Power for washer dryer?? Help!

[cosborne]

A little history and run down before my questions. Also I am NOT an electrician.
I have a 2014 cyclone 4000, I purchased a splendide stackable washer and dryer today. I was looking around in the closet, found the receptical and there was only one outlet. This tells me the rig was intended to have a combo unit. I thought I could just replace the receptical with one with two outlets. The drier manual recommends a dedicated 15 amp breaker. So I went to see what breaker the line was on. Had to turn off each breaker to see which one it was, since who ever labeled it was just learning to write so I couldn't read any of them. The only breaker that would turn off the outlet was the 50 amp main. So I pulled the cover and all of the romex only hooks to smaller breakers, can't figure out where it's hooked up. the romex to the outlet is 14 gauge.
Questions:
1. Does anyone know where the outlet could be getting power without tracing the wire?

2. Should I run 2 new 12 gauge romex lines to the closet to two separate outlets and add a 15/15 amp breaker in the box?

3. Would it be safe to use a single 14 gauge line to power a dual outlet on the 50 amp main breaker to run the washer and drier simultaneously? Leaning towards no.

4. Should I just have an electrician come and do what needs to be done? I am confident that I could do the work just not confident in the decision as to which route to go.

 

[danemayer]

We have the Splendide stackables and I seem to recall measuring close to 14 amps while running just the dryer. The washer manual says it takes 4 amps.

 

[cookie]

That receptacle has to be on a breaker somewhere. You will need to recheck by plugging a lamp into it and start turning off breakers one by one.
You will need to have two dedicated circuits to utilize a washer and dryer.
If you can run a new cable, each line will have to have its own breaker of the proper size. When you find the breaker that protects the wire to the receptacle you already have you will need to add one more.
Breakers protect the wire so the 50 amp main will not protect a #14 wire. #14 = 15 amp breaker, #12 = 20 amp breaker.

Peace
Dave

 

[Garypowell]

To take what Cookie said one step farther is if your washer/dryer does not have its own circuit breaker you have a problem that Heartland needs to be brought into.

Can't imagine your rig is miswired but things do happen.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Never run power from the 50 amp main breaker unless you want a fire. It is the last line protection for you electrical system and is not meant to protect for low current devices.

You can also purchase a line/breaker tracer. Do not get the cheep ones. A Good one will pin point the exact breaker that socket is attached to with ease and will not give a false indication. You should know exactly where the line gets it power from. I suspect a 15 amp breaker.

The breaker panel should have room for expansion, so you could add one 15A breaker for the dryer, or add a 20A breaker for the washer and dryer. If you are going through all the trouble of running new wire and adding breakers, use 12ga wire especially if you are going with a single 20A breaker. If it were mine, I would make sure which breaker the socket goes to and then and add a 15A breaker for the dryer.

If adding a 20A breaker and running a new line, put in an electrical box. Do not terminate the existing line without being in a box. You don't want hidden wire junctions or hidden terminated wire in the wall.

 

[danemayer]

If you have the washer/dryer prep, the outlet near the water connections should be tied to a dedicated circuit breaker; probably 20 amp. You just have to revisit the breaker panel and find the right breaker.

If you don't have the washer/dryer prep, that outlet is probably just one of many on the bedroom circuit, and is probably controlled by a 15 amp breaker.

If you don't feel comfortable with this discussion, you might want to get help from a licensed electrician, or your RV dealer.

 

[TravelTiger]

Our w/d space has two outlets for a stackable, and they appear to be on the same breaker, a 20amp. However, it was mislabeled in the breaker box, and the one labeled converter (also a 20 amp) was the real w/d breaker. I relabeled the panel.


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