Can I take a 220 line and convert it to a regular house outlet what would be the damage?

Question

I have a electric 220 dryer hook up in my kitchen now I want to convert it over to use for a higher grade power supply for my microwave blender and toaster without converting Any wires or touching the fuse box, is this possible ?

Answer 1

If it's a 4-prong receptacle, then you could do it. Though you'll have to swap out a breaker in the panel. This will leave you with a 20 ampere multi-wire branch circuit (MWBC), which can be used to supply countertop receptacles.

If it's a 3-prong receptacle, there's likely not a grounding conductor. So it's not going to be a good idea, though there are ways to do it.

As it sounds like you don't want to modify the existing wiring, this probably isn't a project you want to tackle. A local licensed Electrician should be able to do it for you.

---

Answer 2

IF you have a "4-Prong" (Hot, Hot, Neutral, Ground) dryer outlet you could make (or perhaps "have made" would be safer depending on your skill level) a "plug-in sub-panel" that would take the (probably 30amp) 240V via a dryer plug, and divide it into two or four 15 or 20A GFCI-protected (GFCI and 20A is required for kitchen outlets) 120V outlets.

This becomes unwise if the dryer is a "3-Prong" device (no ground.)

Not using a sub-panel is unwise because the dryer circuit is almost always of a higher amperage than a normal receptacle, so excessive current would flow in the case of a fault.

Or, if you like, buy a device (portable power distribution unit) made for the job and ETL Listed as a unit:

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-Portable-Temporary-Distribution/dp/B003RRWWAY

Answer 3

Short answer: No

At minimum you will have to open the fuse box to move one of the wires from a circuit breaker to the neutral bar. And then replace the circuit breaker with a 20 amp single pole breaker for your small appliance branch circuit.

This will change the voltage from 240 to 120 volts.

If you are a complete novice at electrical work this is not a good place to start. Call a local experienced electrician to make this change for you.

Happy Friday!

Answer 4

Here's hoping you have an 14-50 (4 prong outlet) and not a 3 prong. Buy one of these:

Answer 5

If it was me...

If the 220v Dryer hookup box/connection only has 3 wires, I'd leave it alone and if I needed to have it changed, I'd call an electrician.

If the box/connection has 4 wires, I'd make the changes in the circuit breaker box necessary to remove the 220v breaker and replace it with two 120v single pole breakers. The work necessary for this is really fairly minimal. I would be comfortable doing this myself, but you may not.

Then the box could safely be rewired for one 2 outlet receptacle on each of the two 120v circuits, providing four 120v outlets. And I'd be sure to use either GFCI protected breakers, or GFCI protected receptacles.

But to answer your question, to do this without touching the breakers or the wiring, here is a device that would provide one 120v outlet. There may be similar devices available that provide more outlets:

Gas Range Adaptor
Mfg: Woods
Model: 548301

It doesn't appear to be UL Listed, but specifications indicate it has a built-in 15 Amp fuse, and it is CSA (Canada) Certified.

The important thing is that it is protected from overload by a fuse.

Answer 6

Thinking all out of the box: Are these existing appliances, or ones you are still planning to buy? Large parts of the world use 230V/240V appliances, and adapters and distributors should exist (you would need some 13A or 16A fusing, since that is what single-phase 230V/240V appliances expect)....