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labornurse74 · Jan 13, 2009, 07:34 AM

Hello,
I've recently moved into a rent house that supplies a line for a gas dryer. I have a whirlpool 3prong electric dryer that I've been using for years. Before calling an electrician I was wondering if this was a difficult task for my husband, although he is a good handy man, electricity is not one of his favorites. Anyone have any suggestions? :confused:

twinkiedooter · Jan 13, 2009, 07:45 AM

Since this is a rental house and not one that you bought, I would highly suggest contacting the landlord and asking if he would install the 220 line for you. If he says no, ask him if he would even allow this if properly installed by a licensed electrician. Under no circumstances have hubby do this since this home is not yours.

aidos · Jan 17, 2009, 07:31 PM

Go out and purchase a 110-220v step-up transformer capable of the amperage / wattage of your dryer...

Fr_Chuck · Jan 17, 2009, 07:44 PM

A 110 power line is not going to carry a 220 power, a entire new line will have to be installed.

cetanagi · Jan 17, 2009, 07:54 PM

Your first phone call should be to the landlord. 2nd if you are not experienced with electricity I would highly recommend calling in a professional since you WILL be running a new line into the circuit box and unless you plan on shutting the entire house down you will be working in a box with line voltage. And trust me it does not tickle. :eek: You also want to make sure the current electrical box can handle the added load.

twinkiedooter · Jan 17, 2009, 08:11 PM

Why not just go out and buy a gas dryer and solve your problem as installing a new line could probably run you about the same money in the end anyway? What's so hard about that? Dryer doesn't have to be brand new either.

andrewc24301 · Jan 17, 2009, 08:26 PM

I agree with those who say you should contact your landlord...

However, for any homeowners who may be reading this... I come back with this.

The 110 volt outlet is fed by a hot (black wire) neutral (white wire), and ground (green or bare copper wire)

There is enough wires here to make a 220 volt outlet, just not for a dryer. A dryer will most likely require a neutral.

Also, I'd amost bet that the 110 volt outlet is ran on 14 gauge or 12 gauge wire, neither will be sufficient for an electric drier, even if you did have the three conductors.

To do it right, you need to calculate the amps that the dryer will draw. If the dryer has a 4500 watt element, and other various components (motor, controls etc) consume 500 watts, then the dryer will consume about 5,000 watts. 5,000/240 is 20.83 amps. A 30 amp double pole breaker will need to be installed in the box.

Then you will need to run a three conductor 10 gauge wire to the new outlet.

But again, your landlord should take on this task.

And this is my 200th post!

codyman144 · Jan 17, 2009, 11:31 PM

I am really kind of scared by a few totally inaccurate posts here.

Originally Posted by aidos

Go out and purchase a 110-220v step-up transformer capable of the amperage / wattage of your dryer...

Not even close...

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

A 110 power line is not going to carry a 220 power, a entire new line will have to be installed.

Getting closer but still not quite right. You can run 220 or should I say 240V on many different lines. What determines the size wire you need is AMPs not Volts. Mostly right though because the dryer will need both 120 & 240 at 30 AMP meaning you will need 10/2, unless you plan on adding a ground (which I recommend) in which case you need 10/3 and will have to buy and install a new 4 prong plug for the dryer.

Originally Posted by cetanagi

Your first phone call should be to the landlord. 2nd if you are not experienced with electricity I would highly recommend calling in a professional since you WILL be running a new line into the circuit box and unless you plan on shutting the entire house down you will be working in a box with line voltage. And trust me it does not tickle. :eek: You also want to make sure the current electrical box can handle the added load.

I agree with most of this but WHO would not shut off all the power when in the box?? That is just a bad move period unless you would like to die. Also I have worked in the box and I am no pro just make sure you educate yourself about how to do it right and safely.

Andrew got it right!

Don't mean to rant but if you're not completely sure you can give a good answer here please wait for an expert to do so (Stan, KISS, Russell). I wait for them all the time...

MarkwithaK · Jan 17, 2009, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by codyman144

I agree with most of this but WHO would not shut off all the power when in the box??? That is just a bad move period unless you would like to die. Also I have worked in the box and I am no pro just make sure you educate yourself about how to do it right and safely.

There is no need to shut off the main when installing a new breaker/circuit if you know what you are doing that is. In my line of work, working with live voltages is part of the job. You either learn to respect it or you get got.

codyman144 · Jan 17, 2009, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by MarkwithaK

There is no need to shut off the main when installing a new breaker/circuit if you know what you are doing that is. In my line of work, working with live voltages is part of the job. You either learn to respect it or you get got.

Okay if you are highly trained and licensed maybe. But I wouldn't think of it, no way no how even if I was confident I could do it why take the chance. And I would never suggest a DIY'er do that.

MarkwithaK · Jan 17, 2009, 11:53 PM

That is why I said the bit about learning to respect it and what it can do to you. I won't lie, I get nervous sticking my hand into a 3 phase box. Hell I can still feel the tingle when I put my fingers into a new disconnect even if it has no wires to it yet!

codyman144 · Jan 17, 2009, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by MarkwithaK

That is why I said the bit about learning to respect it and what it can do to you. I won't lie, I get nervous sticking my hand into a 3 phase box. Hell I can still feel the tingle when I put my fingers into a new disconnect even if it has no wires to it yet!

Hell I get nervous working in the box with the darn power off! But hey I am an accountant who crunches numbers all day and has a wife with a baby on the way. If I did it every day maybe another story. I take it you work for the power company?

MarkwithaK · Jan 18, 2009, 12:00 AM

Nope. I'm a commercial HVAC/R technician.

andrewc24301 · Jan 18, 2009, 12:02 AM

Both are correct. Yes you can work on a box while it's hot. I've done it, many times. Mainly because when you want to add one circuit, you don't turn off the power to a house full of girls.

And I don't know which is worse, getting zapped or making my wife and daughter mad. LOL

(that was just a joke by the way)

But, the greater majority of askers on this site have never even opened a panel box before. As a safety, yes I'll agree that it's always good to advise them to cut off the main.

After all, we don't want the mans wife coming back on here blasting us for giving him advice that sent him to the hopital.

And I still get a weird feeling in my toes and fingers when I'm troubleshooting a 480 volt circuit. There is just something about it.

MarkwithaK · Jan 18, 2009, 12:06 AM

I got hit with 10,000 from an ignition transformer once. It really wasn't as bad as grabbing a live 240. I could taste metal after the 240 circuit.

codyman144 · Jan 18, 2009, 12:10 AM

See I feel like what if I make one tiny mistake and touch the bare ground to the center live bus? My panel is in a pored concrete basement so I think I would make a great ground maybe even with shoes on, not that I always wear them

andrewc24301 · Jan 18, 2009, 12:11 AM

They say it isn't the voltage but the current that kills.

I've been bit by a few spark ignitors myself.

I've never had a really bad shock, but I did hear 480 dead short once. On a disposer in a hospital. The maintenance crew and I were trying to find the short, we repaired one bad connection, and they left to flip the power back on. Well, they didn't return for a while, I walked up the hall towards the service corridor. I was about 200 feet away, up the hall. I heard a sound like a shot gun went off, and the lights in the hopital flickered.

Apparently we had not found the short.

(which turned out to be in a Jbox behind the wall)

andrewc24301 · Jan 18, 2009, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by codyman144

See I feel like what if I make one tiny mistake and touch the bare ground to the center live bus? My panel is in a pored concrete basement so i think i would make a great ground maybe even with shoes on, not that I always wear them

Yea, you do have to watch that ground wire. Even when I run a new circuit on a live box, I keep my eye on the bare ground, and it is always the first wire I secure.

Again for anyone reading this, you do take your life into your hands when you do this. Do so with caution.

MarkwithaK · Jan 18, 2009, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by codyman144

See I feel like what if I make one tiny mistake and touch the bare ground to the center live bus? My panel is in a pored concrete basement so i think i would make a great ground maybe even with shoes on, not that I always wear them

Oh don't get me wrong, it is great to be cautious. Especially if you aren't really comfortable with electricity. I'm smack dab into remodeling my house and the electrical system is SCARY at best. I have a slab foundation and my panel is so damned old there is no ground bar. From what I can tell the system is relying on the conduit, for lack of a better term, as the ground.

codyman144 · Jan 18, 2009, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by MarkwithaK

Oh don't get me wrong, it is great to be cautious. Especially if you aren't really comfortable with electricity. I'm smack dab into remodeling my house and the electrical system is SCARY at best. I have a slab foundation and my panel is so damned old there is no ground bar. From what I can tell the system is relying on the conduit, for lack of a better term, as the ground.

Wow you should really upgrade that panel. And don't get me wrong either we are just discussing this and I wanted to put my reasons behind it. Is there somewhere else we should take this conversation because I am not sure this is the right place