Home Garden

How to Create a 220 Outlet for a Dryer

A home appliance that uses a lot of electricity, such as an oven range, water heater or dryer, cannot use a standard 110-volt electrical line because it would overload the circuit. Instead, these appliances must be wired to a 220- or 240-volt line. The installation process for a 220-volt dryer outlet is essentially the same as that of a 110-volt outlet, but there is an extra wire in the cable to handle the extra load.

Things You'll Need

  • Stud finder
  • Junction box
  • Drywall saw
  • 14/3 electrical cable
  • Cable connector
  • Screwdriver
  • Wire strippers
  • Plate cover
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate a stud in the area where you're installing the outlet with a stud finder.

    • 2

      Hold a junction box against the wall next to the stud and trace it onto the wall. Cut a hole into the wall with a drywall saw along the tracing.

    • 3

      Run an electrical cable between your home's main electrical box and the hole in the wall. Use a 14/3 cable. This is a cable which uses 14-gauge wire and has three wires (plus a ground wire) in the cable.

    • 4

      Punch out the knockout hole on the junction box and attach a cable connector it it.

    • 5

      Slide the cable through the cable connector and into the box, and tighten the screw on the cable connector to lock the cable in place. Insert the junction box into the hole in the wall and screw it to the stud.

    • 6

      Wrap the bare ground wire around the ground screw in the back of the junction box and tighten the screw.

    • 7

      Strip about a half-inch of insulation from the black, white and red wires in the cable with wire strippers.

    • 8

      Slide the white wire into the slot marked "Neutral" on the outlet and tighten the screw. Repeat this step by sliding the black and red wires into the slots marked "Hot". The placing of the red and black wires doesn't matter, as long as they go into the "Hot" slots.

    • 9

      Insert the outlet and wiring into the box.

    • 10

      Place the plate cover onto the junction box and screw it into place.

    • 11

      Hire an electrician to wire the circuit into your home's main electrical box. Most localities require that a certified professional do this due to the safety issues involved.