Washer and drier on same circuit

[Jimbo]

Does Code allow a washer and drier on the same circuit? I've got a European style washer with a 240 volt plug (NEMA 6-20P) and I have just bought its matching drier which has the North American drier plug. I was thinking of replacing the North American drier cord and plug with a 240 volt plug and using it on the same circuit as the washer. Are there any code issues here? I may have to boost the breaker and Romex back to the board as I will be more than doubling the load from 2300 (washer) by adding 3070 (drier) for a max of 5370 watts. So I'm thinking I may need a 25 or 30 A breaker.

Any thoughts?

Jimbo

[hallerb]

run a seperate circuit for the washer.

it will cost less.

dryer shouldnt be fused for more than its maximum current needs

[Jimbo]

Tks.

This is all in an unfinished basement so I can run anything I need without too much trouble.

Can I ask why you suggest a seperate circuit given that I have an outlet and spare outlet right there?

Jimbo

[Steve Barker]

why would a washer draw so many watts?? does it have a water heater built in possibly?

s

[Jimbo]

Yes. This model only has a single water feed old water feed and if hot water is needed, its heated "on board".

[Jimbo]

Forgive my confusing typo above :) What I meant to say was that this machine has only a single water connection and is normally connected to the cold water feed.

[Mark]

[Doug]

I've never believed in arguements like the above. Dryers generally fault by having open circuit components or dead shorts, such as the heating element breaking open and its ends dropping to a ground point. That results in a dead short that will blow any reasonable breaker. They also have overtemp thermostats that cut power in cases of overheating.

To buy the above posters logic, every item in a house should be on a breaker with just higher capacity than the normal current need. Thus you better not have your 60 watt table lamp on a 15 amp circuit, you better not have your 700 watt refrigerator on a 20 amp circuit, etc, etc.

Doug

[Mark Lloyd]

And you'd need some .02A breakers for LED holiday lights.

[Jimbo]

Here's more information on my issue. I bought the washer some years back with the NEMA 6-20P plug on it and so I ran a 240 volt circuit for it. Recently, I picked up the matching drier but was surprised to see a regular drier plug on it. This also came with a box which has a drier outlet, a NEMA 6-20R outlet both double fused and a cord with a drier plug on it! Clearly, this was intended for people buying both appliances at the same time and having a drier outlet available to them. I'm kind of in the opposite situation..