Tapping the dryer circuit

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Ben Trueblood

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Gentlemen,
I have a customer who did not know when he designed his plan that his stackable washer and dryer would need a seperate 110V outlet. He thought it was (1) 30 Amp Plug. We ran 10/3 copper with ground as required. The question is there anything in the code that will allow me to tap off of the existing 30 Amp circuit to get him the seperate 110V outlet he needs. Old work from the panel is not an option. Thanks for the advice.
 
As Stick mentioned the 120 volt, 20 amp circuit is required for the laundry. Leaving the 30 amp circuit and tapping off won't work.
 
You can't tap the 30A dryer circuit for that purpose. It's not allowed under the tap rules or their exceptions.

Even if it were allowed, I wouldn't do it. Most washing machines pull around 10A, and dryers generally pull 22-25 per side. Run them both at the same time, and there's a good chance you'll overload the 30A breaker and trip it before the laundry is done.
 
Sorry, Ben, but the wiring should have never passed rough-in inspection with the required laundry circuit in place.
 
I?m not so sure it isn?t allowed, provided that the conductors serving the 120 volt receptacle have an ampacity equal to or greater than the rating of the branch circuit. The Tap Rules, specifically 240.21(A), sends you to 210.19 for Branch Circuits. If you use #10 wire for the separate 120 volt circuit, then you are complying with this article.

I don?t even know if you can fit #10 wires into a standard receptacle. But I agree with Jeff, that it would be a bad design.
 
charlie b said:
I?m not so sure it isn?t allowed, provided that the conductors serving the 120 volt receptacle have an ampacity equal to or greater than the rating of the branch circuit. The Tap Rules, specifically 240.21(A), sends you to 210.19 for Branch Circuits. If you use #10 wire for the separate 120 volt circuit, then you are complying with this article.

I don?t even know if you can fit #10 wires into a standard receptacle. But I agree with Jeff, that it would be a bad design.
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But how do you get a 15 or 20 amp receptacle on a 30 amp circuit?
 
stickboy1375 said:
Where is the required laundry circuit? 210.52(F)
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Playing devils advocate here......What if the "laundry room" was only large enough for a stackable unit? Would the 30A 240V circuit suffice without the 20A 120V circuit?
 
This job was just done wrong from the start, Even if the Laundry circuit was not code, I still would have provided that receptacle, I've installed to many stak-paks wired either way.... plus a lot of washer/dryer machines are stackable... so either way its a BIG mistake....
 
m73214 said:
Playing devils advocate here......What if the "laundry room" was only large enough for a stackable unit? Would the 30A 240V circuit suffice without the 20A 120V circuit?
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Nope... dryers are optional...
 
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charlie b said:
I’m not so sure it isn’t allowed, provided that the conductors serving the 120 volt receptacle have an ampacity equal to or greater than the rating of the branch circuit. The Tap Rules, specifically 240.21(A), sends you to 210.19 for Branch Circuits. If you use #10 wire for the separate 120 volt circuit, then you are complying with this article.

I don’t even know if you can fit #10 wires into a standard receptacle. But I agree with Jeff, that it would be a bad design.
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I assumed something smaller than #10 would be used for the tap. Apart from being physically difficult to connect #10 to a 15A or 20A receptacle, I don't think such receptacles are listed for wires that big.

Infinity makes a good point. You can't put a 20A receptacle on a 30A circuit, even if you did use #10 all the way.

And no, the size of the laundry room is irrelevant. If the code calls for a laundry circuit (120V, 20A), you have to install one. The 30A dryer is entirely optional.
 
stickboy1375 said:
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dryers are optional!
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C'mon Stick, get off the fence!
 
Definitely an option...I'm assuming the 30 amp receptacle is behind the unit so getting the working clearance is probably gonna shoot that idea down, unless the panel can go on the other side of the wall.
 
I agree strongly in putting a 20 amp 120v circuit in and a 240v circuit for the dryer. I think it's the best way to do it and the only way but you could do this. Where the 30 amp circuit rec. is-- install a 4 space sub panel. Fuse panel with a 30 amp breaker coming from the main box. In the sub panel you can use 2 spaces for your dryer and 1 space for your 20 amp 120v GFCI circuit. There's no way I would do it like this but as long as your sub panel is fuse for 30 amps, the 10-3wg wire will hold.
jim
 
jeff43222 said:
I assumed something smaller than #10 would be used for the tap. Apart from being physically difficult to connect #10 to a 15A or 20A receptacle, I don't think such receptacles are listed for wires that big.

.
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I've connected plenty of 10 GA conductors to 15 and 20A devices. P&S lists there devices for 10Ga. http://www.passandseymour.com/, my guess is they are not alone.??
 
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