How to Wire a House for an Electric Dryer

Whether you are remodeling or building a new home, adding an electric dryer circuit to the home's electrical system is a valuable improvement. Running the cable and installing the proper-sized circuit breaker can be a quick job if you follow a basic procedure. Check the installation instructions for the dryer before purchasing any electrical equipment. The most generally used circuit for a dryer is a 240-volt alternating current (VAC) double-pole circuit breaker rated at 40 amperes of electrical power. The correct wire size for this is 8/2 with ground cable assembly.

Things You'll Need

• 40-ampere double pole breaker 8/2 with ground cable assembly Dryer outlet Screwdriver, Philips or slotted Electric drill Drill bit large enough for cable diameter Two cable box connectors for 8/2 cable Pocket knife Wire strippers 1-inch screws

Instructions

1. Inspect the electrical equipment that you purchased. Be sure that the insulation on the cable is intact and the circuit breaker is the correct type for the panel box you are installing. The female dryer outlet should match the male plug that comes with the dryer.

2. Shut off the main panel switch to the circuit breaker box. Do not perform this work until all electrical power is removed from the circuit breaker panel.

3. Remove the protective cover of the panel box by unscrewing the four or six screws that hold the metal cover onto the box. Place these screws in a safe location so you don't lose them.

4. Run the 8/2 with ground cable assembly from the panel box location to the new dryer outlet position. This might require you to drill some holes with the electric drill and properly sized drill bit into the wooden studs of the walls. Be sure that the hole is large enough to accommodate the full diameter of the cable. Do not pinch or damage the outside protective covering of the cable assembly.

5. Remove the cover of the female dryer outlet and mount it to the wall stud using the 1-inch screws and the screwdriver.

6. Install the cable box connector and tighten the lock nut by pushing against it with the slotted screwdriver end.

7. Push the cable assembly through the connector opening and cut the cable to length so it will fit into the screw terminals of the female dryer outlet.

8. Use the pocketknife to carefully strip back the outer cable insulation to the box connector.

9. Strip back 1 inch of bare copper of the black and white wires of the cable assembly. You should have three wires: (1) one black with 1 inch of the bare copper wire exposed, (2) a white wire with the same stripped-back bare copper showing as the black and (3) a completely bare copper wire.

10. Connect these wires in the following order. The bare copper wire is terminated to the center screw terminal of the female dryer outlet. Connect the black wire to the right side terminal and the white wire to the left side terminal.

11. Replace the cover on the female dryer outlet and move to the main panel box.

12. Install the 40-ampere two-pole breaker by either "snapping" the breaker into place or, if it is the screw type, attaching the mounting screws to the main bus bars of the panel box.

13. Install the box connector and the 8/2 cable assembly as you did in Steps 6 through 9. Strip the outer insulation of the cable assembly back to the box connector. Strip the black and white wires so they have 1 inch of bare copper on the ends of the insulated wires.

14. Connect the wires in following order. The bare copper wire should be terminated to the grounding or neutral bar that is located to the left and or right of the circuit breakers. This bar is directly attached to the rear of the main panel box. The black wire should be attached to the upper screw of the two-pole breaker, and the white wire terminated to the lower screw.

15. Replace the main panel cover box.

16. Turn the main power switch to "on" and switch the new circuit breaker to the energized or "on" position.

Tips & Warnings

• Check with local authorities since some new electrical installations might require permits and inspections before they can be enclosed under wallboard.

• Follow all state and local electrical codes when performing any electrical work.