How to Wire a Dryer Circuit
Electric dryers, like most major home appliances, require 220 volts of electricity to operate. Half of the voltage is used to run the electronics and motor in the dryer, while the other half powers the heating element used to dry the clothes. The main components of a electrical circuit for a dryer is the double-pole 220-volt circuit breaker, the 12-3 gauge Romex wiring, and the 220-volt dryer outlet used to plug the dryer into for operation. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Measuring tape
- Drill
- 2-inch hole saw
- 2/4-inch wood drill bit
- 1 roll 12-3 gauge Romex electrical cable, 50 feet
- Wire cutters/strippers
- 220-volt double-pole circuit breaker switch
- 220-volt dryer outlet kit
Instructions
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1
Open the door to the main service panel and turn off the main power switch to the house. Use the screwdriver to loosen and remove the screws holding the door and access panel over the service panel box. Set the screws and panel cover aside.
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2
Measure up 18 inches from the floor and drill a 2-inch hole in the sheetrock where you are installing the dryer outlet. Use the drill and inch hole saw to make the hole. Drill a 3/4-inch hole in the top of the wall (from inside the attic) above the exact location where the 2-inch hole in the sheetrock is located.
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3
Feed one end of the Romex cable down through the hole in the top of the wall and have an assistant pull out 6 inches out the hole in the sheetrock.
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4
Route the cable through the attic and feed the remaining end down the preexisting hole in the wall along with the other electrical cables running to the service panel. Feed the cable down and have the assistant pull about 2-feet down through the hole in the top of the service panel.
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5
Prepare both ends of the cable for connects by stripping 3 inches of outer sheathing off the dryer outlet end of the cable, and 12 inches off the service panel end. Strip 1 inch of insulation off each insulated wire inside the Romex cable.
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6
Insert the new 220-volt breaker into an open slot in the service panel. Lock the breaker into position by pressing the U-shaped clamps on the bottom of the breaker down onto the pins in the slot.
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7
Connect the wiring to the breaker. Attach the black and red wires to the two screws on the top of the new breaker. Attach the white wire to the neutral bus strip in the center of the panel. Connect the bare wire to the grounding strip at the bottom of the service panel. Tighten all the screws down using the screwdriver.
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8
Replace the cover access panel over the service panel. Punch out two knockout slots on the access panel that line up with the new breaker switch to allow them to extend through the panel for normal access. Insert a screw into each hole on the cover and tighten them down.
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9
Attach the new outlet to the wall. Insert the wiring through the hole in the outlet frame and out the front. Slide the frame up the hole in the sheetrock wall and line up this hole with the hole in the frame. Insert a screw from the kit into each screw hole and tighten the frame down to the wall.
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10
Attach the wiring to the dryer outlet. Attach the black and red wires to the two brass screws, the white wire to the silver screw, and the bare wire to the green screw. Tighten each screw down on its wire. Place the dryer outlet cover over the outlet, and insert a screw into each mounting hole and tighten them down.
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11
Plug the dryer plug into the outlet. Turn the main power switch back to the "On" position.
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12
Turn the dryer on and test for operation.
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Tips & Warnings
Having an assistant to feed or pull the wiring and cable through the wall will help make this project go easier.
Never attempt to do any work on an electrical circuit without first turning off the power as contact with a "hot" or "live" circuit could result in serious electrical shock.
Avoid contact with the main power lugs at the top of the service panel. Even with the power off, they remain "hot" with power from the street cable as they enter the service panel before the main service panel "Off" breaker.
Contact a certified electrician if you have any questions before beginning this project.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit laundromat image by Scott Patterson from Fotolia.com
