Dryer wiring question, 115 volts.

[volvoguy87]

I'm returning our DE306 to regular service for the first time since I rehabilitated the DE806. The DE806 is sticking around as the primary dryer, but the DE306 will be a secondary daily driver. At this time, we only have 1 dryer circuit so I'm setting it up to run on 115 volts. How, exactly, do I do this?

There is a tag stating not to connect the ground strap to the neutral lug for 115 volt operation. How do I ground the dryer? Which hot lug do I connect, and which one do I leave empty?

Thank you,
Dave

PS: Replacing the the timer dial on one of these dryers is super-easy.

 

[MrX]

Are you sure that's possible?

I thought typical US dryers used 240V heating elements and only used 110V for motors/controls.

From an efficiency and timing point of view, a 110V dryer sounds unlikely to be very practical as you have barely 1.5kW to heat the laundry!

The maximum load on a 15A circuit in the US is supposed to be 1440W (I know this isn't quite the exact load as you would calculate if you multipled 15amps by 115Volts, but there is a safety margin).

It might be worth consulting an electrician and getting a 240V outlet installed. I can't imagine it's all that complicated, particularly if the distribution board is near by.

I know over here in Ireland it's quite common to have the laundry in the utility room or the garage and typically that's often where you find the electrical distribution panel (aka : consumer unit / load centre / fuse box)

 

[3beltwesty]

Dryers that will work with both 120 and 240 volts are typically marked on the patent plate that lists the volts and amps.

My own 1976 westy DE503PD is marked:

23 amp 120/240V 3 wire
20 amp 120/208V 3 wire
14 amp 120Volts 2 wire

The "wires" on this plate are the non-grounds; ie active wires with current flow.

One mine the AC drive motor runs off the Neutral and one HOT wire in all cases.

A switcheroo to use only 120 volts has one wiring the dryer so its cord only uses one hot lug; the heater thus uses just 120 volts.

For grounding one uses a separate green wire ground to the frame. this is the fourth wire in a newer 240 volt dryer plug.

My dryer has by its internal input lugs a diagram labeling them H1, N and H2 for Hot 1 and 2 and the Neutral. For 120 volts only you use the Neutral plus the Hot legs that has the AC motor. It is the ONE THAT has more current in 240 volt operation. the added AC motor load

 

[3beltwesty]

Before 1947 a new house in the USA did not HAVE to have 240 volt service, it was optional. Pre WW2 houses often just had 120 volt service of 30 amps or 60 amps.

Electric dryers marketed eons ago, 1940's to 1970's etc had often capability of being used on 120 volts too. This means the heater really has only 1/4 the power. On mine the 5400 watt 240 volts coil is only about 1350 to 1400 watts, the coil is not a perfect resistor but darn close!

I grew up with a 120 volt ONLY dryer, its dry time with a crammed full dryer of soggy blue jeans was 3 to 4 times longer than a 240 volt unit; maybe just 2 times with a few shirts since the unit is cycling.

Here in the USA my old 1976 dryer when on 240 volts has too a low setting that actually uses the heater coil on 120 volts; ie 1/4 power.

Other USA dryers typically non westys have a low power setting that still has the heater on 240 volts; but the settup uses a biased thermosat. ie the thermostat has many wires; some which HEAT the thermosat to fake it off.

Most HOME 240 volt electric dryers in the USA do use the neutral, ie the AC motor runs off of the neutral to one hot wire.

 

[3beltwesty]

MRX; in the usa a common 120 volt plug is typically rated at 15 amps, but there is a variant that has a sideways T in the left Neutral hole that is a 20 amp version.

A device that has a 20 amp plug will fit into 20 amp sockets only, but a 15 amp device will fit in either 15 or 20 amp sockets.

A device that is plugged in and left in place for usage really should be used at only 80 percent of the sockets rating. The code does this so there is some margin with dirty lugs, and to not have false breaker trippings.

Thus with a 15 amp socket; the max permanent really is 12 amps

Thus with a 20 amp socket; the max permanent really is 16 amps

Typically small portable space heaters are hawked in the 1500 watt region; this is 12.5 amps. A portable hair dryer here is marked 1875 watts; this is 15.63 amps if one believes the Chinese specs; it really is about 14.5 amps at 120 volts!

Temporary items are allowed to pull more current; permanent items are suppose to be derated by 20 percent if plugged in.

 

[kenmore71]

Should work

You should be able to wire a HOH 240 dryer to work on 120 IF the timer motor and fan motor are all 120 volts to begin with. I don't have a HOH schematic in front of me right now, but almost all US dryers have always been designed that way. The only things you would need to check for certain is that the timer motor, fan motor, and other heating element controls are on the same hot "leg". This is the "leg" you would connect to the "hot" of the 120. The other 240 hot "leg" you would connect in common with the existing neutral and put this on the white wire in a 120 circuit. The ground really should be kept seperate in 120 volt operation and wired to the bare or green wire.

HOH dryers only had 4500 watt heating element and they rate the motor as drawing c. 300 watts so the electrical draw of that dryer is only going to be about 1400 watts (1100 heat + 300 motor) at 120. Considering that portable space heaters are generally rated between 1500 and 1650 watts I think you should be quite safe with a 15 amp circuit.

Now, that said, the DE306 maxes out at 75 minutes of regular dry time. Given that design of dryer on 120 volts....I hope you have LOTS of patience trying to get clothes dry.

 

[3beltwesty]

Maybe somebody has a schematic.

 

[3beltwesty]

Just guessing; it looks like on this other Maytag DE312 that one would have to tie the Aqua Neutral and Red Hot L2 together for 120 volt usage. ie the heater coil would get no voltage unless L2/Red has some current through it.

 

[3beltwesty]

My old westy 1976 dryer is like this; one connects one of the HOT lugs to the neutral when used on 120 volts only.

Having an actual schematic is the best thing; ie no assuming, no fires, no shocks!

Assuming is dangerous.

Another on this site mentioned in another thread they sell/make a 240 volt plug to 120 volt adapter. That would work if the model was known; and or if one knew which lug the dryers two hots connected too. The hot wire which has the most current draw on 120/240 volts is the 120 leg that has the motor.

I am not sure if a brand new 2011 240 volt dryer always can be wired for 120 volts; I would not make a broad statement like this for fear of exceptions causing fire and shocks!

A non usa dryer typically has no neutral with two 120 volt hots; it often has 240 volts with one leg the neutral and no 3rd wire with possible current flow

 

[combo52]

OPERATING A US 240 VOLT DRYER ON 120 VOLTS

All US built 240 volt dryers can be safely used on 120 volts if you know how to connect the cord ground etc etc. This was covered in length a few months ago check the archives where I posted the instructions on how to do this.

 

[3beltwesty]

Today if one buys a *new* 240 volt electric dryer at Lowes, Sears, Home Depot etc there is really not reason they have to be usable on 120 volts too. It is worse today because much is imported from counties where 230 to 240 volts is norm. Thus a more modern dryer might have a 240 volt timer and the whole logic board running off 240 volts stepped down to what is required.

In washers; I have seen 1970's commerical 3 belt westinghouse washers that only run on 240 volts. The timer,both solenoids and 1/2 HP motor are 240 volt too. The neutral is not used at all.

For an engineer at LG in Korea; there really is no reason to design a 240 volt dryer for the USA market to have 120 volt stuff.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Dryers both gas and electric, model for model, usually share the same timer and motor, light bulbs, buzzers, sensors, etc. There is no reason why you can't run the electric dryer on an adequately wired and protected 120 volt circuit. When I moved into my townhouse in 1981, I ran my DE806 on a 120 volt circuit for a brief while. The very nice thing is that an electronic dry control is the only type of auto dry control that works on 120 volts. I was fortunate in that I was able to place it in front of a nice hot radiator so the drying time was reduced.

Speaking of LG, when I had the opportunity to speak to one of LG's engineers, he was not very impressed with our supply of 240 volt outlets. LG's lawyers brought him to Beltsville when we were doing some work together so that he could see the collection of the 240 volt washer-dryer combinations from the 1950s and 60s made in this country and so that I could tell him we could still use a 240 volt combo. One of lawyers translated to make sure he understood, but it did not make a difference. If LG was loathe to use 240 in their combos, I doubt they would go to the bother of wiring an electric dryer for all 240 volt components and then have to make a special separate gas dryer with all 120 volt components. Outside of the 240 volt heating element, 120 is the default for their dryers.

 

[thomasortega]

It's funny how things can be a "nightmare" in other regions.

Here in Brazil some people have exactly the same problem, but inverted.

Most of the dryers are 110V (127 exactly) 3 prong plug (phase, neutral and ground)

Electrolux launched a dryer made in U.S.A., it uses 4 prongs (127v phase, 127v phase, neutral, ground)

Everybody that buy this model have to hire an electrician to replace wires and the outlet. Most of them say it's a nightmare and complain a lot, but they can't see it's much safer to divide the power in two wires than put all the load in one wire, specially because there's a huge difference between the standard +-1500W dryers and 4500W.

They also offer an optional kit (replace electronic board) on few cities where the phase is 220v . 3 prongs (220v phase, neutral, ground)

 

[circlew]

Hey Dave,

Just looked at my Maytag DE406, purchased new in '73. The rating plate lists it for operation on 120/240 3-wire service only.

There is a white sticker with red printing attached to the back of the dryer that says "to avoid possibility of electrical shock, do not connect to a 120 volt 2-wire circuit".

Your DE306 may be wired differently from my dryer.
As John (Combo52) mentioned,I'm sure some modification could be made for it to operate safely on 120.

 

[thomasortega]

So I think... If they have an special kit to convert the 2x127v to one 220v, there should be some kind of kit to do the reverse. You should check with the manufacturer.

 

[3beltwesty]

CircleW;

Many old 240V dryers can be hooked up to run on 120 volts.

Without an actual schematic; a blanket statement that all are convertible works until one has an accident, or somebody is shocked, killed or fire starts.

There are many consumer items that it is easier to avoid litigation by just saying it is not possible, so Beavis and Butthead do not sue.

A blanket statement can be dangerous; the lone exception is what gets folks in trouble.

There is a good bet your unit works on 120 volts, to be safer adding a real green wire ground to the frame is what a proper retrofit does. Assumers often do not do this; thus the maker says not to do this. There is no end to the public's assuming; and wanting to sue. Folks in the usa hold little personal responsibility for their own actions; thus consumer products dumb down to protect Beavis.

As a registered EE in Calif, blanket statements make me nervous. Seeing an actual schematic is what is proper. Folks see to rather talk about it versus showing a schematic.

Tom; non usa countries do not have two hots and a neutral. If they have a 230 volt timer already for non usa markets; they have to make a special version if they want a 115 variant. A German film dryer we had eons ago was used here and had NO usage of the usa's neutral, the timers, control circuits all ran off of stepped down 230 volts. For spares for my 1976 westy; I have a 240 volt spin solenoid, and also a 240 volt timer too, ie Westinghouse made a washer that used no neutral for overseas markets.

 

[circlew]

3beltwesty, I wasn't making a blanket statement. I was only agreeing with John (Combo52) in his reply #9. It might require a complete rewiring of the dryer to make it safe - I don't know. John should know what would be necessary as he works on dryers on a daily basis. That is his job.

I've met Dave and he's an intelligent person, and believe him to have good knowledge of code requirements regarding grounding of appliances. I'm sure he has enough common sense to use a 3-wire (grounded) cordset on an appliance such as a dryer, to connect the green wire of said cordset to the metal frame, and to plug it in to a properly grounded receptacle.

 

[combo52]

OPERATING A US 240 VOLT DRYER ON 120 VOLTS

All US made dryers made for 120-240 operation can be safely converted to operate on 120 volts. As Tom said dryer manufactorers do not make one set of controls, motor etc for electric dryers and another for gas dryers.

 

3BW I enjoy reading a lot of your posts but unfortunately you have very little practical experience and knowledge relating directly to major appliances. Yes we have all heard about your 1947 and 1976 Westinghouse laundry appliances and you know these well. But not all washers and dryers are built the same as these, for example Westinghouse was the only 240 volt dryer ever made that used 120 volts on thier low heat setting yet you have frequently stated that they all work this way. Any way I won't go on and please keep posting, but keep in mind the greatest danger is to give out information that is incorrect. 

 

[volvoguy87]

It works!

I took a closer look at the wiring diagram and found a 115 volt connection diagram tucked into a corner. I missed it last night, but here it was today, clear as mud. Yes, I had to move one of the wires from a 115 volt lug over to the neutral lug. I connected the ground to the cabinet. The DE306 is now up and running just fine on 115 volts. It's not as fast as the DE806 on 230 volts, and it lacks the 806's moisture sensor, but the 306 is a good secondary dryer.

There is a stamp on the back of the control panel that says April 4, 1970. Happy 41st birthday!

Thanks for your replys,
Dave