Electric Clothes Dryer Loads

The requirements for calculating branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads are outlined in Art. 220.

Oct. 31, 2014

The load for electric clothes dryers in a dwelling unit shall be _____ watts or the nameplate rating, whichever is larger, per dryer.

a) 1,500
b) 4,500
c) 5,000
d) 8,000

See answer and applicable Code reference

The correct answer is: c) 5,000

The requirements for calculating branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads are outlined in Art. 220. Electric clothes dryer load values in dwelling units are shown in Sec. 220.54. As specifically stated in the first sentence of this section of the Code, "The load for household electric clothes dryers in a dwelling unit(s) shall be either 5,000W (volt-amperes) or the nameplate rating, whichever is larger, for each dryer served."

About the Author

Mike Holt

Mike Holt is the owner of Mike Holt Enterprises (www.MikeHolt.com), one of the largest electrical publishers in the United States. He earned a master's degree in the Business Administration Program (MBA) from the University of Miami. He earned his reputation as a National Electrical Code (NEC) expert by working his way up through the electrical trade. Formally a construction editor for two different trade publications, Mike started his career as an apprentice electrician and eventually became a master electrician, an electrical inspector, a contractor, and an educator. Mike has taught more than 1,000 classes on 30 different electrical-related subjects — ranging from alarm installations to exam preparation and voltage drop calculations. He continues to produce seminars, videos, books, and online training for the trade as well as contribute monthly Code content to EC&M magazine.