SPA WIRING

[Guest Alan]

Can someone guide me on this. My brother has a 40 year old house w/ a 125 amp panel box. There is only one 50 amp breaker that I would like to use to power a spa @ 220 V, 50 amp. However the circuit is already used for the clothes dryer. Can both run from the same circuit? I would be installing a Cutler Hammer 50 amp double pole GFCI, outside 5 ' from the spa for protection. But once again, can they both be on the same breaker at the panel? Would it be possible to do as long as both are not running at the same time?

Alan

[Guest wls]

Depends on the rating of the breaker. Most dryers are on 30 amp breakers. Putting a 50 amp on that is just asking for it to blow. As to whether you can increase the size- depends on your load capacity of the box. I would say you need a 200 amp box to even think about it. Also putting a GFCI on a breaker attached to another device sounds like a no no too.

If you intend to persue this get a legitimate electrician to upgrade your service.

[Guest hottub.pool_boy]

not advised. take the clothes to the laundramat

[Guest inhotwater]

Alan

If you can put another circuit breaker into the panel, then do it. It is one thing to put additional load onto the panel, but I would suggest not putting an electric dryer and spa on the same breaker.

[Guest Brewman]

Don't do this, it's not safe, and it's not allowed.

Spas must be on their own dedicated circuits. You need to have the correct sized wiring, and the correct breaker to serve only the spa.

[Guest Jim Arjuna]

Clothes dryers are normally 30 AMP, so unless you have a humungus dryer, it is wired wrong and could potentially cause a fire.

You need to contact a licensed electrician, because most of the fires in the United States are caused by electrical wiring.

If you don't have a lot of other electrical appliances, like that kiln in the garage, and your house in not huge, you should be able to use your existing service.

You need to contact a licensed electricain to do "load calculatoins" on your home.

I put in a gas stove so I could put in a spa on our existing service.

[Guest Chas]

Do you have gas piped to your home? A gas clothes dryer would save you money on your electric bill, and would free up the circuit for the spa.

[Guest Roger]

Put in a 30 amp for the dryer and dissconect it from the 50 amp. Then use the 50 for the spa.

[Guest mjs]

1. Its against all code (read "THE LAW")

2. Not sure how you could remember ALL THE TIME to turn off the SPA remote breaker before you turn on the dryer, and then remember to turn the SPA back on afterwards.

3. Its not that hard to add new breakers. If you have no empty slots, you can always replace "two single" breakers with a "double slim"; which is two breakers in the space of one. Do this twice, and you have two slots available.

4. Another concern, though: is your current breaker box sized adequately? While you dryer doesn't run all the time, you SPA will be (with a pump and heater cycling onn-and-off around the clock). Can you breaker panel handle an additional 50 amps????