Electrical question

[massimofinance]

I replaced my old hot water tanks with an on demand system. Both tanks were electric (220volt). I now have an electrical wire (caped off) hanging from the ceiling where the old tanks were. What I would like to do is add electrical plugs on the wall there, however I am not sure if I ca do that myself given plugs are 110 volt. I’m sure this is a silly question, but is there a special plug that would allow me to mount an electrical outlet (110) there? Thanks...

 

[sam am I]

You'd need to have (add) a neutral (white wire) and a earth(copper wire, should be there already) to each "hot" side of the 220VAC, L1(red) and L2(blk) to create two 120VAC's outlets . Ya might need new 120VAC breakers as well as the old 220VAC breakers are maybe ganged duals

1) L1(red) + neutral(wht) + earth = 120VAC
2) L2(black) + neutral(wht) + earth = 120VAC

No special outlets do this per-se, you just have to run/add new neutral wires from the panel.

I'm not a licensed electrician and there could be state codes you should follow/be aware of your state. The home owner in my state, with a permit, is allowed to wire their own home/s, not sure for you, check with your states "division of building safety"......There are a few licensed guys here that might chime in as well.

 

[dwco5051]

If the disconnected wire only has a black, red, and bare copper/or green wire then as Sam I Am explained you have to run a separate white neutral. Electrical code states that the grounded neutral must have a white or gray continuous cover. It would not meet code to only wrap white tape on the exposed red wire and use it as a neutral.

 

[bigdee]

No problem. Find the other end of that circuit in panel, I would assume it has been disconnected and is loose in panel. Buy a single pole 20 amp breaker and connect the black conductor to it. Connect the white and bare ground to the buss bar where all the other whites and bares are connected. Most likely this is # 10-2/wg so it will be a little stiff making terminations but doable.

 

[Award]

I replaced my old hot water tanks with an on demand system. Both tanks were electric (220volt). I now have an electrical wire (caped off) hanging from the ceiling where the old tanks were. What I would like to do is add electrical plugs on the wall there, however I am not sure if I ca do that myself given plugs are 110 volt. I’m sure this is a silly question, but is there a special plug that would allow me to mount an electrical outlet (110) there? Thanks...

So what you want to do, shut breaker off remove black and red from two pole breaker
Take red wire wrap with white tape as far up wire you can on both ends. At the panel take the wire you wrapped with white tape and connect it to the neutral bar. Install a single pole 20 amp breaker and reconnect black wire.
At other end put a junction box and take you some 12/2 with ground and splice black to black white to your wrapped white and grounds together run wire to where you want outlet, put a box there of course then on outlet black to gold and white to silver ground on green screw put face plate on and a blank cover at j box turn on breaker

 

[poconojoe]

You didn't mention and no one asked...what are the colors of the wires hanging from the ceiling and how many of each color. Normally, as others are stating, there would be a black, red and a green (or bare copper) ground. But sometimes there's also a white. If you're lucky and there's already a white there, then you use one color with the white to make 120 volt. Replace your 2 pole circuit breaker with a 1 pole circuit breaker.

 

[poconojoe]

Also, what type of wire is hanging there? Romex (plastic sheathing)? BX (metal spiral casing)? MC metal spiral casing with ground)? Is there any type of conduit (pvc, metal, wire-mold) or just wire? If there's a conduit, you can re-pull any colors you need.

 

[bruceb58]

OP hasn't been here for over a month.

 

[redneck joe]

i almost never touch my electrical system in the house. I hire out a professional. Thankfully, he is an old friend and two beers and a $20 gets most jobs done.