Is this safe or legal? (Safety experts will love this)

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If it was designed, built and properly tested it solves a problem. But, with an $18 price tag I doubt very much it is a reliable safe device, and who actually knows if two outlets are independent circuits?
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
I don't see anything inherently unsafe in the idea. People have been doing it for a long time without the box.

Nor do I.
I would say masons would like to have one of those for their saws.
And floor refinishers too.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
If it was designed, built and properly tested it solves a problem. But, with an $18 price tag I doubt very much it is a reliable safe device, and who actually knows if two outlets are independent circuits?

The outlets should be 2 phases from the same SDS or service to get 208 or 240.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
Nor do I.
I would say masons would like to have one of those for their saws.
And floor refinishers too.

My only gripe is that if someone pulls a plug while the 240 volt machine is plugged in it can back feed the male cord cap. And the extension cord should be at least #10.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I doubt if it's all that safe or legal.

They state that it will not work with GFCI protected circuits and that probably eliminates most arc faults as well. Also that means it's no good for construction sites ( GFCI protected receptacles).

If people want to use this for their electric car charger they are replaceing what should be permanent building wiring with extension cords.

There may be a use for it but it sounds more like BS in a box to me.

And $18 is the estimated shipping cost.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
I doubt if it's all that safe or legal.

They state that it will not work with GFCI protected circuits and that probably eliminates most arc faults as well. Also that means it's no good for construction sites ( GFCI protected receptacles).

If people want to use this for their electric car charger they are replaceing what should be permanent building wiring with extension cords.

There may be a use for it but it sounds more like BS in a box to me.

And $18 is the estimated shipping cost.


This could work in resi. But in commercial I can seriously see these heating up conduit :slaphead:
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
You still only get 15 or 20 amps capability at the 50 amp receptacle. For newer dwellings - AFCI and GFCI will give people that don't know any better all kinds of fits when using this adapter.

I'm still willing to bet people with floor sanders or other 240 volt construction tools will be more likely to use adapter cordsets they made themselves and plug them into range or dryer receptacles, right or wrong they have done that successfully for years. Or they have a pigtail they can connect to a breaker in the panel.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
You still only get 15 or 20 amps capability at the 50 amp receptacle. For newer dwellings - AFCI and GFCI will give people that don't know any better all kinds of fits when using this adapter.

I'm still willing to bet people with floor sanders or other 240 volt construction tools will be more likely to use adapter cordsets they made themselves and plug them into range or dryer receptacles, right or wrong they have done that successfully for years. Or they have a pigtail they can connect to a breaker in the panel.

:lol: They already got that down too:p:

http://www.steambrite.com/electrica...fci-outlets-with-breakers-adapter-p-3838.html
 

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Came across this. Not sure if its a bright idea or a disaster waiting to happen. What do you guys think?

http://www.steambrite.com/power-joi...-240volt-4wire-20amp-650r-welder-p-14196.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hmtxWyOzIk



When I first read this post, like a lot on here I was in favor of it.

After more thought I changed my mind.

What if some one in a older house with knob and tube wiring
had a 240 volt 20 amp. Portable stack heater and had no receptacle for it.

And a friend offer to lone this unit to them until they could have
one installed.

Being an Electrician I know how much more 240 volts can be
Than 120 volts as far as being a fire hazard with a loose connection.
But most people don?t know this.

Now knob and tubing circuits may be OK for a 20 amp. Load at 120 volts and
I did say may be.
But I think it would be a very dangerous fire
Hazard at 240 volts on a knob and tubing circuit with a loose connection.

If this unit was mass produce and sold by the thousands it more
and likely would be used this way.

I?m not a fanatic on stray electromagnetic fields like a lot in this field, but
if I where I would be dead set against this unit being legal.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
When I first read this post, like a lot on here I was in favor of it.

After more thought I changed my mind.

What if some one in a older house with knob and tube wiring
had a 240 volt 20 amp. Portable stack heater and had no receptacle for it.

And a friend offer to lone this unit to them until they could have
one installed.

Being an Electrician I know how much more 240 volts can be
Than 120 volts as far as being a fire hazard with a loose connection
.
But most people don?t know this.

Now knob and tubing circuits may be OK for a 20 amp. Load at 120 volts and
I did say may be.
But I think it would be a very dangerous fire
Hazard at 240 volts on a knob and tubing circuit with a loose connection.

If this unit was mass produce and sold by the thousands it more
and likely would be used this way.

I?m not a fanatic on stray electromagnetic fields like a lot in this field, but
if I where I would be dead set against this unit being legal.

Explain, I think I know what your getting at but not fully sure. Current stays the same at 240 volts, but perhaps an arc fault?

Im not a fan either of the EMFs, but in resi it might not actually be a fire hazard where non metallic wiring methods are involved. However, conduit is another beast. The inductive heating would be obscene :eek:
 

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Explain, I think I know what your getting at but not fully sure. Current stays the same at 240 volts, but perhaps an arc fault?

Im not a fan either of the EMFs, but in resi it might not actually be a fire hazard where non metallic wiring methods are involved. However, conduit is another beast. The inductive heating would be obscene :eek:

I said loose connection and I meant a arc fault. And current across a resistive load such as an electric heater
doubles when you double the voltage.

I did not say the EMF would be fire hazard, but some believe it is a health hazard.

Thanks for the reply: Ronald
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
I said loose connection and I meant a arc fault. And current across a resistive load such as an electric heater
doubles when you double the voltage. I did not say the EMF would be fire hazard, but some believe it is a health hazard.
Thanks for the reply: Ronald

When you double the the voltage the current doubles?
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
Thanks, I am too guilty of saying something like that because I don't take the time to think
them out is the reason I did not say much more.

Ronald :)

Through a fixed resistance, of course. Ohm's Law: I=V/R


Got it. :thumbsup:
Thanks for the electricity 101 refresher. :ashamed1:
One of very first things you learn in school. Along with the higher the voltage the lower the current.
 

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Got it. :thumbsup:
Thanks for the electricity 101 refresher. :ashamed1:
One of very first things you learn in school. Along with the higher the voltage the lower the current.

That old myth is mainly from the way a dual voltage motor works by paralling the windings for a lower voltage or putting them inseries for a higher voltage.

Nothing to be upset about.

We all do that from time to time.

Ronald :)
 
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