240 to 120 outlet conversion

[mikept]

I need to convert a 240v outlet on the side of my air conditioner slot to 120v. Its a 6-15r wired with 12-2 w/ground to a 20A double pole breaker.
I cant have the 120v aircondtioner blowing on me as i run on the treadmill while watching the tv and have clothes washing and the llights on in 4 rooms on just a 15A 120v cuircuit. That was really annoying me last summer.


I know how to replace the outlet. Can i rewire the white neutral from the breaker in the panel since the double breaker is 20A or do i have to replace it with a single 120v 20A breaker, and if i do that what do i do about the missing knockout spot?



EDITops my bad 12-2

[Speedy Petey]

First off, that #14 wire should NOT be on a 20A breaker. It needs a 15A breaker, so you will definitely need to replace the breaker.

I would just get two single pole breakers and have one as a spare. Or you can get a filler to close up the hole where half the two-pole breaker was.
These fillers, same as breakers, are normally panel specific.

You move the white off the old two-pole breaker and land it on the neutral bar.

[mikept]

Sorry i meant 12-2 Not 14.eek. I think that changes things. Though i surprised that they used a 15A outlet on a 20A breaker and wire.

[jadnashua]

By default, you can't plug in a 20A device in a 15A outlet. That doesn't mean you can't plug two 15A devices in. If you did, you'd trip the breaker...nothing wrong with a 15A outlet on a 20A circuit.

[Speedy Petey]

The only thing it changes is that you will use a 20A breaker like before.
You can use half the old two-pole breaker, but why bother.

You CAN use a duplex 15A receptacle on a 20A circuit. If it were a single receptacle on a dedicated circuit then that would be a violation.
**Oh, ok, going back to read the OP I see it was a single 6-15R. Yes, that was a violation.

[mikept]

I have a question. The panel at the top of my basement stairs doesnt have a main breaker, the 70A disconnet breaker is located outside below my meter alongside those of 5 other units. Does that make my panel a subpanel or is that still considered the main panel?

[mikept]

While im messing with the panel i might as well redo my 220 dryer line. A long time ago a my parents had a friend install one for them. Rather than use the last two knockouts and buy the right breaker he cut a hole in the sheetrock obove the panel and ran a little romex out to a box w/30A breaker he mounted on the wall above the recessed panel. Then he ran the 10/3 romex up the wall across the ceilling down the other wall olonside the door frame then a few feet along the stairs trim and then over across the basement ceiling to the cinderblock wall where it goes down through a piece of galvanized to a 10-30r. When the the incandescent hallway and stairway lights were replaced with 12" round flourescent ones on a grant from the electric company the wire was left hanging below the new very much wider light.


Its worked for a long time but its so UGLY. I dont know how bad that is code wise. The basement ceiling inst painted, only has one coat of mud and has exposed pipes beneath it but the part at the top of the finished stairsway is so horribly ugly and the stapled romex is within easy hand reach. I wanted to paint that area soon. I want to get rid of that stupid box, and maybe also reroute the 10/3.


In the past i drilled a hole through the plywood at the the curled up edge of the vinyl floor at the top of the stairs and ran a cable wire through to a hole in the basement ceiling below. Im thinin that i might be able fish a wire throuth the sheetock below the panel down to a hole in the basemnt ceilling, or if i cant do that run conduit below the panel to another hole at the edge of the floor and down to the hole in the ceiling below. Then i can just run it across the ceiling like before.

Is that okay to do? i mean Redo?

[mikept]

I should probably move my last post to a new thread...