I have a brand new dryer and it wont heat because the breaker it is running off of is only a 30. I want to replace the breaker with a 50. I was told to make sure the wiring will hold a 50 breaker, what am I looking for in the wire to ensure it will?
2007-09-12 11:38:09 · 9 answers · asked by just me... 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
the previous owners thought it was there dryer too... but i's not it the breaker issue...
2007-09-12 11:44:59 · update #1
hey - if i 'm wrong about needing a 50 breaker LET ME KNOW!!!
also the breaker is not tripping.
2007-09-12 11:46:12 · update #2
That doesn't make sense. The dryer will heat regardless unless the breaker is tripping. Besides, in all my 15 years of electrical experience I've never came across a 50amp dryer. Who told you to use a 50amp breaker ?
Thanks for the info...
The dryer isn't tripping the breaker. Big plus. You probably have a broken leg from the 220 circuit. This will cause a dryer to not heat. Call an electrician to check the wiring. :-)
I guess you also know it's best not to use the dryer until all electrical problems are resolved. --- could burn up the dryer if you do.
2007-09-12 11:43:57 · answer #1 · answered by Kris_B 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Do not replace your 30A breaker with a 50A breaker; it is dangerous. The 30A breaker was put in to protect the wire running to your drier, by putting in a larger breaker, you are removing that protection.
If the breaker is not tripping, then it is definitely not a breaker problem.
If the drier turns and the lights are on, then unplug the drier. Look at the outlet; it has 4 openings: 1 round (D) and 3 slots. Using a voltmeter (they sell for less than $20.00 at a home centre), check the following:
1. Measure from the round opening to each of the 3 slots in turn; you should read around 120 VAC at two points and nearly 0 VAC at the other.
2. Measure from the one that was at 0 VAC to each of the two that were 120 VAC in turn; you should read around 120 VAC for each.
3. Measure between the two slots that read 120 VAC in the first test; you should read around 240 VAC.
If all the tests are good, your drier is defective and, since it is new, call the store where you purchased it to engage the warranty.
If any of the tests fail, call a licensed electrician, there is a serious electrical wiring problem that needs to be diagnosed and corrected.
2007-09-14 09:46:15 · answer #2 · answered by C2020 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First ignore rroda. His answers will burn your house down.
The 30 amp breaker with the #10 wire it probably has wired to it is correct for a dryer. No dryer takes 50 amps and the wire is to small for 50 amps and could start a fire. So forget that entire idea. Who ever told you to put in a 50 amp breaker was dangerously wrong.
Kris is pretty much correct. You are probably missing 1/2 of your 240 volt circuit. It could be a loose connection at the breaker or at the plug connection, or a bad breaker with one dead pole. That would allow the dryer to spin but not heat. Did the store where you bought the dryer connect it for you? If they did, call them back. If not, you need a real electrician to check this out and fix it.
Don't take electrical advice from untrained people. You could get electrocuted or burn your house down. Especially people who pretend to be electricians. Call a real one from the yellow pages.
2007-09-12 19:31:02 · answer #3 · answered by John himself 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
My bet is that you have a loose terminal on your breaker or that the breaker is "soft" meaning that it trips but not all the way.
(worn out from tripping too much)
I would try a new 30 amp breaker first, they are only 10 bucks or so. One thing for sure, though-you DONT need 50 amps for a Regular Home Dryer!
2007-09-12 19:02:52 · answer #4 · answered by TopChefTJ 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
dont do it!!!!! just replace the breaker you have with another 30 amp breaker...then check and make sure you have 230 volts at the receptacle where the dryer plugs in....if you do your dryer should work...the most likely problem now is that you only have one leg of the 230 volts feeding the dryer...it will run and the timer will work but no heat....the wiring you have now will not support a 50 amp breaker...nor does your dryer require anything over 30 amps.....
2007-09-13 00:44:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Unless the breaker in question is tripping,
(shutting off the current), it is not the problem.
If the plug on your dryer fits that 30A. outlet,
then machine is designed for a 30A. circuit.
A 50 Ampere breaker should not be connected
to less than #6 AWG. wire nor to a 30 Amp.
receptacle.
2007-09-12 20:16:10 · answer #6 · answered by Irv S 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Have you considered that the heating element within the dryer could be faulty? The wiring in the house may be just fine - the dryer may be the full problem.
If you used a dryer in that same spot without problems before the new dryer was hooked up, I would suspect the new dryer to be the problem.
2007-09-14 00:37:33 · answer #7 · answered by David H 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
just want to emphasize.DO NOT change smaller breaker for bigger.these are fire preventive devices, not bigger batteries.
have someone that knows how to use a multimeter,measure the voltage missing 1/2 the voltage could be the problem as you can see on previous smart answers.loose connections,broken wire and the like.....
2007-09-13 01:16:35 · answer #8 · answered by sifu-peluche 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well the old one obviously ran off this 30 amp I am suspecting. However typically a 10AWG wire is sufficient for a 220V dryer.2 pole 50 amps or 40 amps is used for this.
2007-09-12 18:43:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 6⤋