Can I plug a 220v appliance into a 120/240v outlet?

I'm not sure Ike what a 120/240 v outlet is. Do you mean 2-phase 240 v where it's 120 v on each side of neutral

I'd assume then it's a four prong plug: two "hot", one neutral or return, and one earth ground

If you manage to get it plugged in and turn on the appliance, said appliance will malfunction and stop working very quickly.

Why Ed should that happen if it's properly connected

If it is on 120 it is in no way properly connected. I have accidentally burned out a few motors by doing this. Accidentally, I say. Some appliances may or may not survive the ordeal, but I am pretty sure they will no longer function at full capacity.

From answers.com
NO! Check the rating on the device and if it says 120V only don't ever dare plug into 240V. Depending on the appliance the results will either be lots of sparks, large flashes or other undesirable side effects.

Another engineer's opinion
That answer above is for USA, Canada and other countries which use the 60Hz electrical service standard, for appliances which were designed to run only on that voltage and nothing higher.

Ed I still don't understand.

In your first para I assumed you're replying that Ike shouldn't connect his 220-v app to 120 v and I'd agree because, eg, stalling of the mechanism might lead to overheating but in reply I suggested it's probably okay to connect it across the 240-v terminals in spite of the supposed 20-v difference since these ratings are probably only nominal. If I'm wrong about that, my apologies to Ike

In your 2d para however you evidently suppose Ike has misread its label and that the app might be rated at 120 v, in which case of course he wouldn't want to connect it across the 240v terminals; but can't we suppose he'd realize this

Ike: Can you clarify your q and Ed: can you clarify your a

The man was very clear. He wants to plug a 220 into a 110. That gives the appliance about 50% power. It only gives half of a motor any power. What sense does it make?
On a different forum, TheLightWorks said:
"with half voltage, the motor will not be able to run at full speed. it will also overheat and burn out rapidly. for everything except resistance heating, and incandescent lighting, undervoltage is no less damaging than overvoltage."

Not very

He wants to plug a 220 into a 110.
[/quote]It reads "120/240v," presumably a 2 phase socket where either 220v or 440 v is available

Actually less than that. In the case of a resistance load it would be 25 percent (P=E^2/R) though with a motor it might be hard to guess, and would depend on the load

None of course

Yes that's approximately what I stated above

I'd question that as a blanket statement but yes, let's not encourage experimentation

You are talking about two different things here. The outlet being 120/240 means it won't arc over at those voltages. That is a rating, not the supplied voltage. That does not define the voltage supplied. In the US three prong, hot, neutral, ground, are almost always 120 volt, single phase. Do not plug a 220 volt appliance into that. It will not work and may damage the device. In the US 220 normally means two phase. Two hots, a neutral and ground.

What country are you in?

I see the posts above say essentially the same thing.

Aha! thank you Frank, I stand corrected, explains just a whole lot

Incidentally my typo above "...either 220v or 440 v is available" s/b "…120 v or 220 v"

The easy answer is, it depends! Example, my table saw can be ran on 120 or 240, but it depends on how you have the motor set up. I know if i set it up for 110 and I plug it into a 220 outlet, I will be looking for a new table saw. If the motor is set up for 220 and I plug it into 110, I doubt it will hurt the motor, but I also doubt that it will function correctly. In essence, your motor, your plug, your receptacle and your power source, all have to agree. That is why there are so many different configurations of plugs. With that said, I have done some wierd plug hook ups. Some of my plugs I like to have turn and twist so they stay in, but most of these are 220v. So I have a receptacle that is wired for 110 and has a 220 receptacle. The plug I have is a 220 plug, but it is all wired for 110. why would you do that you ask? I live 2 hours from the nearesr supplier and I had the 220 receptacle and the 220 twist plug and I need it done today. Now if I die and someone comes and plugs a 220 plug in there thinking they are going to operate a 220 appliance, good luck. Now, coversely, I would not hook up a 220 line to a 110 outlet as that could do some damage.

Some "heated" disagreements I see! Okay, the appliance is most likely a dryer.
If he does not have 220/240 volts (I have always heard these voltages used interchangably as 110 and 120 often are) to the receptacle, his dryer will probably run, but if the heating elements come on, they will come on half power, if at all. I would also venture to say that the motor to the dryer is probably hooked up to 110, although there have been a few that were 220, so if it is a 110 motor, his wiring would need to be hooked to the correct prong to have it work. Me, I would either get a 110 dryer or if it were my house run a 220 line. So, gsikes, the more specific you are with your question the more accurate your answers will be!

Wow, these guys have turned you question into a brawl. The short easy answer is yes, you can plug your 220v appliance into a 120/240v outlet provided the configuration of plug to receptacle is the same, and the outlet is wired for 240v. If the configuration is different, it will be because the ampacity rating of the appliance differs from the that of the rating of the receptacle.

Since it is two years later, i don't know if blackrussian is still there but here goes. I think i have the same question as dalehileman, that is, if i understand his question. i will give a concrete example. I have a new band saw that is rated for 240 volts (i don't think it can be rewired for 120) and 15 amps. I have a clothes drier receptacle in my garage that is a NEMA 14-30R. I am sure that this thing is what is called a combined 120/240 volt clothes dryer circuit set up so that the dryer heating element gets the 240 volts and the dryer electronic display, motor etc gets the 120 volts. So now, if i put at NEMA 14-30P plug onto to my bandsaw and plug it in, what will happen to the bandsaw? Kind of important to know. So, as a general question, what happens when you plug a straight 240 volt appliance (my band saw for example) into a hybrid clothes dryer circuit with 120/240 power?
thanks
Noahjlb

URL: http://able2know.org/topic/224306-1