2 pole breaker

I got a new dryer and after i tried to run it...i found out that the i am not getting 220v between read and black...i tested the lugs on the breaker also at the breaker box and found that between read and black there i am also getting zero...My question: If the breaker itself is bad, would i still be getting a reading of 110v across the other two legs of the circuit?

 

What brand of panel do you have? Federals and some others(I forget which) have a plastic divider that needs to be straddled to get 240. You need to move breaker down one slot and put the divider in the middle of the breaker. Both poles of the breaker are on the same leg.

 

yes you are describing the panel right...that is the way that it is hooked up...with the divider...but the 220 still isn't working...the panel is federal pacific electric company

 

The divider in the center of the breaker,,, not next to it? take the tester and carefully test the poles after removing the breaker. Check between ones next to each other. If you are getting nothing pole to pole and 120 from each pole to neutral then its obvious they are on the same leg.

 

i am reading zero across the divider...what is the easiest way to correct this?

 

Whats the reading between that and the next one? snap it on where you get a 240 reading

 

i only have two possible places to put the breaker...and both places are reading zero

 

You may need to move one of the 120V breakers to gain a space,, what brand of panel?

 

the brand is federal pacific electric company

it is a very small box..there are four places in which you can put a 2 pole breaker...two places on each side of the panel box...and i checked in all possible places for 220 and i am always getting zero...i'm not sure if it ever worked or not...is there supposed to be a hot wire connected to the center part?

this is the first time i have ever had to deal with 220...hope i don't sound too stupid

 

I am not sure of the panel type you have, most fed stab loc panels I thought you could install 2 pole anywhere, list the model and maybe we get some help here in morning from someone else more familiar wit old federals

 

i don't have any model numbers or anythng...it is a very old panel box...i'll take a picture of it and upload it tomorrow....


thanks for the help...you got me further than i would have on my own

 

Check the feed coming into that panel. Measure across the feeds. It sounds like a sub panel by the size. Is it fed by a double pole breaker? Perhaps that breaker is installed wrong. Or some one could have fed it from a single pole breaker and jumped the to hot legs in the panel. This could be a 120 only setup.

 

Not every home even has 240-volt service from the power company. Do you have any other 240-volt appliances? How old is the house? Is this a main panel or a subpanel?

 

thats a thought that certainly had not occurred to me, that the panel was fed with only 120. A picture will certainly help, close up with the cover off.

 

there are few home use 120 volts 30 amp service that getting rare now today but still see it in service.

look at main fuse or breaker and it should tell you what amprage it is.

also look at meter socket if you see service entrence wire it should able tell by size itself if less than half inch wide and about near half inch thick that is small wire i belive #8 but if you have over head service you can look at the loop connetion and see how many you have if you have 3 wire at top ( this is overhead ) then good chance you have 120/240 other wise if you see two wire then it is straght 120 volts.

myself i did see few odd balls service to house they use other voltage but it is long explation here so i will leave it here and stick to orginal subject here.

merci, marc

 

Thanks guys...I looked ouside at the meter and it is a 30 120v meter...looks pretty new too...i'm guessing the 220 circuit was installed before the new meter...i learned my lesson not to buy a new appliance until i can be sure i can use it in the house...any ideas on how much it will cost me to get a meter that will handle 220?...and would i call the electic company or a contractor?

 

ok the next step is concat electral contractor to upgrade your service box and yes you will have to info the poco for service upgrading but to upgrading it the minuim size is 100 amp service but can go larger than that depending on your house setup and check with few contracors to see the cost. i can't tell the price yet because the size of house and location of service , etc etc





merci , marc

 

Wow, I have never run across a 120 v service, but if I was doing an upgrade I would go to 200 and be done with it.

 

this is the first time i have ever seen it also...what gets me is that there is a 220 plug in the house...would've thought they would make that thing usable at least


*Edit*
Someone at work today told me about a converter that allows you to get 220 from a 110 outlet...i looked online for it and couldn't find it...has anyone ever heard of these?

 

We talked about the converter here and I am not even going to post the link. It wouldnt work anyway there as you still need 240V service for it to work. Its not a good device and is very misleading. It uses 2 120 circuits and is just plain,, not a good plan.