Different Electrical Outlets?

Question

I have searched through some answers and haven't found what I'm looking for. I just moved into an Apartment in NYC and am having problems with 2 air conditioners I just purchased. We have two outlets and in one room they match up with the air conditioners, they have two horizontal prongs and then the standard third prong.

My other room has a normal looking three pronged outlet with both vertical. Is there any way I can buy a sort of converter to allow use in the other room? Are there any possible alternatives? It would be an amazing pain to have to return one of these since I ordered it.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi Hunter,

I answered this by email. I no longer answer on the forum due to the huge number of wrong and dangerous answers given by untrained and unknowing people on Yahoo.

Answer 2

yes but got to a store where the salesperson can tell you what to buy as you want to be sure you don't overload your circuits

Answer 3

The A/C cords on the units you bought are 240V/15A. They are this way because they need more power than can be provided by the regular 115V / 15A outlet.

So, you can't convert them... not enough power, sorry. You need to get an A/C unit that needs less power and so can use the 115V outlet.

Answer 4

The outlets you mention that have two horizontal slots are really 230 volt outlets, so you must have 230 volt a/c units.

The standard outlet you mention is actually a 120 volt supply.

No converter does that change to 230volts unless it is a step up transformer.

Now if that 120volt outlet is the only one on the circuit and is a 20amp seperate circuit, it can easily be changed in the main panel to 230 volts and then the outlet can be changed to the horizontal type.

Good luck to you.

Answer 5

Yea there are several types of converters, try going to a home depot, or a radioshack/best buy. Something like that.

Answer 6

Your question is a bit confusing.  If you have a room with an outlet in the wall that has two horizontal slots and one regular third prong in the middle then this is a 220V 20amp outlet.  If your A/C unit is 220V and has a plug on it, it should fit this outlet.

If your other room has the regular outlet with two vertical slots and one prong hole in the centre then this is a 110 V outlet.  It cannot be used with a 220V A/C unit.

Before you go out a buy a 120V A/C unit be sure to find out if anything else is on this circuit because if there is, putting a heavy draw appliance like a A/C unit will probably blow the breaker or fuse.

You would be wise to have an electrician install an extra 220V receptacle for your other A/C unit. This can be done externally along the baseboards using wire mould if it is not possible any other way.

If any of this or any of the other answers does not make sense to you then please have an electrician or perhaps your building maintenance person have a look and quote you what you need.

Answer 7

In NYC large rooms will have 208 V. outlets for the air conditioners.

Smaller rooms will have 120V. dedicated circuits.

Those 120V. outlets may share a neutral, so rewiring is not an option.

If your air conditioner draws less than 1800W. a transformer type

converter is an option, otherwise not.