Do dryers rely on breakers for OL protection?

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beegee

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A friend of mine recently bought a dryer and the lady from the store told him that its a 30A dryer, but most people have been wiring a 40A circuit for it. Do dryers rely on breakers for Overload protection? Because if they do I would think it would be dangerous to wire a 30A dryer on a 40A circuit. Is there any reason why I should recommend him to wire it on a 40 circuit?
 
Your standard residential dryer should be on a 30.
Some newer motors have internal overload protection. But that would not protect the circuit.
 
beegee said:
A friend of mine recently bought a dryer and the lady from the store told him that its a 30A dryer, but most people have been wiring a 40A circuit for it. Do dryers rely on breakers for Overload protection? Because if they do I would think it would be dangerous to wire a 30A dryer on a 40A circuit. Is there any reason why I should recommend him to wire it on a 40 circuit?
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Ask her to cite the code section that allows this.
 
Well the breaker would protect the circuit, and the OL's would protect the dryer.....right? If it has OL's.
 
Read the owners manual , Never believe sales people they lie......alot.
 
I don't think she was lying, I just don't think she really knew what she was talking about. Kind of like me :), which is why I came here again. Here's a question...if a 30A dryer does have OL protection, could you feed it with a 100A circuit if the wire was sized properly? I don't see why not. My second question was do dryers have OL protection?
 
electricalperson said:
most sales people dont know what they are talking about anyway
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exactly. just try asking them what the total kw is on an appliance, they will just recite what the owners manual says " a fifteen amp circuit"
 
monkey said:
exactly. just try asking them what the total kw is on an appliance, they will just recite what the owners manual says " a fifteen amp circuit"
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Or when it is just a fifteen amp circuit needed, they will say 50 amp.
 
beegee said:
I don't think she was lying, I just don't think she really knew what she was talking about. Kind of like me :), which is why I came here again. Here's a question...if a 30A dryer does have OL protection, could you feed it with a 100A circuit if the wire was sized properly?
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No, you can not exceed the manufacturers labeling, at the least it is a 110.3(B) issue as the testing for the listing would have been done with the manufacturers recommended breaker size.

Beyond the motor there are conductors in the unit, if one shorts to the chassis you want the breaker to open.
 
There would be an issue with 210.21(B)(1). The branch circuit supplying the 30 amp dryer receptacle must have a rating of 30 amps or less. The rating of the branch circuit is determined by its OCPD
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
There would be an issue with 210.21(B)(1). The branch circuit supplying the 30 amp dryer receptacle must have a rating of 30 amps or less. The rating of the branch circuit is determined by its OCPD
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I was thinking the same thing but no one has said they did not use a 50 amp range receptacal and pigtail.
 
To answer your question there are two documents you would look at:
1. Manufacturers instructions
2. NEC Article 422 Appliances.
 
Keep in mind this sales lady was probably selling computers last month.
What really gets me is when they look at you like you are some idiot. Like most of the people at HD and Lowes.
I asked where the 96" T12 tubes were and they could not understand until I said "the long ones, the 8 footers".
 
John Valdes said:
Keep in mind this sales lady was probably selling computers last month.
What really gets me is when they look at you like you are some idiot. Like most of the people at HD and Lowes.
I asked where the 96" T12 tubes were and they could not understand until I said "the long ones, the 8 footers".
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Squish the fish.
 
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