2006 40 PDQ 50 Amp dryer outlet

[Kenster]

Has anyone added a 50 amp dryer circuit for an electric dryer in a Diplomat 40 PDQ? If so, what is involved?

[jacwjames]

what make coach do you have?

Which generator?

[Kenster]

2006 Monaco diplomat with a 8000 Onan diesel. I know it will not run off the generator but, I need to get a dryer receptacle into the receptacle into the washer dryer cabinet on the curb side of the coach behind the toilet room for when I am on 50 amp Shore power.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Kenster

[duncan8846@att.net]

I’d get a 120v drier

 

[Dennis H]

A lot depends on your electrical panel. Adding a 50amp receptacle is pretty simple. It's finding a way to run the wiring that can be difficult. If you have space in your panel, (you'll need two adjacent spaces) that's where your breaker will go. A residential receptacle goes wherever your dryer is. You'll have to run four 6 gauge wires thru conduit or get a 6/4 cable. 8 gauge will handle 50amps but it will get hot, something you want to avoid. Your receptacle will have four connections. Two will be LIVE, one will be a neutral and the final one will be a ground. Hook them up appropriately inside your electrical panel. That said, you may not be able to run much else in your coach while the dryer is running so you might want to consider a simple 120v dryer. It'll take longer to dry your clothes but not by much. Only time I need 240 is if I'm drying the comforter or large throws. I try to do those when it's nice outside and hang them on a line to dry. Makes em smell better too. Hope this helps....Dennis

[waterskier_1]

Take note that you Diplomat's 8K generator does not output 220 VAC.  You have to go to the 10KW or 12.5KW to get real 220 VAC (split-phase).  So, if you did this mod, you would not be able to operate the dryer on your generator.  Also, as Dennis points out, if you are contemplating at 50 Amp, 220 VAC dryer (typical residential dryer) it would require the 12.5KW generator.

  -Rick N.

[Dennis H]

While I know your post is seeking info on whether it's feasible to put in the 50amp service there are some caveats should you decide to do so. The biggest is to ensure you have ZERO power to your electrical panel BEFORE opening it up. This includes shore power, auto start, inverters and solar. Be safe.....Dennis

[Tom Cherry]

5 hours ago, Kenster said:

Has anyone added a 50 amp dryer circuit for an electric dryer in a 40 PDQ? If so, what is involved?

Ken,

Two comments.  One is minor.  I added the Year, Model and Floorplan to your Signature

NOW....your Diplomat does NOT have enough "SLots" or breaker positions to do what you want. The following is an explanation I made from assuming, incorrectly, that there was individual breakers, NOT the "Two Pole" kind like you have....so it WILL NOT WORK...but, for you own electrical education...it explains how the MH differs from the Home.  BOTTOM LINE...even a NON CONVENTIONAL, and UNAPPROVED or DANGEROUS scenario with NON interconnected 2 pole breakers is NOT an OPTION...  SOME of the Intellitec Panels, I THINK....had MORE slots....but even if they did and you could combine TWO breakers into a single ONE....IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED.....Scroll or read...the CONCLUSION is marked...at the bottom...

Your Load panel is specially built for NON 240 VAC circuits.  It is the Intellitec EMS panel.  If you look at your HOME panel, then you will see that a 240 Breaker (Dryer, Stove, Water Pump, AC or "welder" has a double sized circuit breaker.  Most folks, and not talking down to you, don't realize that one side of their panel boxes is Line 1.  The other side is Line 2.  SO, when an electrician installs a 240 VAC appliance, that breaker has contacts for BOTH SIDES.  So, one of the power or hot leads is on the LEFT side (say line 1) and the other is on the RIGHT side or line 2.  Unless you have ever put in a home panel or rewired or modified, then most don't know this.

OK....you YOUR Intellitec EMS says Line 1 on one side and Line 2 of the other.  Thus, the logic would be...  Hey, it is done at home....so just add a circuit breaker and it hooks up to Line 1 and Line 2...  Bingo figure out how to run the four wires (probably #10 or maybe #8) from the Main to wherever we can put the outlet.  THAT "running wires in a MH is a feat beyond comprehension....it would probably end up in conduit on the wall...

BUT.....even so....you CAN NOT DO IT.  WHY....  The Main Panel is NOT like your home.  The LEFT side runs horizontally.  The RIGHT side runs Horizontally.  The MAIN is in the middle.  In you HOME panel, there is a breaker, usually at the top....or the bottom.  The Line 1 buss and Line 2 buss run vertically.  The BUSS is where the breaker is attached to get power.  So, a dual pole or oversized 240 breaker is attached to both the LEFT and RIGHT side and they are INTERCONNECTED.

There is NO BREAKER MADE or MANUFACTURED that will work in that panel.  The Busses are NOT side by side or parallel or RUN VERTICALLY.  

NOW, for the REALLY ingenious folks...  WHY NOT put in a TWO LEGGED CB and replace the Front AC and the Rear AC. You could then rewire the main panel.  Put the Rear AC and the Refrigerator on to a SINGLE wide breaker...two circuits.  Thus, have a HOLE...or slot.  Put in a 40 Amp breaker that.

THEN, pull the same stunt on the OTHER side.  Front AC and Bedroom on a SINGLE SLOT Dual Breaker...and now an open slot for a 40 Amp breaker.

Technically, it should work.  From a CODE standpoint, that is NOT permitted.  A TRUE 240 Dual (two wire) breaker is SUPPOSED to be a single unit...in that when one side trips....they BOTH TRIP.  It would be a hazard if someone tripped or opened one breaker....thinking it was to CODE...and then got zapped because there was power on the OTHER LEG.  You can put up all sorts of signs and such...but by NEC....that is NOT permitted.

SO, my advice is the same as everyone else...just from an EX OSHA Electrical Safety Instructor.   I WOULD, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, DO THIS.  The electrical circuit that would test Edison just to get the wires to the location of the Dryer would be a Herculean task....and probably UGLY and expensive.  BUT, from an electrical safety standpoint....it is DANGEROUS....and could get someone killed.

CONCLUSION

Use a Combo like most do....my DW loves hers...  OR put in a 120 VAC dryer.  PROBLEM.  OPPS...  You STILL do NOT have an OUTLET for the Dryer and the Washer.  SO, again...  split a feed....do what I suggested above....which is OK for just a 120 Amp Breaker.  You already HAVE that on your Refrigerator & W/D.  THAT would be OK...and you run a NEW 120 VAC line to the area.  Perhaps someone could steal and snake a circuit up from the Block heater.  STILL adding a circuit in the laundry is NOT like the simplicity in a HOUSE... MAY be easy if they can find a line UNDERNEATH  but otherwise...in the ceiling....gonna be a NIGHTMARE.  BUT, we HAVE had folks that were good at this so I can NOT say....it can't be done...

That's it...  Hope this makes sense.

[Kenster]

Lot more complicated than I anticipated. I am relatively versed with both high voltage and low voltage, and what you said makes sense. Thank you. I'll keep you posted

[amphi_sc]

FWIW: My Beaver came with a 240V dryer from the Oregon factory.  The actual amp load when running is a balanced 7-8 amp load on the two hot legs. (So I can run 3 A/C's and the dryer at the same time - no problem on shore or 10k gen.) It has a separate sub panel at the dryer for the 30 amp 240v DRYER breaker.  Power from my transfer switch comes into my first main electric panel (over the driver's seat) via a 50 amp breaker.  The main lugs of that panel then take that power via 10/3 w/ground to the rear of the coach and the dryer sub panel. (As an aside, the main panel powers the A/C's, Aqua hot, block heat, ... and 2 individual 30 amp breakers to the Magnum dual in dual out inverter which then feeds back up the another sub panel by the driver's seat for the fridge and all the sockets.)

So one option could be tap into the shore power cord coming into the transfer switch as that is likely easier to gain access and run the wires through the basement ceiling.  And put a sub panel by the dryer.  In effect about the same as my coach EXCEPT it would not be running through the 50amp breaker of my main panel but you would still have the 50amp breaker of the pedestal for load protection of the shore power cable.

As in my case, the 240 dryer won't run on a standard 30-50 dog bone nor his 8k Genny.  But with careful/creative use of an appropriately sized center tap transformer and electrical knowledge beyond basic flipping on a light switch, I can run my 240V dryer from a standard 30 amp campground pedestal. Remember you can't create electricity from nothing ... understand induced current and how the windings on an iron core work.  It's more than just stepping voltage up from 120 to 240.  Anyway, while the dryer load is way less than the 30 amp 240 breaker, that is what the circuit was factory sized for.  Check the specs on your potential dryer to see actual loads.

Pics of the factory sub panel and current load when my dryer is running.  Current drops off significantly when the thermostat cuts out the heating element.

Just food for thought.

Edited November 6, 2023 by amphi_sc
Added 10/3 w ground