Diagonal Three Prong Outlet?

[Danoff]

I have a three pronged electrical outlet in my garage (at least I think it's an electrical outlet). The prongs are arranged as shown:

. / \
. --

(look at the lines, not the dots, and pretend the bottom one is one line)

It looks like a beefy power outlet - like as though it's for a major appliance. I'm running short on power outlets and I want to tap into it. Is there a power strip I can plug into this bad boy to hook up my appliances in the garage? I have a washer, dryer, and deep freezer. Optimally, I don't want to destroy any of them by hooking them up to the wrong kind of outlet.

I have multiple questions here:

- What's this type of outlet called?
- What's it for?
- How much can I hook up to it?
- Is there a serious power strip out there that will attach to it?

 

[Loon]

Not really sure, although it does remind of the kind that you plug a washer/dryer up too.

Wait, are these prongs or holes for prongs to go into?

 

[Kylehnat]

I know what you're talking about, but I think those kind of outlets are for high-voltage applications (230V). It's probably branched-off before the transformer that sends 120V to the rest of your house. Even if you could somehow plug into it, you'd likely fry your stuff.

 

[Danoff]

Not really sure, although it does remind of the kind that you plug a washer/dryer up too.

Wait, are these prongs or holes for prongs to go into?

Holes, it receives a three prong male cord.

I know what you're talking about, but I think those kind of outlets are for high-voltage applications (230V). It's probably branched-off before the transformer that sends 120V to the rest of your house. Even if you could somehow plug into it, you'd likely fry your stuff.

That's what I'm afraid of. But I'm out of outlets and I don't want to pay an electrician to make more for me (or do it myself and risk burning the place down). I'm still hoping for a way to tap into that thing because it's useless as it is. It sounds like I'd need a transformer to do that though...

 

[Kylehnat]

I think you're out of luck. As far as I know, there is no (simple) device that will step-down voltage like that. An electrician is your best bet, but they will charge you an arm and a leg to do it (even though what you want to do is about as simple as it gets for trained electricians).

 

[Boundary Layer]

Ya I believe that is 230V. You could install a little step-down transformer to convert it to 110V, but what's the point?
(edit: Might as well keep it incase you ever take up welding )

I'm no expert, but it'd probably be easier to just create a second circuit in your garage if you're lucky enough to have a few spares breakers on your breaker panel. In Canada you'd have to take out a work permit for this... not sure if it's the same there.

Oh, and I'd say if you can't identify the outlet, you'd better hire an electrician to do any of the work.

 

[SolidSnake15]

Here's the answer to your lack of outlets:

Buy a couple extension cords and power strips.👍

 

[Danoff]

Here's the answer to your lack of outlets:

Buy a couple extension cords and power strips.👍

Problem there being that I don't know how much I can load on one outlet. I can't imagine that a washer, dryer, and deep freeze (and occasionally a weed eater) on one outlet is a good idea.

 

[Kylehnat]

That's a lot of current to run through one set of wires . Maybe if you only ran one at a time...

 

[Boundary Layer]

Problem there being that I don't know how much I can load on one outlet. I can't imagine that a washer, dryer, and deep freeze (and occasionally a weed eater) on one outlet is a good idea.

What? Your washer and dryer aren't on a 230V circuit?
Hm.


Maybe you've checked numbers or tripped breakers already and that's why you're asking, or maybe not.
If not, check the energy consumption stickers on the appliances and compare with your breaker/fuse amperage. If the sum of the startup amperage of the motors in the washer & dryer & weed eater and the compressor in the freezer exceed the tripping current of the breaker then you could probably use another circuit... or at least have to avoid using (edit: er, starting) everything at once.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I have that outlet in my garage for my MIG welder.

 

[Slicks]

Are you in an older house, Danoff?

If I recall correctly that's a 240VAC outlet. High amperage, I believe 30 or 50A.

Thing is, they aren't used in modern applications. Different plugs are now used for high-amperage applications.

I doubt you'd be able to buy something off-the-shelf to plug into that. You could try an electrical supplier, or hire an electrician to fabricate a plug (He'd be able to figure out the voltage and amperage, as well as hook up a transformer to get it down to 120 and perhaps add a powerbar... Though it may not all be up to code. Not sure if it allows that type of thing.)

You may also consider hiring an electrician to replace the outlet with its' modern equivelant.


This is called a NEMA 10-30 plug (as in 30A), also available in 50A (NEMA 10-50).

I think that's what you were describing.

 

[Duke]

Dan:

It's probably a 240v dryer circuit. It shouldn't be hard to convert it into a 120v circuit if you know what you're doing, or it would only take less than an hour of an electrician's time if you don't.

They do not take 240v off the main line before the house panel; no transformer is involved. What they do is basically run two branch circuits from the panel to that outlet, and the two branches are hooked up out of phase with each other (house current is AC not DC like a battery). This makes 240v from the top of one wave to the bottom of the other wave, even though each branch itself is only 120v away from the neutral. An electrician should be able to disconnect and cap one of the conductors and install a regular 120v outlet in the box with ease.

Sorry I didn't see this sooner.

 

[Danoff]

Ok, I may add it to the list of things I need an electrician to do then. It would be nice to have a little extra power in the garage, and as far as I can tell, there is no need for such a large voltage.

 

[UnoMOTO]

I have 120v outlets at about 6 feet apart all the way around my garage. I also have a 240v for a welder and an air compressor. My garage was built by a master electrician and he did it up right. It’s also heated.

I do all of my own home improvements EXCEPT electrical work. I’d rather not burn my house down if I can avoid it. I hope you do the same as do it yourself electricial can be an shocking eye opener.

 

[Danoff]

I have 120v outlets at about 6 feet apart all the way around my garage. I also have a 240v for a welder and an air compressor. My garage was built by a master electrician and he did it up right. It’s also heated.

I do all of my own home improvements EXCEPT electrical work. I’d rather not burn my house down if I can avoid it. I hope you do the same as do it yourself electricial can be an shocking eye opener.

I've done some electrical work. Capped off live wires, replaced light switches, does replacing the thermostat count?

Mostly, though, I won't be messing with that stuff. I have a long list of stuff that needs to be done that has something electric going on though:

- Ceiling fan fixtures need to be installed and hooked up to the switch
- Extra power in the garage
- Recessed lighting needs to be installed
- I need GFI's in the kitchen, which I may do myself
- Also there's a dimmer switch that really needs to be replaced.

The first three I may have done professionally, especially the first 2. But it depends on how fast the price goes up as I add odd jobs.

As a slight aside, how do folks get their exterior lights to turn on automatically when it gets dark? Is that a special switch indoors?

 

[Keef]

We use these outlets at my work for our MIG and TIG welders. Ours are massive, probably 440V outlets, whereas yours is probably 220V for a cloths dryer or something like that.

EDIT: Tree'd by Duke.

 

[UnoMOTO]

I've done some electrical work. Capped off live wires, replaced light switches, does replacing the thermostat count?

sure...You get your weekend warrior cert for that kind of stuff 👍

- Ceiling fan fixtures need to be installed and hooked up to the switch

Always good for the professional to check due to how it would affect the voltage of the overall system.

- Extra power in the garage

Definetly for a professional

- Recessed lighting needs to be installed

I installed 6 cans in my basement but I had the electrican hook it up to the switches and the circuit breakers. I just spliced in the cans where I needed them. That part was easy. Black, white and the ground.

- I need GFI's in the kitchen, which I may do myself

Make sure you read the label well on the package. The first time I hooked mine up the outlet worked but the GFI wouldn't trip like it should have. The light was even on making me think I had done it right.

- Also there's a dimmer switch that really needs to be replaced.

Taking that switch to homedepot and they should be able to make sure you take the right one home.

The most frustrating part for me and electrical is when the wiring diagram colors don't match whats in my house.

As a slight aside, how do folks get their exterior lights to turn on automatically when it gets dark? Is that a special switch indoors?

Screw-In Photocell Light Control Turns Light On at Dusk and Off at Dawn Automatically

 

[Danoff]

Screw-In Photocell Light Control Turns Light On at Dusk and Off at Dawn Automatically

OMG! That's fantastic!

 

[Duke]

Yeah, they have all kinds of photo-activated things you screw into an existing socket. You can get motion-activated ones, too. The problem is making sure they get enough light to turn the fixture off during the day. I had one on my garage fixture and it was too heavily shaded - it never turned off.