited to 240v loads only.
What are the obstacles to pulling new wires? It sounds like the "infrastructure" is already there. You may be able to just attach the new wiresto the old ones, and pull away... How many amperes is the new motor?
The
With 3 wires in a 3/4 pipe, you should be able to just push another wire in there. Fold the end over and crimp it down to make it round. If not, suck a string through with a vacuum and pull in another wire.
Presuming they ran conduit the whole way and it isn't just the up riser he's seeing the end of... :)
And, how far of a run it actually is we don't know...
--
or use the green to pull a red and a new green through the pipe
He did imply wire in pipe. That usually means a complete raceway system. The standard rough in for a pool is 1" RNC around here but I assume 3/4 is not unreasonable, particularly if a heat pump is not likely.
It's likely, yes, but "ya' never know!" what shortcuts somebody may have taken until you try.
But, it's the obvious first step to at least give a go, yes.
Is the wire in pipe all the way to the panel ? Does it run thru boxes ? Is it feeding anything else ? ( Maybe an outlet / light ) Is it on a GFCI outlet or GFCI breaker ? ( It should be ) You can tape the white wire and make it a hot ( black/red/green and no more 120 volts ) then switch the GFCI. If the motor has a plug on it you will need to change outlet also . All depending on all the other things. OR you can call someone that can look at it and knows what to do .
One more thing you will need to change the breaker maybe a two pole 20 amp. GFCI breaker. FYI they are NOT cheap .
DIY wiring to a pool pump. What could possibly go wrong?
The poster was using green as neutral, so 120v would work. I wouldn't do that. Ground is too important for a pool.
The OP said he had a black, white and green for 120v so he was using the green for the EGC as usual. Someone else suggested using the green as neutral and that idea was rejected. Since this is wire in an oversized pipe the right answer is pull in another ungrounded conductor, any color except green or white.
Particularly if you have a Square D QO panel - and live in Canada!!!! I ordered mine through a friend in the USA and saved 70% after exchange - and it was even CSA approved!!!
A re-identified neutral IS legal (or at least it was a few years ago) IF there is no 120 volt compnent on the circuit - Using the green as a current carrying conductor regardless how it is identified - is NOT. Using the white as a ground is also no longer allowed. (at least not here in Ontario)
I have not bought one in a few years, but IIRC, they are well less than $100. Compared to the costs of maintaining a pool, I consider that cheap. The OP never said how long this (wire) run is. But in reasonable lengths, wire isn't that expensive either.
You can reidentify a white wire in a cable but not a discrete conductor in a raceway. You can't replace a conductor in a cable assembly but you can replace a discrete conductor.
If they pulled cable in OP's situation, does Code allow you to pull an additional single conductor? (One would presume, if the conduit does run the full length that it is individual conductors, not UF cable or similar, but...curious minds and all that. :) And, of course, if it is just conduit ends, the question is moot for his application; he'd have to redo the install or find another route.)
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.