NEMA L6-30 For 240/120 Volts ?

DeadShort

A framer at a construction site wants to connect to the Temp. power pole to run his 120-volt air-compresor and lights but can only find a L6-30R availble. What I understand is that a L6-30 is a 240 volt connection only and that it isn't legal to connect to only one hot leg and the ground for 120-volts, which we know will work on a house panel since the neutral and ground conductors are bonded in the panel.
Does anyone know if this is permissable, especially if it is wired into a NEMA 3R or NEMA 4 box with GFCI protection?

Thanks

Deadshort

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Yours truly,
DeadShort

mdshunk

This is a NEC 110.3(b) violation, as well as a violation of major portions of article 250. Don't do it. What do you mean that this is all he can find? There's an electrical supply house within a short drive from almost anywhere. Something's not adding up here. Why wouldn't he just plug up his gear into the regular receptacles that are on every T pole?

DeadShort

I don't work contruction sites, my brother in law does and he wanted to try this and I didn't think it would work. Since the ground conductor will be used as a current carrying conductor(neutral) there wouldn't be a real ground; not to mention the code violation.

The problem he is having is finding and open 120-volt outlet. Too many people are using "Y"'s from the same source, running multiple air compresors and lights and etc causing the breaker to trip or air compressors to "bog-down".

I think he needs to take this up with the site manager/foreman.

__________________
Yours truly,
DeadShort

mdshunk

That would be the wise move. OR... he can fire up the loudest, most obnoxious generator he can borrow right next to the house. They might get the point. I do understand his dilema, however. When I put in a T-pole, I put in 4 quads on 4 circuits. I almost never build one with a 220 receptacle on a resi job, unless there's a special request. It's no biggie either way. I know that some of the big hardwood floor sander guys need 220 for the sanders. I have one contractor that I only put a big NEMA 14-50 receptacle. He has a panel made up with a 14-50 cord and plug on it that he takes in and out of the job trailer each day he's working. It's funny sometimes to see a development where only a few sites have t-poles and there's tons of cords criss-crossing the streets and going from yard to yard. I guess that falls into the "do what you gotta do" category.

Dead Short, respectfully (and I mean it), why didn't you know the answer to this already? I know that CA has only been licensing electricians on a statewide basis for a couple of years now, but this is a pretty fundamental question. I was just wondering if perhaps you were a factory or maintenance electrician? Some electrical trade niches sort of keep you isolated from the rest of the electrical world.

Speedy Petey

Mark, I'll have to agree with your very well worded last paragraph. This sentence is what concerns me:

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DeadShort

I'm a field technician. Most of what I see is industrial and large commercial. 240, 208, and 480 3-ph. Troubleshooting power supplies is my specialty. I do hold a C10 license and only use it for side work.

__________________
Yours truly,
DeadShort