Hay, i have a question about getting 220v from a 110v line.

I have 110v come in on one phase. Can I use a thing that needs 220v by connecting two phase wires to it? 110+110=220

 

Please start a new thread if pursuing a different topic.

Yes, that's why 220 breakers catch both hot phases in the breaker box.

 

Hay, i have a question about getting 220v from a 110v line.
I have 110v come in on one phase. Can I use a thing that needs 220v by connecting two phase wires to it? 110+110=220

No. You will still have 110V, by the way I see it. You need two phases 180 degrees ou of phase, which is impossible to get.

Yes, that's why 220 breakers catch both hot phases in the breaker box.

I don't want to contradict you but where this happens? In my country, as well as in whole Europe, we have 230V (formerly 220V) and have a phase and a neutral, not two phases 180 degrees out of phase. And in triphase systems we have three phases 120 degrees out of phase. Never seen two phases 180 degrees out of phase. The closest thing I saw was biphase systems 90 degrees out of phase.

 

In UK and Europe, the 3 phase supply is 400v (previously 415v). The 400v is measured between phases. Domestic customers get one of these phases and a neutral (230v), and the electricity companies aim to load each of the phases as evenly as possible (which keeps the neutral current low).

A formula: Vline = Vphase / sq root 3

Vline is the voltage between one phase and neutral
Vphase is the voltage between phases

So if you're getting 110v into the house, that implies a phase (to phase) voltage of 190v. That might be close enough for what you want to do, but of course it assumes that you can get a 3 phase supply. Incidentally, the phase to phase voltage is not dependant on the phase angle displacement - they don't add to increase the voltage!

If you don't already have a 3 phase supply, why not use a transformer instead? Then you can pretty much have any secondary voltage you like! It just depends on the winding ratios.

 

Since Arthur92710 lives in the US of A, his house runs on "split phase." It works like this: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_10/1.html

In most breaker boxes, the two busses "take turns" going down each row of breakers. The top left breaker, for example, will be on the "black" phase, and the second breaker will be on the "red" phase.

Any hardware store will carry ganged two-pole breakers for 240Vac operation. Be sure you know who manufactured your panel, as each maker has a different physical configuration for their breakers.

 

In the European, Australasian 3 phase system, each 230volt phase is 120 degrees out of phase. I understand the US 2 phase system is 180 degrees out, so the voltage is doubled across the phases.

 

Since Arthur92710 lives in the US of A, his house runs on "split phase." It works like this: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_10/1.html

In most breaker boxes, the two busses "take turns" going down each row of breakers. The top left breaker, for example, will be on the "black" phase, and the second breaker will be on the "red" phase.

Any hardware store will carry ganged two-pole breakers for 240Vac operation. Be sure you know who manufactured your panel, as each maker has a different physical configuration for their breakers.

Correct. What you have is a single phase at 220 V with a center tap which is the grounded neutral so you have 220 V between bot ends which are both "live".

 

this type of distribution seems unique to US.
i learned about it myself only upon joining this forum about 7 months ago.
its quite interesting.
i recall that the mains has two hots (i usually refer to as live) both providing 110 volts at
180 degree electrically apart.

 

In UK and Europe, the 3 phase supply is 400v (previously 415v).

No. Previously 240/415 in the UK and 220/380 in the rest of Europe.

 

Since Arthur92710 lives in the US of A, his house runs on "split phase." It works like this: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_10/1.html
...

Split phase? But both phases must have to be 180º out of phase right?

If is that so, I must present my apologies to beenthere. In Europe, there are no situations like these in the electrical grid, or it is triphase, or monophase. There might be some biphase systems 90º out of phase, but that is associated with systems that are apart from the electrical grid.

So, beenthere, I present my apologies for being so ignorant.

 

Its not that "both" phases are 180 apart. There is one and only one phase, with the voltage & current on each leg 180 apart. Ground is in the middle.

It works just like a center-tapped transformer.