Coverting a Maytag model de308 220V dryer to 110V

[keegan]

Hi, everyone. i'm trying to convert my Maytag model De308 that I got for free to a 110v, because I dont have 220 in my apartment. I saw some of your older posts and If i understand I can-
"convert most any 220v dryer simply by moving the heater wire over to the neutral terminal and attaching your 120v cord to the L1 & neutral (center post) of the terminal block."-Gansky1

Is this right for this make and model? I know it will take way longer to dry my cloths, but is better then going to the laundry mate were the bums hangout all day and put who knows want in the machines...

 

[keegan]

anyone?

 

[kenmore71]

I don't have the schematic for that dryer in my possession so I don't want to venture a guess. There SHOULD be a wiring schematic either on the back of the console or pasted inside the console cover. It should show the wiring plan for both 220 & 110. Also, I can't remember if that dryer offers an "Auto Dry" function or not. IF it does, it will not function properly on 110. You will have to use only the timed cycles.

 

[arbilab]

simply by moving the heater wire
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are 2 heater wires. Which one you move is somewhat critical and depends on the exact configuration of that model. I don't have that diagram either. I'm sure someone here does.

Until you get exact instructions, don't "simply move" anything. Misoperation or hazard may result.

If the diagram shows the 120V config and you can interpret the drawing correctly, the diagram can be trusted. If you have any doubt of what you're looking at, do not proceed. You probably know, it's a safety issue.

 

[keegan]

ok, here is some pics of the wire diagram on the back.

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[keegan]

oh, and there is no auto dry.

 

[tecnopolis]

Not wanting to wash or dry my clothes with other people's schmutz was a prime motivator for me to get laundry in-house ASAP.

 

[kenmore71]

OK, here's what you do...

Using a HEAVY DUTY (14 gauge minimum, 12 gauge would be safer) cord that is no longer than 8 - 10 feet, connect the black wire to the L1 terminal, making sure that it is wire 7 (the Yellow with black stipe) is also attached to that terminal.

REMOVE THE GROUND STRAP from the N terminal completely if it is still there. THIS IS IMPORTANT! (There is a remote possibility that this could have been removed if this dryer was wired with a 4-wire cord in recent years.)

Then, move wire 5 (the blue one) over to the N terminal along with the two white wires that are already there.
Attach the white wire from the cord to the N terminal as well. There will be nothing attached the L2 terminal

Then attach the bare (or green, depending) ground wire from the cord to a convenient cabinet screw near the terminal block.

Now, here's what will happen, the motor and timer which were always running on 110 volts anyways will continue to do so and consume something in the area of 300 watts. This dryer is specced to have a 5300 watt element at 220 volts. On 110 that is divided by 4 = 1325 watts. The total will then be in the 1625-1650 watt range. This will MAX OUT a 15 amp branch circuit and stretch a 20 amp one.

The 110 volt cord MUST plug into a grounded wall outlet that is not more than 5 - 8 feet from the dryer. Using an extension cord is a bad idea and definitely a fire hazard.

I have hooked up dryers on 110 just for the fun of it and you can expect things to take 2 - 3 times longer to dry than at 220.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[arbilab]

It LOOKS LIKE moving the blue motor wire from L2 to the terminal block white wire performs the conversion.

Now there's the matter of the 120V power cord. I don't see a "ground" provision, and there isn't one built into 240V 3-prong. But you want one. That would be the cord GREEN connected to an unpainted portion of the frame.

To be consistent with the original 240V design, the NEUTRAL of the new cord must go to the N/White terminal, and the HOT of the cord must go to L1. I can't see the whole diagram to know if there are any paths from N to frame. There shouldn't be but in old appliances you can't count on ANYthing. Cord WHITE should be neutral and BLACK should be hot, but that depends whether the socket has been wired correctly and you can't count on that either.

If all that makes perfect sense and you are able to confirm the socket wiring, proceed. If it doesn't make sense at all, I'd encourage you to have it done professionally.

 

[arbilab]

Co-posted above with Kenmore71. His instructions fundamentally concur and are clearer. Just be safe. If any of this is the least bit foggy, don't do it yourself.

 

[fester]

What type of stove do you have?

If you have an electric stove or HVAC you have 230V available. Getting juice to the Dryer should be no trick. Hang a plug and fab up a super duty cord at home depot. Drag it out when you dry and stash it when not in use. Your already looking at amperage issues. A 230V machine running on one leg sucks juice like it's going out of style. When you split, disconnect the plug and spackle up where the wire passed. That's the way I'd go. YMMV.

FEster

 

[arbilab]

230V machine running on one leg sucks juice
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Misconception. First, we're tossing around 220/230/240 as if they're all the same thing. They're not. Present standards are 120/240. In a very old house/neighborhood or overloaded feeder, could be less. Could be 125/250. The differences are not insignificant. Measure if uncertain and adjust accordingly. But for purposes of comparison let's use the standards.

Second, through an apparent mathematical quirk, half the Volts uses 1/4 the Watts as above. 5300W/240V = 22A. But at half the voltage, current is also halved as resistance is constant, = 11A. 11A x 120V = 1320W. Watts is what you pay for. If the machine takes (only) twice as long, you actually pay LESS.

How can that be? Tumbling and exhausting water vapor account for half of drying and THOSE VALUES DON'T CHANGE because they ran on 120V all along.

 

[fester]

one legging

I had a heating unit drop a leg one winter and the bill more than doubled with no other changes. With the problem fixed, the bill returned to normal. What gives? Is this a number thing like the way torque and horsepower curves always cross at 5252 RPM regardless of the engine or power output? Why do we run anything on 220 if 110 is cheaper?

Curious.....

FEster

 

[arbilab]

A dryer is a known load. Your home heater is not unless you tell us its exact configuration and that of your house.

If my home heater lost one leg, the fan might run but the heat would not work at all.

We run things on 240 when the necessary wire gauge would be impractical at 120.

100-120 is closest to Edison's original intent for DC. 100V DC isn't comfortable to touch but it won't kill you. 100V AC is actually 140V peak and CAN kill you.

I have no idea what Euros were thinking making everything run on 200-250V. Copper wasn't THAT expensive when they decided on that. Word is that they chose 50Hz so the generator bearings would last 16% longer. But for every generator bearing there are 10,000 transformers which have to be 20% larger at 50Hz.

Math's a bitch. Little wonder the US is 50% behind the rest of the western world in math comprehension.

 

[tolivac]

Safety note----100VDC WILL KILL you under the right conditions.Take care!!!!

 

[kenmore71]

FEster, actually running an electric dryer on 110 is probably a wash electrically.
The heater will be using 1/4 the amount of power as it would on 220, but it likely never cycles off during the entire drying time. During the double to triple time that the dryer is running you actually move more air through the clothes, albeit cooler air. Now, that also means that the blower/tumbler motor which always was (and always will be on THIS dryer) a 110 volt motor will be running 2 - 3 times longer it will obviously use more electricity because it is running longer.

Drying a load of clothes is a relatively fixed thermodynamic equation which is a factor of really only two things: 1. time and 2. rate of moisture evaporation. The second part of that equation is a factor of; 1. air movement & 2. relative humidity.

This whole situation intrigues the physicist in me. I think a round of experiments with the electric meter are in order....

 

[combo52]

Running a 240 volt dryer on 120 volts

First and foremost as arbilab very correctly points out there is a big difference between 110-115-120-125, 220-230-240-250 volts, and in this country almost without exception we have 120-240 volts in our homes, some folks in mostly multifamily homes have 120-208 voltage. This is not only important when figuring out amperage loads but it makes you look a fool that doesn't know what you are talking about if you cannot even get the basic facts correct.

 

It will always consume less power and of coerce cost less to run a dryer on 120 volts vs 240 volts if you count only the cost of running the dryer, this is why GE actually had a button labeled economy on some their dryers back in the early 1960s. The 300-500 watts used to run the motor for three times as long is not wasted power as the waste heat from the motor is drawn into the airstream and helps to dry the load of clothing. There are a few disadvantages in using 120 volt drying and a few advantages.

 

First the disadvantages

 

1st longer drying time, 2nd possibly more clothing wear, 3rd the dryers mechanical parts will likely wear out much sooner and lastly and maybe most importantly if the dryer is vented outside your home the amount of makeup air that will have to be reheated or cooled will likely easily wipe out any savings of using 120 volt for drying clothing.

 

The possible advantages are.

 

1st more gentle heat for certain clothing items and 2nd cooler safer operation of the dryer itself.

 

[combo52]

Running a 240 volt dryer on 120 volts

First and foremost as arbilab very correctly points out there is a big difference between 110-115-120-125, 220-230-240-250 volts, and in this country almost without exception we have 120-240 volts in our homes, some folks in mostly multifamily homes have 120-208 voltage. This is not only important when figuring out amperage loads but it makes you look a fool that doesn't know what you are talking about if you cannot even get the basic facts correct.

 

Mark your instructions for conning the MT dryer to 120 were very good.

 

It will always consume less power and of coerce cost less to run a dryer on 120 volts vs 240 volts if you count only the cost of running the dryer, this is why GE actually had a button labeled economy on some their dryers back in the early 1960s. The 300-500 watts used to run the motor for three times as long is not wasted power as the waste heat from the motor is drawn into the airstream and helps to dry the load of clothing. There are a few disadvantages in using 120 volt drying and a few advantages.

 

First the disadvantages

 

1st longer drying time, 2nd possibly more clothing wear, 3rd the dryers mechanical parts will likely wear out much sooner and lastly and maybe most importantly if the dryer is vented outside your home the amount of makeup air that will have to be reheated or cooled will likely easily wipe out any savings of using 120 volt for drying clothing.

 

The possible advantages are.

 

1st more gentle heat for certain clothing items and 2nd cooler safer operation of the dryer itself.

 

[fester]

sorry if I sounded like a fool to some.

I don't know the electrical theory and slide rule stuff. I don't claim to. Everything I know comes from running 480v 3 phase shore power in the ship yard. Hook it up and check rotation on a pump. If it turns backwards, swap 2 legs. Shipboard transformers knocked it down to 110 - 220 v single phase. We had charts as to amp load, length of run and wire gauge. At home,I always compensate for variables by going up to a larger wire size. Too big a wire never burned a house down. Just my piss ignorant, down the bayou may of staying out of trouble.

I surely won't argue electrical theory or practice with electricians, engineers or omnipotents. My intent was to imply that it might be easier or even safer to grab some 220v than to put a heavy load on wires and breakers of unknown capacity and condition.

I'll stand down and leave this subject to those much wiser than I.

FEster