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I have a 240v outlet I can use as my source but it doesn’t have a common white. The fireplace needs a 3 wire connection (15 Amp 240V). Can I bring a single white common wire from a nearby 120v outlet? I don’t want to run a whole new line from the panel. Thanks.

isherwood
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Richard
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2 Answers2

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"Borrowed neutrals" are potentially dangerous to anyone working on the installation.

When you turn off the breaker to a circuit, you would expect it to be safe to work on. But if another circuit has borrowed the neutral, it can back-feed power from a completely different breaker. The end result is that a neutral suddenly becomes live. And it may only become live when someone turns on a completely unrelated appliance.

Simon B
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No you can't. The common, white wire, has to be run with the power legs. Ground wires can be run separately but not common/neutrals. If you have a conduit installation, you can pull in a neutral, if cable, you'll need to pull a new line.

JACK
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