While I was searching for duplex receptacles where one was NEMA 5 (120V) and the other was NEMA 6 (240V), I found a few normal ones that were what I was looking for (Leviton 5031, 5842, 5844, Hubbell HBL5492I), as well as this horrifying abomination:
I see two immediate problems with it:
- It will accept both NEMA 5 and NEMA 6 plugs in the same receptacle, but a single receptacle can't operate on both of the required voltages.
- The vertical slots are the same height, though I'm not sure whether they're both big or both small. If they're both small, then polarized plugs won't work at all in this. If they're both big, then it's even worse: polarized plugs could be plugged in the wrong way (although given point 1, depending how this is wired, there may not even be a "right" way).
Is there any possible way or place in which using this would be safe or legal? This seems even worse than the usual Chinese "junkstream" products, because those usually at least look okay in the picture.
Best Answer
I searched for this and couldn't find a NEMA code for this outlet (no surprise there!). But in my research it appears that this has been around for a long time, terrible idea as it was. Attached is a pic of a similar outlet that is obviously quite old. There are actually 3 of them with the same configuration in the pic. I would rather have made this a comment, than an answer, but pics can't be posted in comments.