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Is it safe to add a double pole 30 amp breaker and run a 10/3 wire to my dryer 60 feet away from a 100 amp main box in my new home?

Asked by Zenóbia Ramos
3 months ago
Last Updated: September 24, 2024

Hey there! I recently bought a house and I have a 100 amp main electrical panel. I’m thinking about adding a double pole 30 amp breaker and running a 10/3 wire to my dryer, which is about 60 feet away. Do you think this is safe to do? Will it provide enough power for the dryer? And is the wire thick enough for the distance?

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Judá Alves

You’re all set, sir

Meral Numanoğlu

Nice and nice

Judá Alves

Just do what you need to do

Henny Helbig

You’re all set to proceed. Just remember to use 10/3 wiring with ground for the installation.

Mileta Spasojević

Make sure to add a new 4 pin 240V socket with separate pins for neutral and ground, along with a matching line cord.

مهرسا سهيلي راد

If the panel is inside the house, it’s considered a “sub panel”. Make sure you know the feed size and maximum load before adding more

Emilie Thomsen

Disagrees – it depends on the location and age of the service. There are plenty of main panels located inside houses.

مهرسا سهيلي راد

Has never encountered a meter located inside a house in any state.

Emilie Thomsen

‘s meter is not always the first point of disconnect. The feeder runs from the meter to the panel. The main panel, which must be within 6 feet of the feeder cable, is the first point of disconnect in a house. This can vary depending on the jurisdiction.

مهرسا سهيلي راد

Ot it, in the area where I’m from, the main panel includes the meter, and the subpanels are downstream from there. I’ve been in the electrical business for 40 years, but not as an electrician, .

Emilie Thomsen

I’ve heard of this before, but in all the places I’ve worked (several states), power companies only handle the meter. The main panel installation is done by a contractor. If it’s outside, then yes.

Mac David

Yes, in Pennsylvania most row houses have them located in the basement, .

Bernabé Delgado

You should be fine as long as you don’t plug in too many devices all at once, most of those circuits are for outlets and lights anyway

مهرسا سهيلي راد

Like Johnny Homeowner, is familiar with amp calculations. Sometimes I question the intelligence of the folks here.

Chloe Bowman

Definitely

Gordon Bulut

You shouldn’t encounter any issues.

Ceyhan Orbay

You might consider upgrading to a 30 amp breaker instead of using a fuse.

Sarah Li

I believe adding this load to your panel should be fine. I would personally do it in my own home under the same circumstances.

Danique Kapel

That electrical box isn’t suitable for a fuse, it’s best to contact an electrician.

Flenn Perez

Contact an electrician. Why are so many people trying to give advice on electrical work? It’s dangerous – one wrong move and you could get electrocuted.

Henry Williams

Because that’s exactly what this group is all about

Flenn Perez

For the safety of yourself and your home, it’s best to call a qualified electrician. Would you recommend DIY or hiring a professional to others?

Henry Williams

I often assist those who can’t afford professional help. I understand the struggle of being young with a family and limited resources. I had to learn how to do things myself.

Flenn Perez

If you’re eager to learn, start by working as an apprentice. Remember, safety first when dealing with high voltage panels. Trying to cut costs could be life-threatening.

Cristóbal Márquez

It’s concerning to imagine people seeking electrical advice in a group for electricians.

Elena Hestad

Come on man, don’t be a baby. It’s not that complicated.

Flenn Perez

Grew up prioritizing safety.

Adelina Onishchuk

Ood man Me too…Especially my Seniors…Who are on a fixed income. Frank that’s usually a tripped FI…look for it & reset it. If it keeps tripping call me back, I’ll come out.

Boris Lučić

Oh boy, here we go again 🤣😂

Branimir Dinčić

Come on, calm down. Jesus, electricians aren’t magicians for goodness sake.

Luís Rocha

Uh oh! If you touch that, you’re in trouble! 🤫

Luís Rocha

This guy is acting like it’s brain surgery! But really, he’s just doing his job.

Kaia Emberland

Since when did 120/240 become high voltage?

Flenn Perez

Avin Dietz Reach out and touch the service panel.

Kaia Emberland

Remember, low voltage can still be deadly. I’m just highlighting the importance of being careful with your words when debating with others.

Alyssa Durand

I believe this group is meant for electricians to discuss, not for non-electricians seeking advice. Many of us have years of experience in the trade. I’d hate to see someone get hurt based on advice from this group.

Flenn Perez

Ive it a try… touch the panel.

Grace Burns

Might benefit from going to college and getting his PFD.

Grace Burns

The orilla sees and imitates the gorilla.

Claude Wood

That looks good, but now new dryer circuits need FCI protection.

Brigitte Riviere

No need for a gfci, no reason to worry about getting it inspected.

Claude Wood

I wouldn’t provide inaccurate information to a customer, it could backfire on you later.

Hafssa Oosterling

Should always be checked, but even if not, cutting corners on uninspected work is even worse. Take pride and do it correctly.

Warren Harvey

Absolutely, thumbs up

Lilja Lepisto

Double check that there is a busbar behind the bottom slots.

Lucas Collins

Sure, as long as you have a neutral wire

Nathan Graves

That’s quite a distance, you might want to consider using 8-3 wire for a 40 amp circuit breaker

Carl Welch

Nonsense

Toni Moreno

60ft seems like a long run… right?

Peetu Makela

General rule of thumb is to upsize every 100 ft

Quinn Li

I wonder who is smoking crack?

Arthur Burton

If 60 feet is considered a long distance. Then I’m well-endowed

Marvin Fox

Nope, it’s not

Rushali Bhardwaj

Before following your suggestion, he should definitely consult an electrician to avoid overloading the electric dryer with too much amperage

Karol Kvalvik

Amperage isn’t pushed around, it’s actually being drawn

Violet Brown

500kcm set in parallel

Rushali Bhardwaj

Let’s avoid any wordplay, power is coming from the generation station but being pulled from the dryer

Karol Kvalvik

Is wrong once more, just give it a rest already!

Rushali Bhardwaj

What if I keep going? I happen to know because I live in Canada, in a province where we get our power from a hydroelectric dam.

Karol Kvalvik

If you keep going like this, you’re going to keep looking like a fool. The choice is yours, my friend.

Rushali Bhardwaj

I find it a bit disrespectful being called a clown, especially considering I’m twice your age. It seems like you might need a lesson in respecting your elders.

Nathan Graves

J Rhoades doesn’t have to follow our suggestions about the 8-3, 10-3, 30 amp, and 40 amp options.

Jared May

Is correct when he says that respect must be earned, not expected.

Ramiro Yáñez

Rhoades, shush it.

Helene Hellebø

Is full of crap.

Rushali Bhardwaj

In the States, might have to work for respect, but in Canada, it’s a different story. We believe in respecting our elders, but respect goes both ways. He called me a clown, but I’m definitely not one.

Hazel Wood

Who’s again?

Lucas Pedersen

What if the wire goes down a wall? Could the amps speed up and cause damage too quickly? 🤣

Jared May

What did do?

Jared May

Seriously, age doesn’t define your worth of respect. You clearly have no clue what you’re talking about and are talking down to others about it.

Hazel Wood

Were you referring to when you said “he is 100% right”? It doesn’t load all the comments for me by default, so it looked like you were saying was right.

Jared May

Yeah, I was talking about Rob because Lee doesn’t even show on my list.

Tracey Cook

J Rhoades totally agree with you!

Juana Ortega

Mentioned he can slow them down a little by looping up in the bottom of the box.

Angelica Radloff

Just heard a funny story from my niece who is a veterinarian. An average horse weighs 1,000 pounds and has an average 🍆 size of 20 inches. That means it’s 1 inch for every 50 pounds of body weight. The average adult male human is 200 pounds, so to be “hung like a horse” would mean your 🍆 is only four inches!

Angelica Radloff

It’s like watching little kids argue over whether something is off-white or beige…

Power = Amperage times Voltage

Voltage = Amperage times Resistance

So, if we do a little math, Amperage = the square root of (Power divided by Resistance).

For example, if a clothes dryer has a Resistance that draws 23 amps of current at 240 VAC, that’s all it will draw. But if you have a long wire and experience a drop in Voltage, the Resistance of the dryer stays the same, meaning it will draw less Amperage with lower Voltage. This can cause issues with modern digital appliances as they may not function properly with lower Voltage. Old school dryers with just a motor, element, and timer didn’t care.

That said, 60 feet of 10/3 wire on a 30 amp breaker is fine. Mine is 73 feet away and handles at least 4 loads EVERY. SINLE. DAY. (Yes, it’s

Karol Kvalvik

If you keep the 1/4” per foot slope on your wire, the amps will move slowly enough to avoid causing any damage. would know that for sure.

Arthur Burton

Is tiny like a Tic-Tac, which is why your mom’s breath always smells so fresh.

Mac David

I wouldn’t spread misinformation like

Nathan Graves

Sure thing, ma’am!

Lucas Pedersen

Was thinking it would be so convenient to have an app that can calculate amp pitch for oversized breakers and wires.

Nathan Graves

That’s true for everyone who may not have the knowledge. I am confident in what I know. He shared the information, no problem for me.

Mac David

Thanks

Ece Korol

💯

Ola Bugge

Wire…. NOT OCPD

Ceyhun Özkök

🤡🤡🤡

Villads Madsen

I recommend running a load calculation first, but it seems like you should be fine.

Nathan Graves

Copy that

مرسانا رضایی

J Rhoades come on kids, behave or you’ll be sent to your room 😂

Tyler Porter

Biden is older than me and I have no respect for him haha

Same Anderson

.

Aurora Johnson

You really don’t know anything.

باران کامروا

It seems like a sub panel, but there’s no stove or HVAC.

Maria Carroll

Gas stove and furnace are probably the main culprits.

Valentín Reyes

Doesn’t have an AC either, so it really seems like a sub panel. , you should be good to go with that panel and adding a 230.

Jacob Lavoie

So there are no 30 or 40 amp circuits for appliances like stoves, cooktops, wall ovens, central air, hot water heaters, furnaces, etc.? Are they all gas-powered? That’s unusual, isn’t it?

باران کامروا

I agree with you on that

باران کامروا

My hunch is that it’s a sub panel

Maria Carroll

Reminiscing about simpler times. The only 2 pole circuit I have is for a baseboard heater in the bathroom. It might be a sub panel, but just because there are no heavy loads doesn’t guarantee it.

Daniel Clarke

Where can I find Fuse? But yes, that’s exactly what you need to do.

Maja Kristensen

I keep hearing about how dedicated and honest you are, I have to agree that you’re the best. Thanks for improving my financial situation
👇👇
Mrs Damaris Ava

Peresvit Voytenko

From what I can see, it doesn’t seem like it will be an issue. Sometimes the electrical panel may not have enough space. The covers come in various sizes for different panels and buses. It’s always a good idea to contact a local licensed electrician for assistance. And don’t forget to compensate them for their time and advice. It’s important to have a reliable professional to reach out to.

Karen Mercier

Reat point ! 👏 👍 👌 🙌

مهرسا سهيلي راد

I calculate around 190 amps, so 50% is 95. Where did you guys get the idea to just go for it?

Frederikke Nielsen

Is expressing that things are not as simple as they seem.

Leanne Mitchell

Make sure you double check that you have a 20 circuit panel and not a 16 circuit.

Christoffer Petersen

It would be amusing if the buss bar ran short and those were actually empty spaces. Then yes, replace the panel with a 32-space one

Leanne Mitchell

I’ve witnessed it too many times.

Albert Christensen

Then he could replace some of those single breakers with those fancy space-saving ones. You know, the ones😀

Jorge Nichols

I have experienced that and been tricked. It’s best to uncover it first before making any other purchases. 🤔

Boris Lučić

That appears to be the case with QOs

Isaac Rogers

I mark out those twist outs with my sharpie when I see them

Leanne Mitchell

Yeah, I usually write “Do not use” on the extra ko’s but not everyone does.

Isaac Walker

Oh yeah, you might want to check that out

Léa Aubert

Is the main panel full, or is it nowhere near this lighting panel? It’d be a good idea to check the wire size going to this panel. I’ve come across some questionable stuff in the past. Hopefully, the wire going to this panel is the right size, if it is, adding FCI protection probably wouldn’t hurt.

Mileta Spasojević

Ary Blatney, your electrician friends don’t want the homeowner running another 240V strand from the main panel. It should be fine to use 4 cond of #10 and keep the ground and neutral straight on the proper bus strips.

Anton Juntunen

Absolutely, no worries

Hatice Möhle

Take a photo of the label on each circuit breaker cover.

Leevi Makinen

Sure

Rushali Bhardwaj

It’s a good idea to consult with the hardware store since they have certified electricians. You’ll need 10/3 wire and a 30 amp breaker for the dryer. Make sure to follow the electrical codes in your area and seek guidance from experts.

Selma Kristensen

Definitely! Or you could always get an electrician to handle it, haha. The electrical box is definitely capable of handling it.

Olav Halsen

It looks like there should be space, but it’s hard to gauge how full that panel is.

Valtteri Toivonen

For safety reasons, consider hiring a licensed electrician to deal with the main disconnect and electrical work. It’s not worth risking your safety by attempting it yourself.

Ratnakar Nair

By keeping your word, od will continue to bless you for being honest. I invested, withdrew on the expected date, and did not incur any fees. You’re awesome, erardo Shannon!

Faas Sterken

You can go for it, the wire looks like the right size. You’re on the right track, just go ahead and do it.

Donald Lynch

Just send it over

Cristóbal Márquez

I think I would

Gema Duran

Everything’s set, go ahead

Alolika Vernekar

It’s always best to call a licensed professional.

In case your house catches on fire due to faulty electrical work you did, your insurance claim may be denied and you won’t receive any compensation. While you may save money by doing it yourself, do you really want to risk the liability of the unknown?

Saving a few dollars now could end up costing you everything later on, remember that electricity is not a DIY project.

Imogen Wang

You gotta be strong

Babür Yorulmaz

Consider hiring an electrician

Lucy Refseth

You’re doing great!👍

John Kumar

Yep.

Bertram Olsen

Since your stove runs on gas, there is no need to worry about electrical connections.

Natália da Mata

You will be okay

Patricia Torres

Yes, you can do it, but there’s a big “but” involved here. First, you need to figure out how much power the circuit will draw in terms of amperage. Then, check the wire size and breaker size supplying your sub panel, as well as the amp reading of the sub panel under a normal load. Make sure to leave some extra room in case additional appliances are turned on. I’m not using a lot of technical terms because I want to keep it easy to understand, not talk down to you. Just because there’s enough physical space doesn’t mean there’s enough capacity to carry the load. Think of it like a pickup truck analogy: if the bed of a one-ton pickup is the same size as the bed of a half-ton pickup, you can put the same amount of gravel in each one. However, overloading the half-ton truck will damage it because it’s not designed to carry such a heavy load. The same principle applies with electricity.

Christoffer Petersen

Why not use a clothesline to save some money? Is there already a gas dryer there?

Eliott Schmitt

It’s best to call a certified electrician if you suspect wires could catch on fire from overloading. In older houses, using a jumper to make 220 volts out of 110 can lead to overloading, which is why some houses need to be rewired. It’s always a good idea to get a second opinion to avoid any risks – trying to fix it yourself could result in losing your house.

Mac David

You won’t get 220 volts using a 110 jumper, unfortunately.

Tyler Porter

Ene Proko sure thing, it’s just basic math. 110 multiplied by 2 equals 220

Mac David

It’s still 120 volts on the same leg

Tyler Porter

Ene Proko haha, I’m aware of that. I’m just here laughing. I’ve been working with electricity since the 60s. So… if you need 12 volts, you can’t just use 10 wire nuts, right? Divide the wire 10 times: 120 divided by 10 equals 12?

Eliott Schmitt

Ene Proko are you sure? Some people actually use that method in a circuit box to get 220 from 110

Mac David

Good luck with that

Eliott Schmitt

Ene Proko

Mac David

Yeah, not from a typical single-phase system

Stefana Živojinović

Could you sketch out a diagram showing where to place this jumper? Using this method could save our customers a lot of money.

Darsh Prajapati

It’s important to do load calculations for the entire house.

مهرسا سهيلي راد

I finally found someone who makes sense

Darsh Prajapati

Expresses gratitude

Eran Koolhof

Is absolutely correct 💯

Maxime French

Seems like it’s an old house without an AC condenser, only window units.

Paul Mcdonalid

10/3 is suitable for 30 amps my friend, you can’t use anything else

Mac David

Points out that dryers typically require a 30-amp 10/3 wire. Providing incorrect advice can be harmful.

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