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I currently have a 20 amp double pole breaker supplying a multi-wire branch circuit for two 120v receptacles in a double gang box.

I'd like to remove the 120v receptacles and install a 240v receptacle.

Can I simply attach the two hots and the ground from the circuit? If so, what should I do with the neutral wire?

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  • which 240V receptacle? many have a neutral.
    – Jasen
    Jul 11, 2020 at 5:35

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Cap the neutral off and you’re done.

However, since your breaker is 2-pole with common trip, you’re perfectly allowed to eat your cake and have it too. You can replace one side’s receptacle with either

  • a dual NEMA 6-15
  • a dual or single NEMA 6-20,
  • or a combo NEMA 5-20 NEMA 6-20, giving one socket of each. Come off the hot of the other receptacle to the 2nd hot on the NEMA 6-20.

That last option lets you make full use of the MWBC, and then, make full use of the 240V circuit... although, not both at once at max amperage. So an 8A/240V load will play nice with two 12A/120V loads, etc.

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  • That's a really creative solution! So you are proposing wiring each leg to the hot side of the duplex outlet and using the single neutral on the other side. One thing that's obvious to most of us here, but maybe not the OP, that would be "ahem, rather important" to break off the little tab connecting the two outlets on the 5-20, otherwise the OP would have a direct true short.
    – George Anderson
    Jul 10, 2020 at 19:38
  • @GeorgeAnderson I was gonna say just leave one side basically undisturbed and let it access half the MWBC, and if OP wants both MWBC halves then go for one of those 120/240 receps like I mentioned, with the other leg on the 120V port on that recep.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Jul 10, 2020 at 20:27
  • Harp: But if he did that, wouldn't 2 12A loads be 24A on one leg? Add your proposed 8A (4A on per leg) and you'd end up with 28A on one leg. Wouldn't it be best to break of that little tab on the hot side and connect opposite legs to each outlet?
    – George Anderson
    Jul 10, 2020 at 20:55
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Yes, you can do that. Just cap the neutral for future use in the box. You can leave it connected in the breaker panel.

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