115v Air Conditioner with 240v outlet using a Step Down

Question

I want to Step Down my 240v wall outlet for my 115v A/C window unit. I'm not knowledgeable about electricity. Is this acceptable? From reading it seems a converter will do this job.

Thanks

AC Specs

Pic of outlet

Answer 1

There's an old joke about the company whose giant machine was not working. They had let the experienced old workers go, and hired all younger kids. No one could make the machine work. So they called one of the old workers, who now ran a consulting business. The worker came right out, inspected and listened to the machine for 10 minutes, turned one bolt, and said "There you go. Here is my invoice."

The company said "$1000!?? You turned 1 bolt! Can we have this itemized?" The old worker said "OK. $10 for turning 1 bolt. $990 for knowing which bolt to turn."

Have an electrician re-wire that for 120V

What you have here is a very simple conversion. Change the receptacle to a NEMA 5-20 type, and move 1 wire inside the service panel that supplies this circuit. It's 20 minutes of work, mostly to get familiar with the wiring so you know what to do.

But it's that kind of deal... you'd be paying mostly for mobilization (driving to your location) and the value of experience.

Still, it'll be cheaper than buying a legitimate and safe step-down transformer. They sell "cheap Chinese" step-down transformers in the $100 range on Amazon, but these are dangerous twice - first because they are junk, but second because they are not designed to step down US 240V, and will give a "hot neutral" on their output, which is bad. You would need an isolation transformer which has twice the copper, so at least twice the cost.

Answer 2

My suggestion is to replace the AC, assuming it is of US vintage 60Hz and you are using it in a 50Hz country. On 50Hz it will only operate at 5/6 speed reducing the output capacity of the compressor and consequently the cooling of the compressor itself. More than likely the refrigerant charge would have to be adjusted but that will not solve most of the problems.

If you are in the US have the circuit changed to 120V. This would require a breaker and an outlet change. You have the required conductors in the cable, Line, Netural, and earth ground.