00crashtest
Senior Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- electrician trainee
I am considering buying a house that has 2 unused NEMA 6-30 receptacles, each fed by its own 30 A branch circuit, in the garage with adjacent standard NEMA 5-15 receptacles, cold and hot water hookups, and drain hookup. I am considering to place the electric clothes dryer and washing machine there in order to turn the laundry room into additional open space within the air-conditioned zone. I also want to add an electric cooking range there because I plan to occasionally cook smelly foods and don't want to stink up the habitable rooms of the house. The clothes washer is no problem because it is powered by a standard NEMA 5-15R. However, I see online that most electric clothes dryers, electric ranges, and electric ovens sold in the US and Canada use 120 V for the controls in addition to the 240 V required for the heating element, so they need the neutral in addition to the 2 hots. However, I could not find any information regarding the availability of dryers, ovens, and ranges than use only 240 V. Home Depot appliance staff was of no help because they just said such electric appliances use only 240 V because they only have 1 plug, even after I told them the controls use 120 V. I left immediately because of their huge ignorance of the neutral slot on the standard NEMA 14-30R or 14-50R installed since the adoption of the 1996 NEC (NEMA 10-30R or 10-50R pre-1996 typical).
So, what is the price and availability in the US (specifically California) of such appliances that run on 240 V only, implying not using the neutral, even if only sold online? Assuming a run of 50 feet for the neutral of each receptacle, will it be cheaper to 1) add 2 neutrals and replace 2 receptacles, or 2) buy a 240 V-only range and a 240 V-only dryer?
So, what is the price and availability in the US (specifically California) of such appliances that run on 240 V only, implying not using the neutral, even if only sold online? Assuming a run of 50 feet for the neutral of each receptacle, will it be cheaper to 1) add 2 neutrals and replace 2 receptacles, or 2) buy a 240 V-only range and a 240 V-only dryer?
