I have heard of a plugin box that marries 2 100v outlets and also includes the transformer that creates a single 208v outlet for big copiers. My buddy has been unable to find an example to buy. Does anyone know of these or where to buy them? Thanks.
I think you’re looking for a Step Up Transformer. It wouldn’t marry 2 110 volt outlets, though. It just plugs into one, and the box has a plug for the higher voltage. You won’t get more total power out of the circuit*, so it’s important to know exactly how much power you need and exactly the correct voltage before purchasing.
*A 20Amp 110V circuit is going to limit you to 2200Watts no matter what voltage it’s set at. Of course, you probably get plenty of losses with the transformer, so you’re power limit will be even less than that.
It’s 2 different things.
One is a step up transformer that converts 110v to 220v (208v)
The other is, well basically 2 normal 110v plugs, that you plug one into one outlet and the second into another outlet but on a different circuit and one that is not in the same phase, this gives you 220V if the circuits are 180 degrees out of phase and 208V if the circuits are 120 degrees out of phase. This is the same as how your circuit box gets 220V or 208V.
The 220V and 208V are regional differences depending on the power company wiring of their transformers, in practice for the end user they are, or at least always should be, interchangeable.
I’ll add that the outlets required may be located some distance apart, or even in a different room. Might be better to have a qualified person add a dedicated circuit with the required capacity.
While this is technically possible, it would basically require the 110V outlets to be wired specifically to allow this use. Otherwise, you’ll be searching different outlets on different circuits hoping to find two that happen to have the correct phase and are close enough to connect to a single device.
I would also suspect that no manufacturer is going to try a make a device that works this way, it’s a very awkward way to get 220V.
FWIW, is this the device that you’re talking about?
http://www.quick220.com/220_catalog/voltage-converters.html
Not endorsing this as a good idea either way, just putting it out there.
You can cobble this up from old extension cords and a standalone socket as well (in the US at least, going to a Lowes should get you everything you need).
I’ve done this before to get some emergency welding done with a 240V welder when only 120V outlets were around. It’s not the safest of practices, so if this is permanent stuff you should get an electrician to put in a dedicated circuit and be done with it.
Why? Because in an overcurrent/short situation you want BOTH 120V wires to trip out and leave the point of use device cold. If they’re on separate circuits it’s extremely likely that only one will trip and leave the other hot, which could be busily shocking you.
Also beware of backward wired 120V outlets (hot/neutral swapped). They’re not uncommon, and this sort of thing relies on them being wired correctly.
Good luck!
Notice how the link above includes a device that tests for proper polarity - and does not say much else. I suspect that’s exactly what that is
the safe method is to use a ganged 220V breaker with wiring that intended for that.
if the 110V circuit carried enough power to run the device through a setup transformer then that would be safe.
It says a little more than that:
While I can see the use, I’m surprised there’s enough demand for something like this that someone makes one commercially.
But why is the circuit shocking you at all ? I see no better or worse protection from having two circuit breakers over having one for any reason the welder is getting shocked.
Notionally two phase is safer since the maximum swing from the local earth is 110 V RMS AC … your insulation (eg clothing ) has a better chance to hold off the lower voltage.
Compare to 240 volt AC from a single phase… its a got a higher DC voltage above (below) ground…