120/240 volt receptacle?

[K8MHZ]

I am putting this in Continuing Education because, well, because I learned something and thought I would share it here.

I had a person show me a load controller with receptacles on the side in a catalog of electrical stuff. The pic wasn't clear, but it looked like your basic 120 volt non decora type receptacle.

The description said, 'dual voltage receptacles accept either 120 or 240 volt plugs'.

Hmm.....

I have never heard of such a thing. But they are out there. Here is a pic.

That's a Leviton sold on Amazon.

I have been at this a long time and have never seen such a receptacle. Have I been asleep at the wheel or is this just such a rare item it's not uncommon for them to never be seen in the wild?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

When I was a first year, we did an apartment complex and used those for the receptacle at the wall mount air conditioner rough in box. The receptacle was fed with a two pole 20 amp breaker. This same breaker also served the electric baseboard heat in that room. The tenent had to provide their own air conditioners and this would let them choose a 120 volt one or a 240 volt one without having to make any changes in the fixed electrical wiring.
That was the only job that I ever installed one of those one.

 

[kwired]

I am putting this in Continuing Education because, well, because I learned something and thought I would share it here.

I had a person show me a load controller with receptacles on the side in a catalog of electrical stuff. The pic wasn't clear, but it looked like your basic 120 volt non decora type receptacle.

The description said, 'dual voltage receptacles accept either 120 or 240 volt plugs'.

Hmm.....

I have never heard of such a thing. But they are out there. Here is a pic.

That's a Leviton sold on Amazon.

I have been at this a long time and have never seen such a receptacle. Have I been asleep at the wheel or is this just such a rare item it's not uncommon for them to never be seen in the wild?

Not exactly a dual voltage receptacle, I'd call it a duplex with two different rated receptacles on same yoke.

Are they new? I don't believe so. I think I have seen something like that before - and in an older installation.

Not really any different concept than putting a receptacle in one spot and a switch in the other on same yoke.

 

[roger]

I don't have a 2011 NECH, but in earlier versions a dual voltage duplex receptacle is shown as an example under 210.4. We used them under a restaurant bar once for 208v mixers and what ever might need 120V at the same locations.

Roger

 

[fmtjfw]

I think I have seen them in hallways for cleaning equipment and HEAVY DUTY cleaning equipment

 

[texie]

And the OP photo shows a new and modern self grounding version at that. Bet that's a stock item at the local supply house:happyno:

 

[fmtjfw]

These are an earlier version. You could wire them for either 120 or 240 and they were grounding to boot!:happysad:

 

[kwired]

View attachment 7570

These are an earlier version. You could wire them for either 120 or 240 and they were grounding to boot!:happysad:

That is no different than the 30 and 50 amp versions commonly used for ranges and dryers. I have run into many of them - never a situation requiring a neutral conductor though. I could be wrong but I don't think the yoke is bonded to the neutral. I might even have one of those in shop. may have to check that out.

 

[fmtjfw]

That is no different than the 30 and 50 amp versions commonly used for ranges and dryers. I have run into many of them - never a situation requiring a neutral conductor though. I could be wrong but I don't think the yoke is bonded to the neutral. I might even have one of those in shop. may have to check that out.

Every one I've seen has the yoke bonded to the neutral.

 

[K8MHZ]

Every one I've seen has the yoke bonded to the neutral.

Even if the third prong is silver in color and flat, not 'D' shaped?

 

[K8MHZ]

View attachment 7570

These are an earlier version. You could wire them for either 120 or 240 and they were grounding to boot!:happysad:

I've seen those. Just never a receptacle you could plug a 120 and a 240 plug in at the same time.

 

[kwired]

Every one I've seen has the yoke bonded to the neutral.

Found the one I thought I might have - the yoke is not bonded to any of the terminals, my guess is it is intended to be "non grounding" type receptacle just like the three wire range and dryer receptacles are. Will not say that it stopped people from using as a "grounding" type receptacle - because that is all I have ever seen them used as, I have never seen one that had a neutral load connected to it.

 

[K8MHZ]

Found the one I thought I might have - the yoke is not bonded to any of the terminals, my guess is it is intended to be "non grounding" type receptacle just like the three wire range and dryer receptacles are. Will not say that it stopped people from using as a "grounding" type receptacle - because that is all I have ever seen them used as, I have never seen one that had a neutral load connected to it.

For a range the lights need the neutral for 120 volts.

I think the timers on dryers are also 120 volts.

I had my doubts that the connector with the tin or nickel plating was meant to be connected to a ground.

These are the kind used 'back in the day' when the neutral was used as an EGC, were they not?

 

[kwired]

For a range the lights need the neutral for 120 volts.

I think the timers on dryers are also 120 volts.

I had my doubts that the connector with the tin or nickel plating was meant to be connected to a ground.

These are the kind used 'back in the day' when the neutral was used as an EGC, were they not?

The motor in most dryers also is 120 volts.

True that every one of these I have ever seen used the "neutral" terminal as an EGC. I question whether or not there ever was a common application where the neutral was used as the EGC for other than ranges and dryers and the building fed from another structure situation? Maybe it was allowed, but what existed (that you would connect via cord and plug) where it was desirable to even think about this, especially in a dwelling unit?

 

[fmtjfw]

For a range the lights need the neutral for 120 volts.

I think the timers on dryers are also 120 volts.

I had my doubts that the connector with the tin or nickel plating was meant to be connected to a ground.

These are the kind used 'back in the day' when the neutral was used as an EGC, were they not?

I'm dig up four of the creatures, 3 receptacles and 1 plug.

1) plug Leviton Made in U.S.A.
Straight prong longer than angled prongs -- marked GROUND (UL).
Angled Prongs marked 10A - 250V 15A - 120V
Metal cable clamp not bonded to ground prong
Fits all receptacles below.

2) single receptacle MADE IN U.S.A. HUBBELL on back
Front 10A. 250V. 15A. 125V.
Angled slots are also straight slots, accepting a standard 2 prong 125V. 15A. plug.
Angled slots binding screws.
Brass strap from yoke to grounding "binding screw". Binding screw replaced with a rivet for the brass strap.

3) single receptacle BRYANT U.S.A. 20A. 250V. Slots longer than "2)" and "4" but "1)" will fit in it.
All wiring connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot screw marked G.R. and not bonded with yoke.

4) duplex receptacle BRYANT 15A. 125V. 10A. 250V. U.S.A.
All angled connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot "connection" marked G.R. but is blank, no screw hole.
Grounding slots interconnected, but not connected to yoke or to "blank" above. Yoke is loose, perhaps defective.

So there you are a mixed bag!

 

[K8MHZ]

The motor in most dryers also is 120 volts.

True that every one of these I have ever seen used the "neutral" terminal as an EGC. I question whether or not there ever was a common application where the neutral was used as the EGC for other than ranges and dryers and the building fed from another structure situation? Maybe it was allowed, but what existed (that you would connect via cord and plug) where it was desirable to even think about this, especially in a dwelling unit?

Lots of stuff used to use the neutral as an EGC. For instance, old radios, old amplifiers, pretty much anything with a metal chassis that existed before a separate grounding conductor was part of the system.

 

[K8MHZ]

I'm dig up four of the creatures, 3 receptacles and 1 plug.

1) plug Leviton Made in U.S.A.
Straight prong longer than angled prongs -- marked GROUND (UL).
Angled Prongs marked 10A - 250V 15A - 120V
Metal cable clamp not bonded to ground prong
Fits all receptacles below.

2) single receptacle MADE IN U.S.A. HUBBELL on back
Front 10A. 250V. 15A. 125V.
Angled slots are also straight slots, accepting a standard 2 prong 125V. 15A. plug.
Angled slots binding screws.
Brass strap from yoke to grounding "binding screw". Binding screw replaced with a rivet for the brass strap.

3) single receptacle BRYANT U.S.A. 20A. 250V. Slots longer than "2)" and "4" but "1)" will fit in it.
All wiring connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot screw marked G.R. and not bonded with yoke.

4) duplex receptacle BRYANT 15A. 125V. 10A. 250V. U.S.A.
All angled connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot "connection" marked G.R. but is blank, no screw hole.
Grounding slots interconnected, but not connected to yoke or to "blank" above. Yoke is loose, perhaps defective.

So there you are a mixed bag!

Interesting .

 

[cpinetree]

I am putting this in Continuing Education because, well, because I learned something and thought I would share it here.

I had a person show me a load controller with receptacles on the side in a catalog of electrical stuff. The pic wasn't clear, but it looked like your basic 120 volt non decora type receptacle.

The description said, 'dual voltage receptacles accept either 120 or 240 volt plugs'.

Hmm.....

I have never heard of such a thing. But they are out there. Here is a pic.

That's a Leviton sold on Amazon.

I have been at this a long time and have never seen such a receptacle. Have I been asleep at the wheel or is this just such a rare item it's not uncommon for them to never be seen in the wild?

Leviton 5842 ivory used many of them for well equipment in Florida, mostly prior to in-use cover requirements and GFCI on the well equipment

 

[fmtjfw]

I'm dig up four of the creatures, 3 receptacles and 1 plug.

1) plug Leviton Made in U.S.A.
Straight prong longer than angled prongs -- marked GROUND (UL).
Angled Prongs marked 10A - 250V 15A - 120V
Metal cable clamp not bonded to ground prong
Fits all receptacles below.

2) single receptacle MADE IN U.S.A. HUBBELL on back
Front 10A. 250V. 15A. 125V.
Angled slots are also straight slots, accepting a standard 2 prong 125V. 15A. plug.
Angled slots binding screws.
Brass strap from yoke to grounding "binding screw". Binding screw replaced with a rivet for the brass strap.

3) single receptacle BRYANT U.S.A. 20A. 250V. Slots longer than "2)" and "4" but "1)" will fit in it.
All wiring connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot screw marked G.R. and not bonded with yoke.

4) duplex receptacle BRYANT 15A. 125V. 10A. 250V. U.S.A.
All angled connections side screw, back clamp holes for wires
Grounding slot "connection" marked G.R. but is blank, no screw hole.
Grounding slots interconnected, but not connected to yoke or to "blank" above. Yoke is loose, perhaps defective.

So there you are a mixed bag!

Sounds like the straight blade was identified for grounding rather than grounded.

250.126 Identification of Wiring Device Terminals. The terminal for the connection of the equipment grounding conductor shall be identified by one of the following:
(1) A green, not readily removable terminal screw with a hexagonal head.
(2) A green, hexagonal, not readily removable terminal nut.
(3) A green pressure wire connector. If the terminal for the grounding conductor is not visible, the conductor entrance hole shall be marked with the word green or ground, the letters G or GR, a grounding symbol, or otherwise identified by a distinctive green color. If the terminal for the equipment grounding conductor is readily removable, the area adjacent to the terminal shall be similarly marked.

 

[TOOL_5150]

View attachment 7570

These are an earlier version. You could wire them for either 120 or 240 and they were grounding to boot!:happysad:

Hey, thats cool... I took that pic!!