queeny77
Well-known member
there was an old thread about converting a 220 dryer to 110 with a jumper wire but i cant seem to find the thread. the problem is, i have a kenmore portable dryer thats 220 and i want to convert it to 110. please help
converting 220 dryer to 110
- Thread starter queeny77
- Start date
Help Support :
There is nothing wrong with what you propose, BUT, when you halve the voltage you reduce the wattage to a quarter of what it is on 220. Since you are dealing with a portable dryer, it has a smaller heating element than a full size dryer. When you convert a full size dryer to run on 110, you get around 1400 watts of heat out of the 5600 watt 220 volt element. To give your portable dryer any speed at all, you should probably try to get the 110 volt element which will provide optimal drying on 110 volts. If it is a model with time/temp auto-dry, the auto-dry will no longer work. Make sure the timer goes up to 90-120 minutes.
CONVERTING A KM PORTABLE DRYER TO 120 V.
Check the name plate on the dryer for voltage and heater wattage. KM never sold a 110 or 220 volt portable dryer. Tom brings up a good point about converting a 240 portable dryer to 120 volts. The compact dryers had either a 3200 or 3600 watt heater at 240 volts so if you run it on 120 volts you will only get 800 or 900 watts of heat, which will make for pretty slow drying, as the 120 volt versions came with a 1400 watt heater.
Check the name plate on the dryer for voltage and heater wattage. KM never sold a 110 or 220 volt portable dryer. Tom brings up a good point about converting a 240 portable dryer to 120 volts. The compact dryers had either a 3200 or 3600 watt heater at 240 volts so if you run it on 120 volts you will only get 800 or 900 watts of heat, which will make for pretty slow drying, as the 120 volt versions came with a 1400 watt heater.
This is the 240 volt one they sell now if it is like this one then you can order the element for the whirlpool 110 unit.
Sears unit
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-3.4-cu...table-extra-large/p-02684722000P#crumbWrapper
This is the 110 unit by whirlpool
Sears unit
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-3.4-cu...table-extra-large/p-02684722000P#crumbWrapper
This is the 110 unit by whirlpool
This is the element for the kenmore 110 unit here
Same thing here just cost more
parts.sears.com
Same thing here just cost more
Appliance Parts | Replacement Water Filters | Lawn & Garden Repair Parts
We carry millions of appliance parts, snow blower, lawn & garden replacement parts, water filters and more. No matter where you bought it, Sears Parts Direct has the right parts.
parts.sears.com
arbilab
Well-known member
Let's just look at one example, dryer heater plated at 3600W @ 240V or 15A. (240V x 15A = 3600W)
Back-substituting into R=E/I, R = 240/15 = 16 Ohms.
I = E/R. If E now = 120V and R is still 16, I = 120/16 = 7.5A.
7.5A x 120V = 900W, insufficient.
However, if we consider a heatbox using all 3 240V wires center tapped to neutral, leave the neutral where it is (center) and jumper both the 240V hots to 120V hot (elements in parallel):
I = 120/8 = 15A, x120V = 1800W (heater only).
The motor on my 120V portable is plated at 4A. 120V X 4A = 480W. 1800W + 480W = 2280W.
2280W/120V = 19A, the limit for a 20A standard branch.
Whereas, my portable (designed for 120V), heater is 1450W + motor 480W = 16A, a much more suitable load for a 20A branch and I believe the max a single 120V plugin appliance is allowed to draw.
So if the dryer has a 3-wire heatbox and you jumper the hots to parallel, you cannot have ANYthing else plugged into that branch. Worse, if it sets fire to your house and your insurance adjuster discovers the modification, he can nullify your coverage.
Now then, few heatboxes anymore have 3 wires. They're either designed for one standard or the other. They were 'compatible' in the 50s, where either connection would not overload. But that would have to compromise both connections.
As above, the thing to do is buy the heatbox for the voltage you are using.
Back-substituting into R=E/I, R = 240/15 = 16 Ohms.
I = E/R. If E now = 120V and R is still 16, I = 120/16 = 7.5A.
7.5A x 120V = 900W, insufficient.
However, if we consider a heatbox using all 3 240V wires center tapped to neutral, leave the neutral where it is (center) and jumper both the 240V hots to 120V hot (elements in parallel):
I = 120/8 = 15A, x120V = 1800W (heater only).
The motor on my 120V portable is plated at 4A. 120V X 4A = 480W. 1800W + 480W = 2280W.
2280W/120V = 19A, the limit for a 20A standard branch.
Whereas, my portable (designed for 120V), heater is 1450W + motor 480W = 16A, a much more suitable load for a 20A branch and I believe the max a single 120V plugin appliance is allowed to draw.
So if the dryer has a 3-wire heatbox and you jumper the hots to parallel, you cannot have ANYthing else plugged into that branch. Worse, if it sets fire to your house and your insurance adjuster discovers the modification, he can nullify your coverage.
Now then, few heatboxes anymore have 3 wires. They're either designed for one standard or the other. They were 'compatible' in the 50s, where either connection would not overload. But that would have to compromise both connections.
As above, the thing to do is buy the heatbox for the voltage you are using.
110 conversion
If you look at where the cord connects, you may have 3 or 4 wires. If there are 3, remove the ground jumper to the white wires, and move the red wire to the white ones, or connect a jumper from white to red. Connect a heavy 110 cord: Black to black wires, white to white and red, green to a screw on the cabinet. You will have to be very patient, it will take about 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours to dry a regular load. If there is a 110 volt element, do the same thing as above, and replace the element. If it is a 4 wire cord, there is no ground jumper to disconnect otherwise, it is the same as above. Definately the drying will be slower
If you look at where the cord connects, you may have 3 or 4 wires. If there are 3, remove the ground jumper to the white wires, and move the red wire to the white ones, or connect a jumper from white to red. Connect a heavy 110 cord: Black to black wires, white to white and red, green to a screw on the cabinet. You will have to be very patient, it will take about 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours to dry a regular load. If there is a 110 volt element, do the same thing as above, and replace the element. If it is a 4 wire cord, there is no ground jumper to disconnect otherwise, it is the same as above. Definately the drying will be slower
Actually the auto-dry will work.
Mine is of the time-temperature variety (timer advances while heat is off).
I just have to use the "minimum" amount of "time" setting on the timer of the "AUTO" cycle and "LOW" heat setting on the dial.
Make sure the ground-strap attaching the frame of the machine to the neutral terminal of the power-in posts is disconnected for 110v operation.
Mine is of the time-temperature variety (timer advances while heat is off).
I just have to use the "minimum" amount of "time" setting on the timer of the "AUTO" cycle and "LOW" heat setting on the dial.
Make sure the ground-strap attaching the frame of the machine to the neutral terminal of the power-in posts is disconnected for 110v operation.
My Kenmore Model 110.62064100 Op. voltage 110V/240V,
Hello All,
I have the above model dryer I'm trying to use 110VAC (older house electrical wiring).
How would I wire?
Existing wires on machine are Black, White, & Red (left to right), & green ground
On 220V wiring it would be Black, White, & red and the green to ground....
I'm wiring for 110VAC, I tried using (cable) Black to black, White to white (neutral) & green to chassis, didn't work.
Black to black and white in the Red's spot with green to ground, didn't work.
Black to black, White to white & jumpered white to red on terminal block, didn't work.
What am I doing wrong? Please help
Thanks,
Rob
Hello All,
I have the above model dryer I'm trying to use 110VAC (older house electrical wiring).
How would I wire?
Existing wires on machine are Black, White, & Red (left to right), & green ground
On 220V wiring it would be Black, White, & red and the green to ground....
I'm wiring for 110VAC, I tried using (cable) Black to black, White to white (neutral) & green to chassis, didn't work.
Black to black and white in the Red's spot with green to ground, didn't work.
Black to black, White to white & jumpered white to red on terminal block, didn't work.
What am I doing wrong? Please help
Thanks,
Rob
You're going to need a wiring diagram to know for certain, however since you have, by process of elimination, tried every combination but one that will actually most likely work here is what I suggest:
Try this: Black on the cord to the red terminal. White on the cord to the white terminal. And the green to green. This is going to be a test. IF the motor, lights and timer work but it does't heat using this configuration you are are now 3/4 of the way there.
Next, jumper the BLACK terminal to the white terminal and now you SHOULD have heat.
I do this with some regularity when I need am testing or trouble-shooting an electric dryer and am an inconvenient distance from 220 volt power. Now, I just did this earlier this week with a new-ish whirlpool dryer and on that one I needed to jumper the red wire to the neutral. But since you tried that and got nothing, I would do what I suggested above.
On these dryers all of the control circuitry, and electric motor are connected to one of the "Hot" wires (either red or black). The OTHER hot wire is connected only to the other end of the heater coil (usually through the centrifugal safety switch.)
You certainly are aware that it will take about 3 times longer to dry on 110 than at 220 and that SOME auto-dry systems are not very accurate on 110 volts.
Try this: Black on the cord to the red terminal. White on the cord to the white terminal. And the green to green. This is going to be a test. IF the motor, lights and timer work but it does't heat using this configuration you are are now 3/4 of the way there.
Next, jumper the BLACK terminal to the white terminal and now you SHOULD have heat.
I do this with some regularity when I need am testing or trouble-shooting an electric dryer and am an inconvenient distance from 220 volt power. Now, I just did this earlier this week with a new-ish whirlpool dryer and on that one I needed to jumper the red wire to the neutral. But since you tried that and got nothing, I would do what I suggested above.
On these dryers all of the control circuitry, and electric motor are connected to one of the "Hot" wires (either red or black). The OTHER hot wire is connected only to the other end of the heater coil (usually through the centrifugal safety switch.)
You certainly are aware that it will take about 3 times longer to dry on 110 than at 220 and that SOME auto-dry systems are not very accurate on 110 volts.
American Electirc Dryers
Aside from the small portables American consumers expect the same "flash bake" drying from electric dryers as those using gas. Add to this the historical use of top loading washers with poor final spin extraction and you need all that heat to blast the water out of laundry in any reasonable amount of time.
That old Peanuts comic strip with Lucy reaching into a dryer with a stick to retrieve her brother's favourite blanket; then handing the hot thing to him causing the kid to leap as if scalded is not far off the mark. *LOL* Today of course dryers have that cool down period, which helps.
Aside from the small portables American consumers expect the same "flash bake" drying from electric dryers as those using gas. Add to this the historical use of top loading washers with poor final spin extraction and you need all that heat to blast the water out of laundry in any reasonable amount of time.
That old Peanuts comic strip with Lucy reaching into a dryer with a stick to retrieve her brother's favourite blanket; then handing the hot thing to him causing the kid to leap as if scalded is not far off the mark. *LOL* Today of course dryers have that cool down period, which helps.
European dryers (particularly older ones) used to be pretty hot too though. I remember getting clothes out of our old Hoover vented dryer as a kid that were so hot you couldn't touch them. The fasteners and buttons were lethal - they'd actually burn you!
Modern heat pump dryers tend to run a LOT cooler. Although the clothes still get quite warm, but nothing like the old machines used to.
I prefer the gentle heat pump approach as it isn't particularly slow but it really dries clothes well without shrinking them with excessive heat which is great.
Modern heat pump dryers tend to run a LOT cooler. Although the clothes still get quite warm, but nothing like the old machines used to.
I prefer the gentle heat pump approach as it isn't particularly slow but it really dries clothes well without shrinking them with excessive heat which is great.
Methinks Older Dryers Without Moisture Sensors
Got things so hot because until the timer switched off the heat and or other systems came into play they would continue "drying" long after whatever was in there was dry. Even our little portable Whirlpool will give "hot" garments if things are left in too long, that is the cycle was set too long and things are dry and now into the baking stage. *LOL*
Still rather the WP over my AEG condenser dryer for speed.
Got things so hot because until the timer switched off the heat and or other systems came into play they would continue "drying" long after whatever was in there was dry. Even our little portable Whirlpool will give "hot" garments if things are left in too long, that is the cycle was set too long and things are dry and now into the baking stage. *LOL*
Still rather the WP over my AEG condenser dryer for speed.
Proper Way To Connect Most 240 American Dryers To 120 Volts
Connect the Black hot wire from the 120 cord to the terminal with the black wire, connect the white neutral wire to the center terminal that has the white wire attached to it. Then either move the red wire to the neutral terminal or add a jumper from the center white terminal to the red terminal.
Now you have to change the grounding, normally on full size US dryers the center terminal in linked to the cabinet, you must disconnect this connection. Then take the green ground wire from the new 120 volt cord and connect this wire to the cabinet.
This will make the dryer run fine, it will only put out 1/4 the heat on 120 volts, but the good news is it will only take about 3 times as long to dry a full load and you will actually use about 15% less total power.
The only real problem with many dryers is the automatic dry cycle will never shut off because it is temperature dependent [ unless the dryer you are converting has an electronic sensor system ] The other possible problems are the timed cycles are not long enough in maximum timing to get the dryer to finish drying without having return and reset the dryers timer. The other possible problem is on many sophisticated dryers with fully electronic control systems the system will shut down the dryer if it does not scene dryness in about two hours.
John L.
Connect the Black hot wire from the 120 cord to the terminal with the black wire, connect the white neutral wire to the center terminal that has the white wire attached to it. Then either move the red wire to the neutral terminal or add a jumper from the center white terminal to the red terminal.
Now you have to change the grounding, normally on full size US dryers the center terminal in linked to the cabinet, you must disconnect this connection. Then take the green ground wire from the new 120 volt cord and connect this wire to the cabinet.
This will make the dryer run fine, it will only put out 1/4 the heat on 120 volts, but the good news is it will only take about 3 times as long to dry a full load and you will actually use about 15% less total power.
The only real problem with many dryers is the automatic dry cycle will never shut off because it is temperature dependent [ unless the dryer you are converting has an electronic sensor system ] The other possible problems are the timed cycles are not long enough in maximum timing to get the dryer to finish drying without having return and reset the dryers timer. The other possible problem is on many sophisticated dryers with fully electronic control systems the system will shut down the dryer if it does not scene dryness in about two hours.
John L.
