Dryer Voltage Explained & Testing Methods (5+ Ways To Check Voltage Safely)

A person who is not able to understand a dryer voltage and power consumption can go through this article which explains in detail about the dryer voltage. It is important to understand a dryer voltage as it will help you to not create any fire hazard, electric shock, and any other tragedy. 

Dryer voltage

On average a dryer uses approximately 120 volts or 240 volts. The most common dryer uses 250 volts.

Categories of  dryer voltage:

• There are many dryers that use 110 volts and 115 volts but those dryers also fall in the voltage level category of 120 volts.
• In the US the main supply voltage is 120 volts and a three-wire, split phase of 240 volts is used for large appliances such as a dryer of 240 volts. 
• There are households that have outlets of 120 volts. So a voltage of 240 is not in every home.
• Dryers which use 250 volts are common in the market but 120-volt dryers also referred to as portable dryers are not common. 
• A dryer that uses 120 volts is a good option for smaller homes as there will be no circuit issues.
• A dryer of 120 volts uses approximately 15 amps or less than it and a dryer of 240 volts uses 30 amps.

What is the requirement for electric dryer voltage? 

Requirement for a dryer of 240 volts:

• According to the national electrical code if a dryer of 240 volts is used there should be a dedicated 4-wire to protect by 30 amps breaker. 
• Also, 8 gauge aluminum is required to deliver the voltage of 240 and 30 amps. 
• Most 240 volts dryers do have a circuit with a 3-prong outlet in which the ground and neutral are connected together. 
• If a person wants to convert a 3 or 4-prong outlet to a 3 or 4-prong dryer plug they can do it easily but there is a risk of getting an electric shock. 
• The dryer which uses a 30 amp breaker to provide protection is only able to protect if the dryer uses less than 30 amps. 
• A circuit of the dryer is wired with 10 to 3 copper cables which are protected by a 30 amps breaker but if the breaker is higher than 30 amps it will be harmful and create a fire risk.

The number of amps used by a dryer can be studied in detail.

Requirement for a dryer of 110 volts:

• The dryer of 110 volts does have the electric voltage requirement less complicated.
• A dryer of 110 volts is usually used in a standard household outlet.
• So before using the dryer of 110 volts verify with the manufacturer or the retailer, how much amount of arms can be used with this.
• 110 volts of dryer uses approximate amps between 7.5 and 15.
• It is safe to run a 110-volt portable dryer in a household outlet which is wired in 14-2 types of NM and is protected by a 15-amp breaker. 

The following table shows the list of dryer that uses 240 volts:

The following is a table that shows the list of dryer that uses 110 volts:

How to check the dryer voltage? 

• The voltage used by a dryer is always mentioned on it but there are many ways by which we can check dry voltage. The following are 6 ways to check a dryer voltage:
• A person who wants to check a dryer’s voltage can look at the back of the dryer label where it will mention in detail the voltage amps and other usages.
• If a person wants to know about the voltage of a specific model they can search for it online.
• The voltage of a dryer can be checked by checking the dryer outlet. If it is using a three or four-prong outlet then there is a chance that they are 240 volts. 
• By checking the breaker size also the voltage can be checked if the dryer is using a 30 amps breaker then there is a chance that the dryer is off 240 volts. 
• By checking the cable size we can check the dryer voltage as if the dryer is wired with 10 to three coppers and 8 aluminum there is a chance it must be a 240 volts dryer. 
• can check a dryer’s voltage and dryer’s wattage by using a multimeter. To know about hair dryer wattage click here.

Testing of a dryer of 240 volts:

If a person wants to test 240 volts first check the video properly as testing a dryer creates risk too.

The following are the steps to take to test a dryer of 240 volts:

• Firstly unplug the dryer and put gloves on so that you are safe.
• After unplugging the dryer, set the multimeter by turning on the multimeter and making sure that each probe is plugged into an appropriate inlet of the multimeter.
• Make sure that the multimeter is set to test the AC current, not the DC current. And make sure that the device is set to the maximum setting to test the AC current. Doing this will help the device from being overpowered by the outlet. 
• Don’t touch the tips of the two probes as it may cause a malfunction. After inserting the probes look at how many volts the Multimeter is showing. If it shows a voltage between 220 to 240 volts then the dryer is working properly. 
• Now take one probe from either of the two side slots and put it into either the top or bottom slot of the plug. If it shows 120 volts then it shows the dryer is working properly. 

Conclusion:

A typical dryer uses 240 volts but it can also be 120V don’t run a dryer of 240V on a circuit of 120v as it will create a fire risk. A dryer of 120V is preferred to use in a standard household outlet. 

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Rick Costa

Hi, My Name is Rick Costa and I welcome you to my Blog, HousElectric.
Talking about the Website, I was Very Fond of Electronics from a very small age and my love for it grew as time passed. I then Opted for Electronics as a subject in the College along with Research on my own.
I then decided to share my Gathered Knowledge with you guys, So that it can help you too for Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

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