220V Electric Dryer Question
I live in a brownstone co-op building and want to use a 220 volt ventless electric dryer (current dryer is 110 and vents inside) Is it possible to upgrade to 220v? If so, what kind of work will be required? Recommendations for contractors / electricians much appreciated too. Thanks
I live in a brownstone co-op building and want to use a 220 volt ventless electric dryer (current dryer is 110 and vents inside)
Is it possible to upgrade to 220v? If so, what kind of work will be required?
Recommendations for contractors / electricians much appreciated too.
Thanks
You can use the white conductor in a cable as hot for a 208/220V circuit if you mark it at both ends. See NEC 200.7(C). This is done all the time for dedicated 220V circuits where no neutral is required.
If you are installing a new 208/220V 30A electric dryer you need to run 10-3 as they all require a neutral (the armor is ground).
Even if your box space it tight, you can probably squeeze some slim breakers in and with a slim 220 breaker, make it work.
Now, you probably have #12 wire there which is good for 20 Amps (look at the current (no pun intended) breaker; I bet the old dryer ran on 20 amps). Check with an electrician; maybe (a very slight maybe) that the new dryer can run on 220 20 amp (more likely 30 amp in which case you will be pulling #10). Now to get the 220 you need one more strand. But since 1/2 comes off the other pole in the box, with no neutral (if I remember from the last time I did this, and I am not an electrician and have not done this in a while), you may be able to move the current white neutral and use it on one pole of the 220 – so now you have the requisite two wires required for the 220. I am not sure what the electrician will say about using the white wire as a hot on a 220 circuit. He might say I don’t know what I am talking about and don’t listen to me. I’d be happy to know – so feel free to email me.
Don’t hire a handyman or woodworker like me for this.
Steve
http://www.thetinkerswagon.com
If the current receptacle is on a dedicated circuit it can be converted to a 220V/20A circuit by installing a double-pole breaker and changing the receptacle. This is quick and inexpensive. There are many 220V electric ventless dryers that need only 15A or 20A circuits. However, if the dryer you want requires a 30A circuit you will need to run a new cable back to your panel.
Unless you like to wait many hours to dry your clothing you should also consider installing a proper vent. Electric dryers are slow to dry and ventless electric dryers are even slower and should be avoided wherever possible. If you are going to go through the trouble of installing a dedicated circuit also install a proper solid metal duct vent.
If you can install a gas line consider doing it because it’s not cheap to run an electric dryer. The cheapest gas dryer will be much faster and more efficient then even the most expensive and fancy electric dryer (vented or ventless).
You will have to run a new line for the 220. It may be a larger job than you think depending on the placement of your breaker box. Is your box in the basement or in your apartment?
It all depends upon if your panel can accomidate it or you may need to pull additional wire from the switchgear assumeing there is additonal capacity there also. You are going to need to hire a licensed electrican to do the work and most likely the building will require not only an electrical permit but also at the very least a load letter proving that what you want to do can be accomplished.
Jock deBoer, AIA
deBoer Architects