Can a 240V 15A outlet used for a washer be converted to a 240V 30A outlet for a dryer?

Answer 1

s for USA, Canada and countries using similar 60Hz mains suppliesConversion Dangerous and NOT RecommendedUmmm no. If you did try to do it, you'd have a pretty good chance of burning your house down.

More Information:

I want to say "no" you can't do this based on what you've told me.

What matters here is the size of the wire, 240V is 240V and that part of it doesn't matter. A dryer uses #10 wire for 30 amps and a washer uses either #14, or #12 for Canada vs US. If you were to just switch out the receptacle you would run the risk of burning up the 15 amp wire as it's not designed to carry that kind of load continuously.

If you have a wire stripper that has the awg wire gauges on it and it measures out to #10, then you can swap out the receptacle and breaker and convert this to suit yourself.

If in doubt, always consult a licensed electrician.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

Answer 2

The 220 DRYER outlet is probably rated at 30 amps or more. You can't really use 20 amp or 15 amp outlets with 30 amp breakers. You'd need to change the breaker or put additional breakers in the line. You would be better off running a new, 15 amp or 20 amp line from the breaker panel with the appropriate sized wire and breaker and keep the 220 volt outlet in place.

Answer 3

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.This is not a DIY job: generally speaking a 120 V circuit will use a 14 gauge wire but a 240 V circuit will need at least a 10 gauge wire, so the existing wire is much too thin. As well as chenging the wire, the outlet would have to be changed to handle 240 V and also the circuit breaker would have to be changed to a pair of breakers capable of protecting a 240 volt branch circuit at the correct amperage.

The most sensible plan is to leave the existing 120 V outlet and its associated wiring and breaker in place and, in the room where you want to use a 240 V appliance, get a new 240 V circuit installed that has:

• the correct size pair of circuit breakers installed in the main breaker panel to supply 240 V

  and

• the correct size wiring to suit the length of run to the place where you want to use the 240 V appliance and its amperage

  and

• the correct type of outlet to suit the appliance.

<><><>

As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 4

An existing outlet can be converted by replacing the 30A circuit breakers or fuses in the circuit breaker or fuse box with 15A breakers or fuses. The 30A outlet should also be replaced by a 15A outlet.

This is all that is required if the wire from the supply to the outlet is 10, 12, or 14 guage.

The existing wire should be 10 guage wire to handle the 30A and there will be no problem in the same wire providing the 15A.

Answer 5

You cannot use 2-120v outlets to power a 240v dryer.

You can convert a 240v dryer outlet to power 2-120v outlets if they are supplied with a neutral. This requires a competent electrician. Do not do this yourself.

Answer 6

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.

The very first thing you do is make sure that the distribution panel that you are working on is turned off (de-energized).

Now to start, the first thing that has to be changed is the two pole 30 amp breaker.

This breaker has to be changed out to a two pole 15 amp breaker.

At this point remove the white #10 wire that was used for the dryer, from the neutral bus bar.

Cap the wire with a wire-nut and tuck it into the back of the distribution panel.

The remaining #10 red and black will be alright to use again.

At the receptacle end you may have trouble getting the #10 wire under the terminal screw of the 15 amp 240 volt receptacle.

In the junction box you may wire-nut a #14 or #12 by 6" piece of wire onto the #10's existing red and black dryer wire.

The white #10 will not be needed, just insulate it from ground with a wire-nut over the end of the wire, there is no connection for it.

The ground wire may need to be reduced also, but it is mandatory that the ground gets reconnected.

Reducing the wire sizes will make the connection to the receptacle easier to accomplish.

The dryer receptacle box will be a 4 and 11/16 square box. Look for a DIY store that has a 4 and 11/16 " flat mud ring or extension ring. This mud ring or extension ring will take a duplex 240 volt 15 amp receptacle.

Install a regular duplex plug cover over the new receptacle and the job will be safely completed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.