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How Many Amps Does A Dryer Use: A Comprehensive Analysis

By: Jan Hajek | Date Posted: May 29, 2018

Nowadays, almost every family around the globe possesses a hairdryer in their house, it’s a popular household appliance. However, people only care about the drying performance of the dryer and pay very little attention to its electric current along with energy rating. Do you know how many amps does a dryer use? In case the issue never crosses your mind, this article could provide the answer and some interesting information.

How Many Amps Does A Dryer Use

In most of the cases, you should be able to find the rating of the dryer electric current on the information label of the appliance. Otherwise, you may have to do some conversions. Old dryers often use 15 – 20 amps but modern products could go as high as 30 amps. Generally speaking, hairdryers are surprisingly powerful and energy-hungry for their sizes. Therefore, it’s very unwise to underestimate the hairdryer influence on the house electrical system.

Before you buy a fryer, you must ensure that its handling characteristics and electric ratings are suitable for your house. It’s not exactly an expensive investment that requires thorough inspection but to buy an electric appliance without proper consideration is strongly ill-advised nonetheless. Beside the fact the dryer may be unable to satisfy your need, you would risk the integrity of the house wiring arrangement if you buy on a whim.

The Consequences Of Underestimating The Dyer Impact On The System

So you are in rush to get ready for work, you grab your dryer, plug it in and without warning, you are surrounded by darkness. There are many things that could cause power overload but if they often happen when you drying your hair, your dryer may be the culprit. In order to get rid of the constant outages or at least alleviate the situation somewhat, you could try out these methods below.

Check Out The Circuit Breaker

The circuit breaker job is to monitor the flow of electricity on a circuit and disconnects power when the current reach above the determined level. In order to avoid overheating and prevent electrical fire, it’s important not to choose a circuit breaker with a high rating. On the other hand, a breaker with a low rating is also inappropriate since it’s going to “trip” continuously which shall prove very frustrating for most people.

For example, if your dyer rating is 30 amps but your breaker is rated at 20 amps, the breaker would trip every time you use the dryer. In contrast, if you use a 40 amps breaker on a circuit that is designed to carry 30 amps, the current would be allowed to pass through undisturbed till it exceeds 40 amps. This is extremely dangerous since by the time the breaker could do its job, the entire system may overheat already.

Reduce The Number Of Appliances

One of the simplest ways to solve power outages caused by circuit overload is to reduce the number of appliances in use on one circuit. For instance, in the summer/winter, people often use many devices to keep the house temperature at an acceptable level. Leaving multiple appliances on at the same time may generate a load that exceeds the capacity of the electrical wiring.

For the solution, it’s recommended that you disperse all plugged in devices across the house circuits. You could use an extension so you don’t have to concentrate many appliances on a particular circuit. In order to figure out the number of circuits you have in the house, you should check out the breaker box. If needed, you could call an electrician over and let him take a look at the breaker box as well as the house electrical system.

Increase The Circuit Power Rating

Homes that are built before the end of the 20th century often have circuits with a rather low power rating compared to modern-day appliances. As a result, it could be difficult for you to use hairdryers with high power ratings in such houses. While it’s easy to buy a hairdryer that matches the power rating of the house circuits, you should consider updating the house wiring.

By getting new internal wiring, you would be able to increase the circuit power rating as well as solve a wide range of electrical problems. It’s always good to know that the electrical system of your house is safe, modern and up to date. Technically speaking, you could attempt to do the wiring on your own as long as you have the tools and know exactly what to do. If you need help, there are a lot of places that offer rewiring and maintenance services.

Give Your Dryer Its Own Circuit

If the above methods appear to be ineffective or not feasible to you, you could give your dryer its personal circuit with a proper rating. That should solve your overload issue or significantly reduce the number of times it happens.

If you found this article helpful, you can also read the articles listed below:

How Many Watts Does a Mini-Fridge Use? – Updated 2021

What Is The Difference Between 220 And 240 Volt Outlets?

FAQs


How many amps does a hairdryer use?

In most of the cases, you should be able to find the rating of the dryer electric current on the information label of the appliance. Old hair dryers often use 15 – 20 amps, but modern products could go as high as 30 amps.

Does a hairdryer need its own breaker?

If you have overload issues when using a hairdryer, you could give your dryer its personal circuit with a proper rating.

Can I run a 30 amp dryer on a 20 amp breaker?

No, that will not work. A 20 amp circuit can handle appliances up to 20 amps only.

Thank you for reading!

Jan Hajek
 

I am an experienced writer. I write about home improvement topics such as construction, electrical work, plumbing, security and safety, interior design, exterior design, tools and woodworking, gardening, and garage organization. I love helping people improve their homes and make them more enjoyable places to live.

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