Your laundry room should have a dedicated circuit of at least 20 amps. If you have a gas dryer, both your washing machine and gas dryer may be plugged into the same outlet. If you have an electric dryer, it will need its own dedicated 20-amp, 220-volt circuit.
It's important to have a dedicated circuit for your washing machine because the start-up current of these appliances can be three times its running current.
A single outlet usually limits you to plugging in two to three devices which may not always be convenient. Power strips, also known as surge protectors, contain multiple outlets so you can power several more devices all from the same source.
Laundry rooms must have at least one 20-amp circuit for receptacles serving washing machines or gas dryers. The lighting circuit must not be connected to the 20-amp laundry circuit. Electric dryers require their own 30-amp, 240-volt circuit with four conductors. All laundry room receptacles must have GFCI protection.
While a washing machine will run on a normal outlet, your machine will be much safer and your laundry room more protected if you use a GFCI outlet. In new homes today, GFCI outlets are required to be installed in laundry rooms to help add safety and security to your home.
Your laundry room should have a dedicated circuit of at least 20 amps. If you have a gas dryer, both your washing machine and gas dryer may be plugged into the same outlet. If you have an electric dryer, it will need its own dedicated 20-amp, 220-volt circuit.
Washer with Electric Dryer: Requires a 208/240 Volt, 60 Hertz, individual, properly grounded branch circuit with a 3 prong or 4 prong, grounding type receptacle, protected by a 30 amp circuit breaker or time-delay fuse.
Since most washing machines need at least a cold water supply to operate, 210.8 requires that if a receptacle is within 6 feet of a water source, you must have GFCI for personnel protection. Most applications I've seen have a hot and cold water source, a drain, and a GFCI receptacle within a foot of each other.
Electric dryers require cords suitable for 240-volt, 30-amp circuits while gas dryers simply use a 120-volt circuit cord and standard outlet.
Laundry Room Electrical Code Requirements
A laundry room needs at least one 20-amp circuit for outlet receptacles serving laundry equipment, which can supply a washing machine or gas dryer.
A standard rule of thumb is that you can plug in two to three devices at a time into a single socket. To begin with, there are a few things you need to think about before adopting this rule. The most important factor is the amperage of the circuit breaker.
A single outlet should ideally cater to only two to three devices, keeping total wattage within the safe usage threshold, and special caution is needed when connecting high-wattage appliances.
If too much current is drawn, usually a circuit breaker would trip or fuses would blow, but this is never guaranteed. The results of overloading a circuit could range from a damaged appliance to starting a fire.
The National Electric Code requires major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, and dryers to have their own dedicated circuit. An appliance with a dedicated circuit has its own circuit breaker in your electrical box.
Do not plug your washing machine into an extension socket, only ever plug your washing machine into a mains wall socket. Test that the power socket is working by plugging in something you know is working, a light for example. Once you have ensured the socket is operational you can plug your washing machine in.
240-volt outlets are larger and usually round with a single plug-in designed to power a specific appliance and are typically rated for 30-and 50-amp loads. You may occasionally come across a 15-, 20-, or 60-amp, 240-volt outlet, too.
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No, due to their increased electrical supply requirements. An electric dryer requires its own 240V circuit. If you plug an electric dryer into a regular outlet, it won't work. And if it doesn't automatically trip the breaker, it could start an electrical fire.
Typically, refrigerators should not be plugged into GFCI outlets. This is another appliance with a motor that can be prone to a little current leakage. Using a standard outlet saves nuisance tripping and the potential of waking up to a refrigerator full of warm food.
Voltage and Plug Type: Most residential washing machines in the U.S. are designed to run on a standard 120-volt, 20-amp outlet. The outlet should match the plug type of the washing machine, usually a three-prong grounded plug. Accessible Location: The outlet should be easily accessible for the user.
Most residential dryers require a 30-amp circuit breaker.
To see what size you need, check out the back of your dryer. Most dryers have a sticker or metal faceplate near the bottom of the unit that displays this information.
Good locations include inside the kitchen or bathroom or directly next to one of those rooms. It will also be easier to route plumbing this way. Buildings usually stack the wet zones in a vertical line. Putting a washer and dryer in your bedroom closet wouldn't be permitted even if there's room for one.
**Electrical Requirements**: For most washers and electric dryers, a 120/240V electrical hookup is required. Some compact models may work with a standard 120V outlet, but a 240V outlet is essential for full-sized models to work efficiently.
A 3-prong dryer plug features two flat prongs and one round or U-shaped prong. The two flat prongs are for the hot wires, each providing 120 volts to supply the 240 volts needed for the dryer to run. The third prong is a ground prong to safely direct any stray electricity into the ground.