Here is the deal:

An old trailer, 1959 with a dedicated circuit for the old Air Conditioner Unit. At the Breaker box there are two 20 amp breakers connected to the line.

The outlet is a very strange configuration, not standard 220 not standard 110/115. (I have compared outlet types against known types - nope, it's none of those.

Further, the wiring which connects to the single outlet and the breaker box has an additional red wire wired into the second breaker and wired to the black wire at the outlet. (It also appears to have a jump wire between the two 20 amp breakers).

We removed the old dinosaur of an Air Conditioner and installed a new one which runs off of regular 110. It can be plugged in to any wall outlet. I would prefer to have it on a dedicated circuit, this old (assumed 220 vt 40 amp) outlet is in the right spot for the New A/C (window).

The Questions:

How do I convert the old 40 amp dedicated circuit to a 20 amp dedicated circuit for the new A/C unit?

What do I do with the Red wire?

I know how to switch out breakers and outlets.

Is it just a simple matter of removing the two 20 amp breakers and installing a 20 amp using the black, white and green (ground) wires, then hooking up a 110 outlet inside, or will I need to run new romex?

Cheers

David

(PS - Since it would appear that I would have two slots for two 20 amp circuits would I be able to run another circuit at some future date from that box? I would assume that the reduced amperage on the new AC compared to the Old AC unit would give me extra amps left over from my Main)

David, I don't know what kind of old dinosaur AC unit you had but assuming it was indeed a 40 amp circuit on 220 volts that is one heck of a big unit for a trailer. If the two breakers are adjacent in the load center their handles should be tied together for 220 volts and if they are individually rated at 20 amps they are still a 20 amp circuit, not 40 amp. If the wiring is #12, it is probably 20 amp. You should be able to replace the outlet with a single 120 volt receptacle and just not connect the red wire at either end, if you don't want to run a new cable. You would then be able to have another 120 volt 20 amp circuit for whatever purpose you choose to have one. Just make sure the 2 breakers are not tied together at the handles. The reason you have three wire cable is that the red and black are the two hot wires, the white is the neutral and the green or bare is the ground. Thatr would be typical for a 220/110 circuit where the compressor runs on 220 and the fan on 110 as is sometimes the case on some appliances. Hope that helps.
P.S: just re-read your question. Please re-check those two breakers. If they are adjacent single pole breakers a jumper connecting them would be a short-circuit, not a doubling of capacity.

quote:

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Originally posted by frankvan:
David, I don't know what kind of old dinosaur AC unit you had but assuming it was indeed a 40 amp circuit on 220 volts that is one heck of a big unit for a trailer. If the two breakers are adjacent in the load center their handles should be tied together for 220 volts and if they are individually rated at 20 amps they are still a 20 amp circuit, not 40 amp. If the wiring is #12, it is probably 20 amp. You should be able to replace the outlet with a single 120 volt receptacle and just not connect the red wire at either end, if you don't want to run a new cable. You would then be able to have another 120 volt 20 amp circuit for whatever purpose you choose to have one. Just make sure the 2 breakers are not tied together at the handles. The reason you have three wire cable is that the red and black are the two hot wires, the white is the neutral and the green or bare is the ground. Thatr would be typical for a 220/110 circuit where the compressor runs on 220 and the fan on 110 as is sometimes the case on some appliances. Hope that helps.
P.S: just re-read your question. Please re-check those two breakers. If they are adjacent single pole breakers a jumper connecting them would be a short-circuit, not a doubling of capacity.

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So what you are saing is tht I remove the connecting bar between the two 20 amp breakers. Rewire the line using the black, white and green (cutting off and capping the red wire at the breaker and the outlet) use only one of the 20 amp breakers - whire in a regular house outlet and I have regular current to draw from. Right?

Actually I did take another look at the combined breakers, the wire goes to the source bar, not to the other breaker. Odd? Well the box was installed in 1960.

The old AC unit did have to have a greater amperage for the compressor - and no, it wasn't a very powerful thing - just old tech - very old tech

David

QUOTE:
So what you are saing is tht I remove the connecting bar between the two 20 amp breakers. Rewire the line using the black, white and green (cutting off and capping the red wire at the breaker and the outlet) use only one of the 20 amp breakers - whire in a regular house outlet and I have regular current to draw from. Right?

Yes, David. That is what I'm saying.