Tapping into 220V circuit

From what you are asking, you should be calling in a professional electrician to do a proper job for you. The installation has to be safe, and also meet the regulations for safety. There are strict standards that have to be complied to.

--

JANA _____

We'd like to run a 220V air conditioner during our hot summers by tapping off the oven's circuit (for reasons I won't go into here, the oven is never used). The wiring has its own conduit and junction box in an adjacent cupboard in the kitchen -- it's readily accessible.

How much effort is involved in adding a few 220V plugs into this junction box? Is it easy enough for an neophyte to handle?

You may have another little problem: the "220V" may in reality be only as high as 208V. Many apartment buildings are using a 3 phase supply and not the single split phase supply that houses are normally using so instead of having two 120V and one 240V available you have one 120V and one 208V (phase to phase in the 3 phase system). Your AC, if built for a split phase residential system was intended to operate at 240V, at 208V (never tried that) the compressor may not have enough torque to start. But it will definitely operate with really crappy efficiency and may even get toasted because of the higher current the induction motors need to suck to provide the same torques as when they operate at 240V. I would suggest you first determine which type of supply your building has, before even trying to tap into the "220V" circuit.

...sm

I would not advise this for numerous reasons. First and foremost, it's an apartment. Unless you're the building owner, adding unauthorized wiring and/or plugs could get you evicted in a big hurry.

Second: You have no way to know for certain how the extra load will affect existing breakers and wiring.

Third, and perhaps most important: What you describe will likely violate local electrical codes.

I would ask your landlord or manager about getting an extra outlet put in. If no joy there, you may want to consider moving (or, better yet, have you looked into getting your own place?)

Keep the peace(es).

Thanks for the info. If you could see this place you'd know just how funny your response is. The complex is totally fend-for-yourself; the owner and property manager simply can't be bothered... None of the 110V outlets in the complex are grounded, no GFCI in the bathrooms, etc. In fact the bathroom features a dimmer switch controlling the fan, so that if the switch isn't turned all the way up the fan begins to stall and burn out. Beyond ridiculous. Each apartment is held together with a different assortment of string and duct tape. How it's passed code over the years or hasn't already burned to the ground is beyond us. But in any case one more kludge will go completely unnoticed.

The way the complex is constructed, there is no access to wall interiors (we couldn't even get a second phone line put in), and neither of the last two suggestions is an option for us financially, at least at this point.

Why a 220 V AC? Why not a 120V?

Does the stove plug in?

Not enough juice. 120V units only go to ~12000btu, which is what we have now, and it's not enough to put much of a dent in the heat. Beside the fact it's on the same circuit as the living room, dining area AND kitchen (including the fridge and microwave oven). We're constantly tripping the breakers.

No.

Convert the stove to plug in (standard parts from Home Depot). That'll be almost unnoticeable to any inspection.

Make up an adaptor to let you plug the A/C into the socket. Do check the voltages first to be sure you have enough - check at the breaker panel or at the stove (unplug element). The warning about 208 is correct.

That's not really a good idea, there's no reason you can't learn enough on your own to safely install a new circuit but if you don't know what you're doing please call in someone who does, it's not worth burning the place down or getting electrocuted.

Something reasonably safe you can do yourself is to put an oven power cord on a box with a 240v outlet for your A/C on it and plug it in that way but don't go hacking in permanent circuits connected to the oven circuit.

Yikes, isn't there anything else around that's at least a little better? That place sounde like a health hazzard.