Do dryers need their own dedicated circuit?

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merk

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Probably going to be replacing our washer & dryer soon. Current dryer is gas but I'm considering replacing it with an electric dryer since the electric one is cheaper and because we're also going to be installing solar panels, with some excess capacity built in. I don't think the dryer would increase our usage too much simply because it would probably only get run maybe twice a week.

All the outlets in the garage are on a single 20 amp circuit. And there's nothing heavy plugged into any of the outlets currently other than the existing washer and (gas) dryer.

All I know currently is it's a 120 volt dryer

Thanks

edit: i think i found my answer - found the manual for the dryer and it has this in it:

Most U.S. dryers require a 120 / 240 volt,
60 Hz AC approved electrical service.
Some require 120 / 208 volt, 60 Hz
approved electrical service. The electric
service requirements can be found on
the data label located behind the door.
A 30-ampere fuse or circuit breaker on
both sides of the line is required

I guess my follow up question would be - could I just swap the circuit in the subpanel with a 30 amp circuit and be ok? Or does the outlet also need to be changed and/or the wiring from the circuit to the outlet? Is this something I could reasonably, and safely, do myself or something I would have to get an electrician to come in and do? And what does it mean a fuse/circuit breaker on both sides of the line are required - there has to be a 2nd fuse/circuit at the outlet?
 
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Your dryer isn't 120v, it just uses 120v for the controls....it's a gas dryer. If you're going to go with an electric dryer you'll need a new circuit that uses #10 copper for 30 amps, if that's the requirement of the new dryer you'll be using.
The "both sides" issue is in reference for a 2 pole breaker on a 240v, 30 amp dryer circuit. It would be in the panel.
 
The specs on your new dryer will tell you exactly what you need. I would start there.
 
If it's electric, it must be dedicated. If it requires a 30 Amp breaker, you must use #10 wire or bigger. All your 20 Amp breakers should have #12 wire, which is too small to put on a 30 Amp breaker.
 
As far as your outlet is concerned, you will probably need to supply your own dryer cord and plug. You can get them at a big box hardware store. You will need to know if it's a 3 wire or 4 wire, and then get the corresponding outlet for the plug. This information should also be on the dryer's specs.
 
As far as your outlet is concerned, you will probably need to supply your own dryer cord and plug. You can get them at a big box hardware store. You will need to know if it's a 3 wire or 4 wire, and then get the corresponding outlet for the plug. This information should also be on the dryer's specs.

Yeah the plug I'm not worried about - they sell that with the dryer so I'll just order one if/when i order the dryer.
 
Your dryer isn't 120v, it just uses 120v for the controls....it's a gas dryer. If you're going to go with an electric dryer you'll need a new circuit that uses #10 copper for 30 amps, if that's the requirement of the new dryer you'll be using.
The "both sides" issue is in reference for a 2 pole breaker on a 240v, 30 amp dryer circuit. It would be in the panel.

Do you think this is something I could do myself? Thus far my electrical work consists of replacing outlets, light switches and light fixtures. About the only thing I can say with confidence in regards to doing this is I know how to turn off the main power so i don't fry myself while installing the circuit :)

I think I could probably do it myself, but since I've never done it before I don't know what i don't know :)
 
I think I could probably do it myself, but since I've never done it before I don't know what i don't know :)
:thbup::thbup::thbup:
Do you have 2 spare spaces in your breaker box
What are the numbers on the main breaker?
How far is the location of the dryer from the breaker box
Are prepared to cut into drywall to run the wire.
 
:thbup::thbup::thbup:
Do you have 2 spare spaces in your breaker box
What are the numbers on the main breaker?
How far is the location of the dryer from the breaker box
Are prepared to cut into drywall to run the wire.

yup, there's room in the subpanel for it.

The main is 200 amps - we just recently had all the wiring in the house redone including installing a new main panel and the subpanel.

The dryer would be about 20 feet from the subpabel. I'm not too worried about it looking pretty since this is in the garage and the garage is unfinished. I was planning on just running the wire overhead along the top of the wall. I thought that would be ok if i used the romex type wire - although I'm not sure if i have anything to cut it with.
 
People that know Cal codes can help with the details but you have to drill holes and run it in the wall or ceiling
 
People that know Cal codes can help with the details but you have to drill holes and run it in the wall or ceiling

I'm not concerned about it being 100% up to code. Just as long as it's safe. And I think running it along the top of the wall would be fine. i don't even use the garage to park my car so there isn't any chance of a car antenna or something snagging on the wire.
 
Code and safe is the same thing. Drill 15 holes, 15 minutes.

Sorry but i disagree - some of it i don't think is crucial - like putting the wires in the walls. And it's not just drilling 15 holes, it then patching 15 holes.

besides, i thought you were allowed to have wires outside the wall if they were in romex?
 
When you said unfinished, I thought studs were exposed. You can use armor cable maybe or run it in conduit.

Oh i see - you meant holes through the studs, i thought you mean holes in the drywall to pull the wire through.

One wall in the garage, the wall this would go up against, has some drywall on it. Or something like drywall. The rest is bare studs.
 
If some one ever wants to finish the garage it would be silly to have to move a cable, so if you had bear studs you want to go thru the the studs.
So that wall has insulation in it too? I think you will be doing conduit and I will leave that to others to help you with that, as I have done very little and can't say I know enough.
 
If some one ever wants to finish the garage it would be silly to have to move a cable, so if you had bear studs you want to go thru the the studs.
So that wall has insulation in it too? I think you will be doing conduit and I will leave that to others to help you with that, as I have done very little and can't say I know enough.

The wall has no insulation -it's an interior wall. Heck, none of the walls, interior or exterior, in the whole house have insulation.
 
There is one other option, when the electricians are stuck behind a beam that they can not drill thru, we have built them a chase. which is just a 2x4 against the ceiling and another one 9' below that, then run the wire between them and drop them down thru the wall to the dryer outlet and the breaker box, but having loose wires in the wall may be a problem, not sure. Then you face the chase with drywall or what have you.
 
USCode: Conduit will require individual THHN conductors, you're not allowed to run 'romex' in conduit. But there's a loophole. "Conduit" requires total enclosure from panel to receptacle, but a "wire protection enclosure" doesn't and you can run romex there. It can attach at one end only maximum. And the 'enclosure' is usually a form of conduit. You can 'enclose' the areas susceptible to damage to allow for future uses or owners and let it go at that. Semi-legal but safe enough.

I cannot officially recommend this in lieu of following code correctly as intended, it's just some knowledge I'm sharing.

Phil
 
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