Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: 120 volt dryer?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Summerville, South Carolina
    Posts
    116

    Default 120 volt dryer?

    120 volt dryer?

    I found this dryer hooked up to 120 volts and an extension cord in a North Charleston home. The extension cord was draped over a hot water pipe. Everyone knows dryers operate on 220 volts. The nice old man who owned the home had lived there since the house was new forty years ago. I asked him if it took a long time to dry his clothes and he said "yes". He actually had a dryer receptacle behind the water heater but I guess the dryer didn't fit there. Not only is this dangerous but the poor guy had to wait extra long for his clothes to dry for forty years!

    Similar Threads:
    ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images
    OREP Insurance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    NY Finger Lakes Area
    Posts
    206

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Although this does appear to be a standard 240v dryer, there are 120v models available--are you sure this is not one of them?

    ............Greg


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Summerville, South Carolina
    Posts
    116

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    That's what I thought when I first seen this but it's actually a gas dryer. The nice old man had it converted years ago but never had an electrical outlet installed for the dryer. That is why the extension cord was stretched out so far and why he had an unused 220 outlet.. If you look carefully at the pic you can see a gas line in the corner. I'd actually thought that I'd get more replies to this.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Colorado Springs, CO
    Posts
    1,217

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray Thornburg View Post
    . . . it's actually a gas dryer.
    Maybe I'm missing something here but gas dryers do not run on 220v; they run on 120v. (At least that has been my experience.) Electric dryers require 220v to create the heat to dry the clothes. Gas dryers use gas to create that heat and need only 120v to spin the drum and operate the blower.

    "Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." Leo Durocher
    Bruce Breedlove
    www.avaloninspection.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia PA
    Posts
    3,177

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Breedlove View Post
    Maybe I'm missing something here but gas dryers do not run on 220v; they run on 120v. (At least that has been my experience.) Electric dryers require 220v to create the heat to dry the clothes. Gas dryers use gas to create that heat and need only 120v to spin the drum and operate the blower.
    What Bruce said. Gas dryers are not 220/240 volt.

    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

  6. #6
    James Duffin's Avatar
    James Duffin Guest

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    The only thing on an electric dryer that is 120 volt is the motor. The heating elements will not heat on 120 volts but the drum will turn.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Southern Vancouver Island
    Posts
    4,607

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    I have never heard of turning a gas dryer into an electric dryer. It would be stupid to do that, when you can just exchange the machine.
    I'll bet that is still a gas dryer, which comes with a cord for 120 volts. If his clothes are slow to dry, he should turn the thing up hotter, or best plan, have it serviced.

    John Kogel, RHI, BC HI Lic #47455
    www.allsafehome.ca

  8. #8
    Dennis Maidon's Avatar
    Dennis Maidon Guest

    Talking Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Quote Originally Posted by James Duffin View Post
    The only thing on an electric dryer that is 120 volt is the motor. The heating elements will not heat on 120 volts but the drum will turn.

    I worked at Sears in the 70s and there was a service bulletin issued that explained how to convert a dryer to 120v. It worked but, the heat strips only put ouot about 1/2 of the normal heat. it took forever to dry a large load of clothes.


  9. #9
    James Duffin's Avatar
    James Duffin Guest

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Maidon View Post
    I worked at Sears in the 70s and there was a service bulletin issued that explained how to convert a dryer to 120v. It worked but, the heat strips only put ouot about 1/2 of the normal heat. it took forever to dry a large load of clothes.
    Sounds logical since the wattage would be about half.


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    What a mystery. So if everything is all right why did his clothes take so long to dry?


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    2,560

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Maybe the gas valve was OFF.
    Maybe the vent was blocked.
    Maybe its a POS 40 year old dryer.
    I am confused Ray. You said it had a 220 dryer outlet, but was a gas dryer. Are you sure it was a converted electric dryer? Did you run it? It would have been obvious if it was gas after a minute or so when the burners kicked in.
    But, if it was a gas dryer (connected to a gas line), it should be connected to a 120V outlet (granted not an extension cord), then what was the purpose of the post?

    Last edited by Jack Feldmann; 06-24-2011 at 12:25 PM.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Colorado Springs, CO
    Posts
    1,217

    Default Re: 120 volt dryer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann View Post
    . . . what was the purpose of the post?
    That is the $64 question.

    "Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." Leo Durocher
    Bruce Breedlove
    www.avaloninspection.com

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •