how to put in a 220 outlet?

Answer 1

Determine your amperage needs based on the appliance that you will be plugging in. An electric stove needs about 40 amps. A lower-end MIG welder needs about 40 amps. Check the owners manual for your appliance. Buy a breaker (of the brand that matches your main panel box) that is the correct amperage for a 220 or (also known as 240 volt) outlet. I believe these run about $20 or so and are available from Lowes/etc.

First determine how far (in feet) the wire will have to travel from your main panel to the outlet. Ideally, this will be less than 100 feet. If the cord you will be using from the outlet to your appliance is lengthy, consider that in your total distance too. Use the link below and type in your parameters: voltage, amps, distance. Try several different wire guage sizes (smaller the size, the thicker the wire). You may find that 10guage is okay. Might need 8 guage instead. Wire has gotten expensive, so you will want to be precise. Probably best to use copper wire. Using the link below, be sure to keep your voltage drop under 5%. Upgrade the wire guage to lower the voltage drop.

In some areas (based on local codes) you will need to run conduit pipe to enclose your wiring. One easy way to determine if this is the case... look at the wiring for another 220 volt circuit. It it exposed romex? Or enclosed conduit? Bending conduit takes some practice, but you'll need 3/4inch pipe and a correpsonding pipe bender for this job. Also available at Lowes.

Purchase the appropriate Romex or individual rolls of wire of the correct guage size for your application. This is the predominate expense of this job. Wire has gotten expensive. If Romex, get some hefty sized staples to tack the wire into place.

Try to run the wire in one, uninterrupted, length. Trying to wire-nut this heavier guage wire can be done, but complicates things. If you are buying non-Romex inside conduit, you will need a red, black, and white wire. The conduit will be acting as your bare wire. If Romex, be sure it has a red, black, white, and bare or green wire.

The red and black wires each carry 110. These are connected to the two terminals on the 220 breaker that you bought. The white wire connects to the place in your main panel where all the other white wires connect. Green or bare wire connects to where all the bare wires connect. Follow what was done before. Good idea to wear the safety glasses while working in electrical panels. If you throw a spark, you wont be able to move fast enough to dodge it and you only get two eyes. Turn off your main breaker before removing cover panel if this is your first time in here.

The recepticle on the appliance end of your new outlet will need to match the plug on your appliance. You may find that in some cases (a new stove, for example) there is no plug and it just hard wires into your wiring inside a junction box. In other cases you will be able to determine your own plug. If this is the case, go with a twist lock 4 prong plug that accommodates the amperage rating of your appliance. The packaging of the outlet recepticle will advise you on making the wire connections.

You just saved yourself a couple hundred bucks worth of electrician labor. But if any of this sounds scary, call one.

Good luck !!

Answer 2

I believe you need a permit to install a new line but u could probably inquire over the phone with a contractor to be sure ..
220 is the two lines positive and negative together in ac and the ground for the opposite terminal hence 110&110=220

Answer 3

WELL, THOSE ANSWERS WERE HELPFUL. YOU DON'T SAY WHAT THE AMPS ARE YOU NEED AT THE OUTLET. LET'S ASSUME IT IS 30 AMP. YOU RUN A # 10 WIRE FROM THE BREAKER BOX TO WHERE 220 IS NEEDED, MOUNT A 2X4" BOX. BUY A 220 30 AMP OUTLET ATTACHE THE WHITE AND BLACK WIRES ACCORDINGLY. AT THE ELECTRICAL BOX, INSTALL A 30 AMP DOUBLE BREAKER ATTACHE THE WHI TE WIRE TO ONE SCREW, THE BLACK WIRE TO THE OTHER.

Answer 4

Go to the yellow pages and look under Electric. Call a professional. You can really get hurt(like killed) if you try DIY on this one.

Answer 5

If you have to ask this, call an electrician.