USNRET Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 I have a closet where I am putting my networking and home security equipment. The closet has no electrical outlet but there is a single gang blank off that has 2 white, 2 back and a ground. The 2 whites are twisted together with a wire nut as are the black wires. At first I thought no problem either I will pigtail into the wire nuts or just connect all 4 to the available lugs on the outlet. I checked voltage and found 243 vac from neutral to hot. What's up here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 Is this on the backside of a wall that on the other side has a 230 Vac appliance? Like an electric oven? Dryer? It sure sounds like you've got 2 hots and no neutral. Sometimes the white wire is used as a hot but a good electrician will at least mark the stub out with a red marker or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 19, 2021 Author Share Posted February 19, 2021 The other side of the wall is the master bathroom vanity. This is directly (2-3 ft) below the closet light switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Hmmm.. weird but I would not let that stop ME. I don't know how comfortable you are about working with electricity. I would separate the wires and find out what loses power. If you're not good with that you may have to hire this out. An electrician would probably come in, go up in the attic and drop a new run down the wall and install a new outlet. If you're going to attempt anything be SAFE, keep your wits about you. For Heavens sake NO cocktails. First thing turn off breakers until the 230 volts goes off, while you separate the wires. 230 volts will kill you dead fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 That's not good to have two hots with that color wiring. You should have 120V from the ground to each indicating something in there is running on 220 or they are using each hot separately for 120 volt outlets or lights. This is the cheapo way of using one wire run for multiple outlets. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, babadono said: Hmmm.. weird but I would not let that stop ME. I don't know how comfortable you are about working with electricity. I would separate the wires and find out what loses power. If you're not good with that you may have to hire this out. An electrician would probably come in, go up in the attic and drop a new run down the wall and install a new outlet. If you're going to attempt anything be SAFE, keep your wits about you. For Heavens sake NO cocktails. First thing turn off breakers until the 230 volts goes off, while you separate the wires. 230 volts will kill you dead fast. I am fairly confident however this is a new to me house with several subpanels and poorly marked. I will get an electrician in when. The cameras, NVR, HDMI baluns and extenders are to be installed first of the week so I can always run an extension cord to the UPS that is powering the rack as the extension is heavy duty and the equipment doesn't really draw much. Modem, gateway, 16 channel NVR with 9 POE cameras, NAS and 24 port POE switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, JJkizak said: You should have 120V from the ground Excellent point. Did you measure the whites to the ground? And the blacks to the ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, babadono said: Excellent point. Did you measure the whites to the ground? And the blacks to the ground? Just did, 120 each to ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skelt Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Does the bathroom have 220v baseboard heaters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Ok so definitely two hots. So in your previous post did you say you do have an electrician coming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Just now, USNRET said: Just did, 120 each to ground. Then they wired your bath closet to each one with hot to ground for 120 volts. Check your panel to see if they used two 120 circuit breakers or one 220 breaker. Some city electrical codes put the kabash on that kind of setup. You will find this a lot when people don't want to spend the extra money for the wire. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Remote possibility..... did you you look in the light switch electrical box? You MIGHT have a neutral in there. Of course not to the switch but just wire nutted together with some other neutral wires as a tie point. If so you just have to get 1 wire down from that neutral to where you want to put the outlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 5 minutes ago, JJkizak said: Then they wired your bath closet to each one with hot to ground for 120 volts. Check your panel to see if they used two 120 circuit breakers or one 220 breaker. Some city electrical codes put the kabash on that kind of setup. You will find this a lot when people don't want to spend the extra money for the wire. JJK Will do that in daylight. If one? If two can I open one, separate and cap then wire the outlet normally assuming I don't lose power to something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 1 minute ago, babadono said: Remote possibility..... did you you look in the light switch electrical box? You MIGHT have a neutral in there. Of course not to the switch but just wire nutted together with some other neutral wires as a tie point. If so you just have to get 1 wire down from that neutral to where you want to put the outlet. I think I saw one but will check tomorrow in light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 I'll have to pull the switch to get a good take on the run but it looks like 2 runs of romex running thru the light switch box and split out with two hots on one side of the switch and one on the other Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 You have to take the time to figure out what is being fed and what breaker feeds it before you get into trouble. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 3 minutes ago, USNRET said: but will check tomorrow in light. Ok good night If i understand what @JJkizak is getting at, he thinks they might have used the bare copper ground wire to carry neutral current in part of your house? That is a No-No. The only thing neutral about neutral is it is bonded to ground at some point in your service entrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 @USNRET did this get resolved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 31 minutes ago, babadono said: @USNRET did this get resolved? Hired an electrician. He scratched his head at the 240 wires but what he was charging I just had him go up in the attic and tap into the living room outlets run. $250 for the drop but he responded within a couple of hours on a Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 4 minutes ago, USNRET said: Hired an electrician. He scratched his head at the 240 wires but what he was charging I just had him go up in the attic and tap into the living room outlets run. $250 for the drop but he responded within a couple of hours on a Saturday. Cool...carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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