Electric Clothes Dryer Double Pole Circuit

Which circuit breaker should be installed for an electric clothes dryer? How an Electrical Circuit is Wired for an Electric Clothes Dryer.

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Electric Clothes Dryer
Electrical Question: Which circuit breaker should be installed for an electric clothes dryer?

I bought a new electric clothes dryer. Everyone says I must have a 30 amp circuit breaker.
My old dryer has been running on a 20 amp double pole circuit breaker with 10 gauge wire.
Do I need to replace the breaker with a 30 amp?
And why the heck did the old dryer run all these years on the 20 amp double pole circuit breaker!

Thank you,
Charlotte

This electrical question came from: Charlotte, a Homeowner in New Jersey.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Charlotte.

Electric Clothes Dryer Circuit Breaker

Circuit Requirement for an Electric Clothes Dryer

Electric Dryer 30 Amp Circuit and Breaker

Charlotte, yes – the dryer does require a 30 amp 240 volt circuit.
If the existing circuit wiring is #10 copper and the cable type is approved for 30 amps then a double pole 30 amp circuit breaker can be installed.
Why the old dryer ran just fine all those years on 20 amps may be due to the size of the old dryer or a few other factors.
You may also see if the new dryer installation manual requires a 4-wire circuit instead of the older 3-wire circuit.

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Wiring a Dryer for 3-Wire and 4-Wire Cords

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See an electric dryer installation with a typical 220 Volt electric power cord wiring system. You may find yourself with either a 3-wire or 4-wire electric dryer, or a 3-wire or 4-wire outlet. Lets look a how the electric dryer is wired and what to do if your cord does not match the plug.

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Wiring Home Electric Circuits
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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions and Comments

4 Responses to “Electric Clothes Dryer Double Pole Circuit”

michael banks says:

February 23, 2013 at 11:24 am

Will a 22 amp dryer work on a 20 amp outlet?
Dave Rongey says:

February 23, 2013 at 3:06 pm

Hi Michael,
No- A 22 amp load will not work on a 20 amp circuit.
If this is an all electric dryer then a dedicated 240 volt circuit will be required.
Dave
johnny says:

July 6, 2016 at 5:06 pm

Electric Dryer Stopped Working
My electric dryer stopped working, bought new one it doesn’t work. The circuit breaker box has a 30 amp double pole circuit, one wire was 115volts reading and the other was 86volts. I called the landlord who said his son will be out to switch the wires down to the pool pump breaker. I believe it’s a double pole 20 amp is this safe and OK?
Dave Rongey says:

July 6, 2016 at 6:27 pm

Fault with Dryer Circuit Breaker
Hi Johnny,
From what you have described the electric dryer circuit breaker either needs to be reset, the breaker is faulty, or the connection of the circuit breaker and the panel is at fault.
The landlord should be advised that placing the dryer circuit onto the double pole 20amp pool circuit breaker will most likely cause the breaker to trip off. The solution is to identify the problem with the dryer circuit breaker and make the proper repairs.
A qualified electrician is always the best person to perform this type of work.
Be Safe,
Dave

Electrical Tips

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The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!
The Non-Contact Electrical Tester

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The Plug-In Outlet Tester

This is great to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring, is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
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Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!
The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter

A wire stripping tool used to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.

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Please Note:
Unless otherwise posted, please refer to the following Guidelines when working on Electrical Projects:

Skill Level:
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Electrical Tools Required:
Basic Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools, a Voltage Tester and a Multi Meter.

Estimated Time:
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Precaution:
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Important:
Modifying existing electrical circuits or installing additional electrical wiring should be done according to local and National Electrical Codes, with a permit and be inspected.