Does anyone know if these exist? USA 220v to 110v outlet converter

[BirdOPrey5]

I have a big 220v outlet in my wall where an old in-wall air conditioner was removed. The 220v outlet has power but is basically useless as is.

I imagine there must exist some sort of adapter I could plug in that would convert the outlet from 220v to a standard 110v receptacle, possibly even two 110v outlets, each on a different pole.

Unfortunately I've yet to find anything. Searching inevitably leads to adapters designed for international travel which won't work because 220v in Europe (and elsewhere) is single phase and 220v in the USA are two 110v lines in opposite phases with a common neutral line.

 

[Glenn]

We had those transformers in Germany.

 

[Hooligan]

Amazon.com Sevenstar THG-1000 Watt Voltage Converter Transformer 110120220240v Electronics

 

[BrandonM7]

Replace the double pole breaker in your breaker box with a single pole breaker. Connect the black wire to the new breaker, connect the white wire to the neutral bus. Replace the receptacle with a 115V receptacle. Done.

 

[BirdOPrey5]

Amazon.com Sevenstar THG-1000 Watt Voltage Converter Transformer 110120220240v Electronics

Thanks but those are for European to US and won't work for US to US. Even if it did, what I want wouldn't be a big transformer. The outlet you see has 110v going to the left and right plug and the neutral in the middle. In theory just tapping one of the hot leads and the neutral would give me a 110v outlet.

Replace the double pole breaker in your breaker box with a single pole breaker. Connect the black wire to the new breaker, connect the white wire to the neutral bus. Replace the receptacle with a 115V receptacle. Done.

Right, but in my situation none of that is happening. Someone, somewhere has to make an adapter.

 

[BrandonM7]

Thanks but those are for European to US and won't work for US to US. Even if it did, what I want wouldn't be a big transformer. The outlet you see has 110v going to the left and right plug and the neutral in the middle. In theory just tapping one of the hot leads and the neutral would give me a 110v outlet.



Right, but in my situation none of that is happening. Someone, somewhere has to make an adapter.

It's easy enough that mom could do it with reasonable instructions. If not, though, order the right male and female plugs from home depot and a foot or two of wire and make your own adapter. Shouldn't that be possible?

 

[BirdOPrey5]

Mom is scared of electricity. She won't even jump a car battery.

 

[BirdOPrey5]

Ugg.

This basically explains why what I want is impossible. The 220v outlet has no neutral, just a ground, which can't (shouldn't) be used to carry current. It would need rewiring at the breaker box.

 

[miwico]

Yes, it's impossible.

The only thing you could do is use the ground as a neutral. This is a big nono but you would have 120 rather easily.

 

[abqtj]

Just plug bare wires in those holes, should be fine

 

[Al Johnson]

If you use the "spare" wire from the second leg of the 220 for the return line of your new 110 circuit, you will have enough wires available. It needs to be white though instead of red or whatever it is now, so put white electric tape on the wire, at all parts that are visible and particularly in the breaker box. I would do this, but I don't live in New Yawk City either, so my opinion may have no validity in your case.

 

[Ralph]

If you use the "spare" wire from the second leg of the 220 for the return line of your new 110 circuit, you will have enough wires available. It needs to be white though instead of red or whatever it is now, so put white electric tape on the wire, at all parts that are visible and particularly in the breaker box. I would do this, but I don't live in New Yawk City either, so my opinion may have no validity in your case.

The only problem with this is that the hot wires are probably not long enough to reach the neutral bus in the breaker box, having been terminated at a double-pole breaker.

 

[skeptic]

Hire an electrician.

 

[BrandonM7]

Hire an electrician.

My memory is kind of hazy, but doesn't BoP have an Electrical Engineering degree?

 

[Ralph]

My memory is kind of hazy, but doesn't BoP have an Electrical Engineering degree?

That's a scary thought if he's asking this question.

 

[Glenn]

A degree does not mean any real world or application knowledge.

 

[Al Johnson]

My memory is kind of hazy, but doesn't BoP have an Electrical Engineering degree?

A degree does not mean any real world or application knowledge.

Also, Electrical Engineer /= electrician.

 

[skeptic]

Also, Electrical Engineer /= electrician.

This.

 

[BirdOPrey5]

That's a scary thought if he's asking this question.

A degree does not mean any real world or application knowledge.

Once I saw the wiring diagram in the video I immediately knew it wasn't possible, but I never had experience in home wiring beyond a basic light switch.

 

[Ardvark]

Can't be more than $100 for someone to do this.