new 230 volt line for new AC not working
#1
new 230 volt line for new AC not working
I purchased a new 24,000 BTU Maytag AC. It requires a dedicated 230-208 volt line with 20 amp breaker. I did all that. After first install AC would not turn on, returned it for another and still nothing. Regular tester shows current but cannot determin voltage. New 2 pole 20 amp breaker installed. Coould the breaker be bad. Can someone tell me about 230 volt and if I wired it right. I placed both white and black into a pole in the 2pole breaker and then the white and black on other end went to each side of a 20 amp receptacle. Thanks Jerry
#2
You probably bought a tandem breaker instead of a 240-volt double pole breaker. Is your breaker only 1" wide? Unless you have a GE panel, you need a breaker 2" wide. If you have a GE panel, you might be able to make it work by sliding the breaker one half slot down. A tandem breaker can produce 120 volts to ground, but there are zero volts between the two hot wires. While you're at the store to get the breaker, buy a voltmeter so that you can measure to see that you have 240 volts.