Best way to get both 120V and 220V from existing multiwire branch circuit (MWBC)

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I have a double pole 20A breaker feeding a 120V MWBC with 12/3 with ground, romex that goes up three levels to two separate 120V duplex GFCI receptacles with common neutral.

I want to have both 120V and 220V small appliances. Wanting to add a 220V 6 amp coffee maker to two small 120V appliances. This is not a kitchen, but indoors, off of a top deck. The MWBC feeds just the two 120V duplex GFCI's, nothing else.

What is best practice to do this?

I could run existing MWBC wires to a small panel, then install one double pole 15A 220V GFCI breaker and two single pole 15A 120V GFCI breakers, and new receptacles. Possible also to use the existing 120V GFCI receptacles and regular single pole breakers fed off this panel too, in this situation.

Or could leave the current two GFCI receptacles alone and take 12g wire pig-tailed from the ends of the MWBC to a 'spa' panel, change out the breaker in the 'spa' panel for a 15A or 20A 220V double pole GFCI breaker and then connect a 220V receptacle.

Or I could attach an inline 220V GFCI to the hot leads of the MWBC in a junction box.

Or I could use a 2000W step up/down transformer plugged into one of the 120V GFCI receptacles. It just seems redundant to convert the voltage when I already have it there, but a plug-in transformer may be the most code compliant and cheapest, way.

I can not run another wire from my main panel. I cannot replace the 20A double pole breaker in the main panel, with a GFCI breaker, as it is actually a quad breaker.

Any other ideas? Other than code won't allow any of it? Wife really wants the coffee maker so it is going to get done somehow.

Best Answer

You do not have a "120V MWBC".

You have a plain MWBC. 240V-only (no neutral) loads are allowed on MWBCs.

They even make receptacles for that.

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Note how there is no tab to break away on the visible side, since one must be neutral and the other L2. However you can see the tab peeking out from the other side, which could both be L1 of the same circuit.. Because this is legal on MWBCs.


As far as GFCI protection: It's an easy job for a 2-pole GFCI breaker. Replace the current non-GFCI 2-pole breaker in the service panel with a 2-pole GFCI breaker. Liberate the two GFCI receptacles and reuse them somewhere useful.

If you don't have space in your panel, then it's time to fit a subpanel somewhere. Since you're ready to do that, do that... just not out at the patio where it'll be a one-trick pony. Next to the main service is better. After all, you have this "out of spaces" problem all over your house. So fit it somewhere that makes sense for all your future loads.

I know adding a subpanel is a big job, "best" kicked on down the road for awhile longer... But the fact is you'll be right back here again when the wife wants an on-demand water heater or a plug-in hybrid. In this day and age, with so many amazing electrical gadgets, a full panel is no place to be.