Can I safely plug a four prong dryer cord into a four prong stove outlet? I'm wanting to unplug the stove and use a dryer from time to time.

They're both 240V, but stove circuits typically use a higher amp fuse than dryer circuits.

So it will physically run your dryer, but you have an added risk of the breaker not tripping like it should if there's an electrical malfunction, potentially causing a fire or other dryer damage.

But if you swap the current 40A or 50A breaker on that stove circuit for a 30A breaker used for dryers, this would resolve that issue.

(And in addition to the power supply, you'll also need somewhere for the dryer exhaust to go.)

Are your appliances on casters ?

I there a vent through the wall ?

RogueJSK, Thank you, I didn't think about the breaker not tripping.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Are your appliances on casters ?

I there a vent through the wall ?

No, the plan was to vent it through a window.

Have you compared your dryer plug to the stove receptacle?

Typically 30A and 50A receptacles and plugs are laid out differently, to prevent someone from doing something like plugging a 50A device into a 30A outlet. So even if they both have four total prongs, they may not be compatible.

For example:

30A dryer:


50A stove:


Note the dogleg in the 30A outlet/plug.


You may end up needing to swap the receptacle as well as the breaker.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Are your appliances on casters ?

Stove is probably not on casters.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Have you compared your dryer plug to the stove receptacle?

Typically 30A and 50A receptacles and plugs are laid out differently.

So even if they both have four total prongs, they may not be compatible.

For example:

30A dryer:



50A stove:



Note the dogleg in the 30A outlet/plug.


You may end up needing to swap the receptacle as well as the breaker.

No, I haven't yet, I will. I was just thinking about it, but I wanted to ask the brain trust on the forum first. Thanks for the help.

Make sure you don’t install a breaker that is too large for the existing wire.

Quite the opposite here. In this case, the existing wire for the stove's 50A circuit would be oversized for the smaller breaker/receptacle. He's going from 50A (usually 6 AWG wire) to 30A (usually 10 AWG wire), not the other way around.

But oversized wire isn't a problem like undersized wire would be. Only hassle is double checking that connectors on the new 30A stuff will physically accept up to a 6 AWG wire. Though it looks like many out there will be able to handle up to 4 (rated 14-4), so probably not an issue there.

Very true! I read the original post wrong. I’ve seen enough times where guys oversized a breaker and overloaded the wire.

Thanks for the correction.

I found a 110v dryer at Home Depot. I know it has it's limitations, but that will be fine. This is for our vacation property in Southern Alabama. We retire in two years and will finally escape this hell hole, Illinois. We'll be building a house and will have the proper set up. Thanks everyone for the help.

Seems like the easiest "solution" would be to swap the pigtail on the dryer and stove.

Typically, these are easily removed/attached with spade lugs on each wire. In the olden days one would be expected to re-use the old pigtail when replacing an appliance.

Of course, unplug the pigtail before doing so, and make sure the connections are good and tight. I have seen some with considerable oxidation.

I got a solar powered clothes dryer for 99 cents from Atwood Rope that Para posted a few years back:

Why not just hire a electrician to install a dedicated line for the dryer?