1978 Whirlpool 220 portable dryer wiring

[vintagemh]

Hello,

Hopefully you all remember us with the GMC motorhome and the late 70s whirlpool portable washer dryer set. I'm at the point of doing the wiring the dryer and apparently generators can only produce 220 or 110 power, I was hoping we could run both machines in the coach at the same time off the generator. The generator were told works for the coach is an Onan 7hgjae. My question is, isn't 220 just two 110 legs and therefore can we not make a switch that will allow the dryer to run on 110 or 220 by powering or not powering one leg of the 220 plug and just leaving the RV generator in 110 mode? We will just be mindful of not running anything else in the coach when the dryer is in 220 mode. Thoughts? If this is possible is one leg of the 220 motor and one heating element then another leg just the second element? Any idea which leg is which?

Thank you in advance, looking forward to posting pics. We will be using the RV to promote a new website (a different kind of social media that resolves conflict and helps people get along) so people will be coming on board the coach to check things out and I'd love to be able to show the machines working on generator power (110 mode heating in the dryer when anything other than just the dryer is on). Plus we will likely find ourselves at university campus' and not plugged in.

 

[Chetlaham]

Are you sure the RV generator is not 120/240?

 

[Chetlaham]

I ask because the model number of your generator brings up a manual showing 120/240 as standard- meaning you can get both 120 and 240 out of the generator at the same time page 40 (6-6)

http://www.cleggind.com/postal_tech/pdfs/onan_srv_man_pt1.pdf

 

[vintagemh]

oh let me find out, thank you!

 

[Chetlaham]

Welcome

 

[vintagemh]

if I wanted to switch between 110 and 220

Even if the generator can service the needs of the dryer and the rest of the coach how could I wire a switch to allow it to switch between 110 and 220?

 

[Chetlaham]

Do you have a schematic or tech sheet to this combo?

Normally you would jump L2 to the neutral and only use the timed dry or low heat setting. You will get 1/4 of the normal heating power from the dryer. (see pic of a typical dryer wiring diagram)

However, with a combo, I've seen the washer motor L1-N, while the dryer motor is L2-N. A bit more complicated than a jumper. You could in theory wire the thing to a 15 amp 120 volt circuit and have a switch where either the washer works or the dryer works but not both.

 

[Chetlaham]

And I say or, because in some dryers even low heat won't advance the timer to off. You need the timed dryer setting. I know of some 2000s Whirlpool timers that has the timer motor across 240 fortunately more dryers use a 120 volt timer motor.

 

[vintagemh]

thank you!

Its not a combo they are separate units, but I think the 1-2 neutral jump should work but I'm thinking I might just see if that generator has enough juice to power the dryer and maybe the AC unit. Seems like an easy switch between 110 and 220 just isn't in the cards.