Am I missing something or an Idiot?

[SlanginDueces]

I have a 4 prong dryer outlet in my laundry room and am in the process of purchasing a 30amp Control panel. I am looking into GFCI options.

This is my circuit breaker panel in the house I'm renting (built 2011). All are labeled 20amp. Where is the 30amp breaker for the dryer plug??Am I an idiot?

 

[bsperr]

I don't think your missing anything. I don't see a breaker for your dryer either. I'm guessing you must have another panel somewhere that has all the double pole breakers and this is a subpanel fed from a 100a feed from that panel. Do you have any other 240v appliances like a water heater or range?

 

[SlanginDueces]

No I don't think so...there is one labeled in here for the oven and I have a gas water heater. Very strange, I have searched the whole house and can't find another box.

 

[Hex23]

Are you sure the 40A receptacle is live?

 

[bsperr]

That's is weird. Which one is labeled for the oven? They all look like single pole 20a breakers. I can't read the amperage on the breakers in the upper right corner of the panel, but I'm guessing that they're 20a afci breakers.

Some meter panels also have breaker panels built in, so you can check there too.

 

[SlanginDueces]

Yea, they are all 20. The dryer works so there has to be one somewhere. Would they maybe be outside the house?

 

[tjr3000]

Find the entry point to the house and trace from there. That line has to be pretty large, so you're looking for big pipe. That will be your house main.


That box screams 100A subpanel from at least a 200A service feed.

 

[SlanginDueces]

I'll take a look when it's light out tomorrow...lots of black widows around here so I don't want to dig around at night!

 

[SlanginDueces]

Found it outside. So how difficult is it to replace the 30amp breaker with a gfci and does anyone know how much an electrician would charge to do it?

 

[heckels]

Found it outside. So how difficult is it to replace the 30amp breaker with a gfci and does anyone know how much an electrician would charge to do it?

Replacing the breaker is very easy but risky if you've never done it. You could shut off the entire feed to the house but the lines coming in are still live.

Also, with GFCI, you'll beed to run the neutral to the breaker. Since the standard breaker goes to the neutral bus you'd likely need to add a length to that in the panel. Again, not hard but you need to be comfortable working in there.

If you provide the breaker (~$150), I can't imagine an electrician would charge more than an hour of their time ($75-100).

 

[Stauffbier]

Found it outside. So how difficult is it to replace the 30amp breaker with a gfci and does anyone know how much an electrician would charge to do it?

I change breakers myself all of the time, but I also have a little electrical experience. If you feel confident in your ability, then I say do it yourself. It's very easy. If you don't have any knowledge of electricity, then definitely call someone qualified to do it. In my area I could expect to pay about $100.00 +/- to have it done.

 

[brrman]

Replacing a breaker is not risky if all you touch is the breaker and the wires (while the breaker is NOT plugged in). All the power is in the panel bar. The breaker panel system is made so that the homeowner can do this.

So just pull the breaker from the panel, remove wires, put wires to new breaker, plug breaker into panel.

Just remember to never work on a breaker while it is plugged in and you'll be fine.

 

[jeffmeh]

Have you looked into building your own GFI using http://www.homedepot.com/p/Midwest-...-with-GFI-UG412RMW250P/100686230#.Un0NwpUo61s, and using plugging it into your existing dryer outlet? It usually runs cheaper than a GFI breaker (illogically), and as a renter you do not need to change any house wiring, and you can take it with you if you move.

 

[bsperr]

Have you looked into building your own GFI using http://www.homedepot.com/p/Midwest-...-with-GFI-UG412RMW250P/100686230#.Un0NwpUo61s, and using plugging it into your existing dryer outlet? It usually runs cheaper than a GFI breaker (illogically), and as a renter you do not need to change any house wiring, and you can take it with you if you move.

+1 for building your own GFCI with a spa panel for all the reasons mentioned.

 

[SlanginDueces]

I have thought about it after readings several threads on the spa panels. My only worry is that I have ZERO electrical experience. This thing is supposed to save your life if it is needed right? Is it easy enough to not screw it up? Cheaper is better and I like the idea of taking it with me when I move though.

 

[Roadie]

It isn't hard to do but common sense is king when doing electrical work. We added several new circuits on multiple breakers when I put my reef tank system in several years ago. For that I used gfci receptacles but it got me used to working in/around the panel.

Remember that even when the Main is shut off the big lines bringing power to the panel are ALWAYS on so STAY AWAY from those.

We are putting a basement brewery in now and I got my gfci (2 pole 30 amp) breaker in the mail this week and bought my dryer receptacle at the local store along with some 10-3 wire for the control panel. You can do a google search, look on YouTube or theelectricbrewery.com on how to wire the plug. On gfi breaker the neutral (white) wire from the receptacle goes to breaker and the curly white breaker wire goes to neutral bus bar which is different than normal. Otherwise it's fairly standard.

If you take the panel cover off and the entire idea now scares the **** out of you call an electrician to do it for you. If you are not 100% sure of what you need to do and how to do it this is not the time to pretend to be an expert. Do your homework first and you'll discover it's not rocket science.

 

[ForestGroveBrewer]

Have you looked into building your own GFI using http://www.homedepot.com/p/Midwest-...-with-GFI-UG412RMW250P/100686230#.Un0NwpUo61s, and using plugging it into your existing dryer outlet? It usually runs cheaper than a GFI breaker (illogically), and as a renter you do not need to change any house wiring, and you can take it with you if you move.

+1 for the reason mentioned. But also, GFCIs and motor loads dont play well together. You could experience a lot of nuisance tripping while using your dryer.

 

[Roadie]

+1 for the reason mentioned. But also, GFCIs and motor loads dont play well together. You could experience a lot of nuisance tripping while using your dryer.

When he said he wanted to replace the breaker with a gfi breaker I assumed he was either adding another circuit with its own breaker or he would still have just one receptacle so would be either drying clothes or brewing but not both together. Definitely don't continue the dryer circuit by adding another plug and try and do both drying clothes/brewing on one 30 amp breaker.

 

[ForestGroveBrewer]

When he said he wanted to replace the breaker with a gfi breaker I assumed he was either adding another circuit with its own breaker or he would still have just one receptacle so would be either drying clothes or brewing but not both together. Definitely don't continue the dryer circuit by adding another plug and try and do both drying clothes/brewing on one 30 amp breaker.

I read it as an either/or process. Unplug the dryer and then use the plug for brewing, leaving the dryer circuit intact. However, if he means to use the dryer and brew with the same circuit, thats a definate no!

 

[SlanginDueces]

I don't think I can handle laundry and brewing at the same time....actually I probably just can't handle laundry period

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

Looks like you have a GE panel (w/ THQL style breakers) if want to install a breaker this may work for you:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/GE-30-Amp-...-_-mobileweb_navplp_rr-3-_-NA-_-100176128-_-N

I'm gonna run wire and install the outlet, but I'm gonna get an electrician to hook up to the panel.

 

[glugglug]

It's not hard like people have mentioned. But it can kill you if you touch the wrong thing. Call an electrician. Money well spent if you're not 100% comfortable, which it sounds like you aren't.