220 Power from two 110 volt sources

Jan 07, 2005 22 Replies

About 40 years ago at work we did this as a temporary test of a few pieces of equipment. We had some small

220V blowers we needed to test, on a short term basis. So we wired a setup as you described and used it. It worked quite well for what we were doing. I don't think we had more than a dozen units to test, and when we were through we took it apart.

Bill Gill

Typically, a house has two power wires coming in. To get 110 volt, you wire from one power wire to neutral. To get 220, you wire from one power wire to the other power wire.

In theory, if you use two sockets which are on the two different power wires. Adn if the plugs are in right (black wire in the cord is connected to the black wire in the wall, to the power wire) then it will work.

The practical reality is that it's a bit of a crapshoot if you can find the right sockets, and put the plugs in right. And if the sockets are wired correctly.

Still, in theory,if the sun and moon and stars line up, it will work.

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