240v line...did my Electrician do it right?

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AnIgnorantPerson

Limp Gawd
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Okay so about 3 years ago I had an Electrician install a 240v line into my basement so I could use 240v tools and also run all my PC/electronics off 240v.

My understanding it is 2x120v 20amp lines combined to create 240v 20amp, which I need. My buddy thinks its out of phase and not installed right.

He thinks its 2 phase which doesn't make sense to me but it makes me wonder and want to verify it.

If it was out oh phase wouldn't it show as 120v 2 phase and my UPS wouldnt work?

I have been running my 230v UPS (best I could afford at the time) off it (slightly overvoltage for its specs) and its been running fine for like 3 years. Granted, it AVR bucks the line frequently, which is why I wanted to get a true 240v online UPS, which is strong enough to power all my stuff so I don't have this 3 separate UPS back up BS.

I use this adapter to connect the outlet to my UPS.

The UPS reads 250v and my server, monitors, and computer have been running off it for years. I am able to upgrade to a new and high-quality UPS but wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up!

Specs/equipment
My current UPS
https://www.tripplite.com/support/smx1500lcdt
I use mostly EVGA 1000P2, 650P2, and 1300 G2 UPS and my 3-4 monitors and other knick-knacks

Looking to replace my current UPS with 1 of these 2
https://www.cdw.com/product/eaton-2200va-twr-rack-mountable-ups/5571620?pfm=srh
https://www.cdw.com/product/tripp-3kva-online-ups-rm-208-240v-b/5574638?pfm=srh

Thread on the topic of UPS.
https://hardforum.com/threads/a-good-120-or-240v-ups-that-is-pure-sinewave.1981931/


So is my set up done right or is something heinously wrong? I haven't turned on my new 9900K build yet because I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to fuck it up!

Thanks for all the help!!!


Below are a bunch of photos
Here is a dropbox link because it seems photos got compressed a bit. In dropbox link you can read the text on the 2x20amp breakers. Not sure if that's helpful

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0n1meheteulxgu6/AAD6enjsZfOEIOHo8i3_Rdc7a?dl=0
 

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Last edited:
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240v is single phase which split into two opposite 120v phases. You cannot get 240v from two 120v lines that are in phase. Doing that would get you 0v.

True two phase power Is not used anywhere in the world.
 
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ryan_975 said:
240v is single phase which split into two opposite 120v phases. You cannot get 240v from two 120v lines that are in phase. Doing that would get you 0v.

True two phase power Is not used anywhere in the world.
Click to expand...
yea i know 3 phase and single phase but didn't know that 2x120v were 2 difference phases to make a single phase 240v. To me it seems like it would be 120v 2 phase not 240v from what I was reading which is why i asked and was freaking out hahaha
 
AnIgnorantPerson said:
yea i know 3 phase and single phase but didn't know that 2x120v were 2 difference phases to make a single phase 240v. To me it seems like it would be 120v 2 phase not 240v from what I was reading which is why i asked and was freaking out hahaha
Click to expand...

It’s not two 120v phases making 240v, the transformer outside produces 240v across its secondary coil. The power company then ties a neutral conductor to the center of the secondary coil so that you end up with -120v one side of it and +120v on the other.


(There are some transformers that put out only 120v. You can’t get 240v from them without special equipment)
 
The article I linked shows a diagram of the transformer.

gallery_4_19_58946.jpg


The bus bars of your breaker panel will alternate between L1 and L2 between 2 consecutive full sized breakers in the vertical direction

something like this

square-d-main-breaker-boxes-hom4284m200pc-64_1000.jpg


A 240V breaker will have 1 connection to L1 and L2
 
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ryan_975 said:
It’s not two 120v phases making 240v, the transformer outside produces 240v across its secondary coil. The power company then ties a neutral conductor to the center of the secondary coil so that you end up with -120v one side of it and +120v on the other.


(There are some transformers that put out only 120v. You can’t get 240v from them without special equipment)
Click to expand...
okay that makes more sense. So putting a -120 and a +120 makes it back into 240v?
 
AnIgnorantPerson said:
okay that makes more sense. So putting a -120 and a +120 makes it back into 240v?
Click to expand...
Exactly. There a difference of 240V between them. When we talk about how many volts something is, we’re really talking about the difference between two voltage potentials. Usually that’s in reference to a point we arbitrarily call 0v or ground, but in this case it’s between two opposite ends of a coil.
 
Amazing how much I just learned in 5 minutes. You guys rock! (y)
 
One thing you can do in the future to verify an install like this is to use a meter to probe the voltage of each hot leg to ground and between each other.

I own several Fluke models including a 117 and can definitely recommend it or a 115 (I bought for the dad) for residential installations. I swear I’m not sponsored.
 
Last edited:
rflcptr said:
One thing you can do in the future to verify an install like this is to use a meter to probe the voltage of each hot leg to ground and between each other.

I own several Fluke models including a 117 and can definitely recommend it or a 115 (I bought for the dad) for residential installations. I swear I’m not sponsored.
Click to expand...

Fluke is the only meter I trust my life with
 
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