# Dryer connection to run A/C



## ratkinso (May 13, 2010)

Hi all, I am wanting to use my existing dryer connection for an A/C window unit I just bought, my dryer is gas, so don't use the connection for anything.  I am needing to run at least 16' of wire, they gave me 25'...  The connector I bought to use on the receptacle side doesn't seem right to me, not that I necessarily know, I am NOT an electrician, but if I hook this up according to the directions I would end up with my extension cable being hooked up like this...  bare wire in wall to white, white wire in wall to black and black wire in wall to green...  whereas I would think it would be bare to green, white to white and black to black...  I have made a good many computer cables and it is common to switch the wires, but I am thinking not such a good idea for electricity, at least not without asking about it....  the plug I am using is a Leviton 287-T, if that is helpful information.  any help is appreciated.

Thanks


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## kok328 (May 13, 2010)

If the unit is 120V then you are correct.  If the unit is 240V then you can use the wires in the wall at all.  Keep in mind that this is for a 30-50 amp service so if your trying to attach this to a standard wall outlet, you'll will trip the breaker everytime the A/C goes on.


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## ratkinso (May 13, 2010)

kok328 said:


> If the unit is 120V then you are correct.  If the unit is 240V then you can use the wires in the wall at all.  Keep in mind that this is for a 30-50 amp service so if your trying to attach this to a standard wall outlet, you'll will trip the breaker everytime the A/C goes on.





The A/C unit is 240V 20Amp, the dryer breaker is rated at 240V 30Amp.  Why can't I use that plug??  HD didn't think it would be a problem at all, I know they are not necessarily experts, but I don't see why it would be a problem either??  Could you please explain why I can't do it??

Thanks


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## Blue Jay (May 13, 2010)

I think you need to use a meeter on the wires from the wall, bare wire in wall should be GROUND and go to the green wire in your extension cable. If you hooked the green to anything but ground the case of the AC unit would be hot (VERY DANGEROUS) plus the extension cable should be 10 gauge to use on a 30 amp circuit, if you have 12 gauge I would change out the breaker to a 20 amp.


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## ratkinso (May 13, 2010)

Blue Jay said:


> I think you need to use a meeter on the wires from the wall, bare wire in wall should be GROUND and go to the green wire in your extension cable. If you hooked the green to anything but ground the case of the AC unit would be hot (VERY DANGEROUS) plus the extension cable should be 10 gauge to use on a 30 amp circuit, if you have 12 gauge I would change out the breaker to a 20 amp.




Thanks Blue Jay, I ran the wire, but have not hooked it up, but wasn't going to turn it on until I knew for sure that it was hooked up correctly, since I did not trust what the instructions were saying...  So then you are saying that I am correct in that the bare wire should be green, white to white and black to black??  I know for SURE the color of the wires, as I pulled the plug out of the wall since I did not believe the instructions...

Also, on the other end of the cord, having bad luck with this, but anyway, it has a green, but then I expected one of the other two screws to be silver or whitish, but instead BOTH screws are gold colored and the instructions do not tell you which is which.  Isn't it if you are looking at the receptacle side(female side) of the wire, with the ground down, the right side is the hot side(black)???  Just want to make sure on that as well....  sorry for all the questions, but I want to make sure on this.  Would be SO easy with better instructions....

Thanks


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## speedy petey (May 14, 2010)

ratkinso said:


> Would be SO easy with better instructions....


Instructions work when there is only one way to do something. 
Instructions are also not typically included because it is assumed that someone attempting to work with this type of stuff already has a clue about it. 
Sure, it is not hard, but at the same time it is not simple either, and the consequences of doing it wrong are a LOT more dire than if you screw up installing a bathroom faucet for instance.

The reason you have no silver screws is because this is a 240v circuit and there is NO neutral. The silver screw is for the neutral connection on a 120v receptacle.
Your 240v circuit only needs two hots and a ground. 

What wires are in the old dryer receptacle box?
What wire (specifically) did you run to extend it?

You MUST replace the breaker with a 20A if the receptacle is a 20A, which we know it is. You CANNOT have a 20A receptacle on a 30A circuit.


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## kok328 (May 14, 2010)

The 287-T plug is rated for 30 amps at 120 Volts and 50 amps at 240 Volts.
The cord is suitable for your application but, I would change the breaker to a 2-pole, 20 amp breaker and use 10 or 12 AWG wire.
Hook it up bare to green, white to white and black to black.
Keep in mind that the white is hot and is not a neutral.
The plug will be gold colored on both the black and white wire indicating both leads are hot for a 240 Volt circuit.  You should put black or red tape around the white wire to indicate that this is a hot leg.


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## reprosser (May 18, 2010)

What Speedy Petey said


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