110 & 220 volts

[Fulgencio]

Hi,
I am planning to set up a vacation home with several friends in Europe where the voltage is 220/240. Since we have a lot of 110 v appliances that we can bring over, I have checked the wiring of the property and the receptacles have 2 hot wires and an insulated wire for grounding. It is connected to the bus bar of the main panel and the pole transformer of the utility shows a center connection that enters the bus bar of said panel. The same busbar is then grounded with ground bars. I know that the old NEC code allowed for the dryers to have a 3 prong receptacle with an insulated wire serving as both ground and neutral. I also know that article 250.140 of the NEC, allows for the use of the 3 prong wire still where the receptacle in the house is 3 wire. As such I want to cut off the receptacle of the 110 appliances, and wire one hot wire to a spade and the neutral to the ground pole of the new receptacle to obtain 110/120 volts. Testing shows I get about 117 volts from said connection. If I do this I can plug the 110 and 220 volt appliances without worrying that the 110 appliance will burn if inadvertently plugged to a 220 outlet. Is there anything else, I need to be concerned about?
Thanks

 

[charlie b]

What you are describing will cause the equipment grounding conductor to be carrying current at all times. That conductor is intended to carry current only for the rare times that a short circuit takes place, and it carries currenly only long enough to cause the breaker to trip. This modification of yours is essentially the same as faking a ground tester into believing that a non-grounded receptacle is grounded, by connecting the neutral and ground points on the receptacle to each other. It is forbidden by the NEC.

Do you have anything else to be concerned about? Yes. Electrocuting a member of your family.

 

[hillbilly1]

Not to hijack, but I would check the customs laws over there before figuring on taking any appliances over sea's, some countries have stiff import taxes designed to make you buy locally. I shipped some keypads to a job in Chile, and the taxes were $1200 on four $100 keypads!

 

[480sparky]

As opposed to purchasing a proper adapter for less than the cost of lunch?

 

[kbsparky]

Did you test the hot to ground in the other country? Me thinx there is NOT any 117 or 120 Volts available by configuring your connections thus.

You'll need a transformer at the least, or some other type of travel converter setup.

 

[ceb58]

Not to hijack, but I would check the customs laws over there before figuring on taking any appliances over sea's, some countries have stiff import taxes designed to make you buy locally. I shipped some keypads to a job in Chile, and the taxes were $1200 on four $100 keypads!

I agree, it would also seem just the shipping of these items would be more than if you bought the product there. Not to mention the hassle. Sounds like you will spend a $1.00 to save $0.10.