The situation...  Moving computer room...  Admin didn't notice that the UPS was 240 volts.  New computer room extremely well wired, but for 120.  Each outlet pair (two plugs) in the new room is running off a 20 amp circut dedicated to these two plugs.  A total of 11 separate 20 amp circuts.

Can conversion to 240 be accomplished on one of these outlets with current wiring or must new wires run from the breaker panel.

I've never messed with 240 before.

Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though.

Transformers!

More than meets the eyes!

Quoted: Transformers! More than meets the eyes!

Even for a high load device?

Quoted: Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though.

Yep.

Quoted: Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though.

What if he doesn't need a neutral ? Couldn't it be a three wire 220 circuit (Load+load+ground) ?

Quoted: Quoted: Transformers! More than meets the eyes! Even for a high load device?

Ya got me there chief-a-rino.

Visibly, the current plug is a thick round one, very different from a dryer.  I can't tell you the prong pattern, because I'm not at liberty to unplug it.

Don't know if this helps...

Quoted: Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with connecting a 2-wire to a 2-pole breaker.  Just make sure that the receptacle you plan on converting to a 220 line is DEDICATED.  If there are other 120v receptacles on the circuit, you will be making them 220 also, which you don't want to do.  You should call an electrician to make sure you don't do anything unsafe.  

Quoted: Quoted: Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though. There is absolutely nothing wrong with connecting a 2-wire to a 2-pole breaker.  Just make sure that the receptacle you plan on converting to a 220 line is DEDICATED.  If there are other 120v receptacles on the circuit, you will be making them 220 also, which you don't want to do.  You should call an electrician to make sure you don't do anything unsafe.

We rent the building, so I'm not about to do anything the landlord will flip over.  I just want to understand, and have a plan.  Why this sucks is I've already budgeted for the move, and this wasn't in it.  I'm not too concerned now that it seem like a nobrainer (for a pro).

Quoted: Visibly, the current plug is a thick round one, very different from a dryer.  I can't tell you the prong pattern, because I'm not at liberty to unplug it. Don't know if this helps...

If it says "NEMA 6-20P", it's a 20 Amp, 240V plug.

If it says "NEMA 6-30P", it's a 30 amp, 240v plug.

It might be a twist-lock-does it have one prong with a little "nub" to lock it in place when you twist it in?

For more information on this, do a google search for "NEMA configurations"

If you post a picture of the plug or let me know what the lettering on the plug says, I can give you more of an idea.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quoted:
Tecnically it can, you can connect the hot & neutral to each side of the panel buss and use the ground for your neutral. Won't be to code though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You don't need neutral for a 240V circut unless the appliance (such as a dryer) has a timer or light that operates on 120V's. The 2 wires in a 240V circut are both hot then neutral equally @ 60 cycles each per second. Tthe current passes one direction through then the opposite direction...YOu would connect both coated wires in the panel to the Double Pole Breaker and the bare to ground...in most cases the neutral bar would also work as long as it is bonded to the panel and grounded.

Make sure the ampacity of your equipment matches the recepticle and the breaker to the wire size.
14ga wire 15amps
12 ga wire 20amps
10 ga wire 30amps



MT

Weird stuff...

The the UPS is an APC DL3000RM3U.  I found specs for the SU3000RM3U.  It says it's a 120 volt system with a NEMA L5-30P plug.  I didn't know that there were 120 volt systems with what appears to be 240 volt type plugs.  Again, I don't know much about this stuff...

The wire is a 10/3 Type SL.

We don't have an 'IT' department per se.  We are a small company, and vend out that function to a company that's not to good(hence the late discovery).

Ah. it sounds like it's 120V, but just has a 30 amp plug as opposed to a conventional 20 amp plug.

Figure out how many amps you're going to draw. If it's less than 20, just change the plug.

If it's more than 20, then you probably don't have big enough wiring to the new outlet anyway.

The model you are describing has a twistlock 120V 30A plug on it. This IS NOT a 240V device unless it states otherwise on the device! Look at the information panel first before you blow things up!

-Foxxz

Quoted: The model you are describing has a twistlock 120V 30A plug on it. This IS NOT a 240V device unless it states otherwise on the device! Look at the information panel first before you blow things up! -Foxxz

Yeah, I know that now...  I've still got to get an electrician to upgrade the circut to 30 amps.
Electricity is a weak area of knowledge to me...  Hell, I didn't even know such a variety of plug configs (NEMA) existed.

Quoted: The wire is a 10/3 Type SL.

Is that the cord wire from the equipment ?

To up grade the outlet from 20 amp to a 30amp
the wire from the panel will need to be 10gauge also.

GM