Is it safe to use a load miser???

Hi, Since I only have one 220V entry, I would like to plug a clothes dryer on my oven plug using a load miser 15A/40A. An electrician told me it's safe to do it. Another told me fires occured due to abuses using load miser. I don't know what to think.

Does someone knows more about it?

Thanks,

Jacinthe

Reply to
mtl343
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I would add a seperate circuit with seperate breaker for each appliance

Reply to
hallerb

Thanks for your answer.

Use two breakers is a very nice idea, but I wounder how I could do it if but appliances are on the same plug. Well, I'm quite novice in electricity so maybe there's a way to do it?

Reply to
mtl343

novice in

each 220 volt appliance needs its own plug and breaker assuming your in the US

Reply to
hallerb

Cite that

Reply to
gfretwell

I'd never heard of such a thing prior to reading your post; but it would appear to be a device that time-shares a 240V circuit, cutting one off when the other needs power, for homes with seriously undersized electrical panels (ie, old fuse boxes). In this case, you'd probably have it cut off your dryer when the range is in use, otherwise someone could spoil the roast by starting the dryer. (The examples I see on the web are water heaters and baseboard heaters, which can be powered off for a while with much less impact.)

There's a picture here:

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If a local licensed electrician says that they are acceptable to local code, and if you have the electrician install it, then it ought to be safe. Fires can certainly start owing to abuses of electrical stuff, from ranges to Christmas tree lights; the key word is "abuses". So have it installed properly (tell your electrician you want to have the work done under a permit and inspected), use it as it was intended, and you should be fine.

The dryer would not go on the same "plug" as your range; rather, the power miser would be installed into the circuit that feeds the range, and a new plug would be installed for the dryer. Note the box in the picture labelled "30A disconnect switch". This box has 30-amp fuses protecting the dryer circuit. Avoid any scheme that doesn't have such a thing.

Or, you could look into replacing the range (and the dryer!) with gas appliances, if gas is available to you. Factoring in the electrician's labour and the upfront cost of the power miser itself, with the cost savings of gas vs electricity in most places, you could come out ahead eventually, get the convenience of gas cooking, and free up electrical capacity for other things.

Chip C Toronto

Reply to
Chip C

acdcmike had written this in response to

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Power Electric System Michael Thellend

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------------------------------------- mtl343 wrote:

Hi,

Better late than never answering this question. :)

Load miser switches are safe as long as they're properly installed.

You can install a 40 Amp circuit (3#8 wire on a double pole breaker) to the load miser switch from your main panel, then branch out to the two devices from the miser. One 3#8 wire to the stove and one 3#8 wire to a 30 Amp disconnect, and from the 30 Amp disconnect to the dryer with a 3#10 wire.

I really wish I could have helped you back when you posted this but there will be others.

Regards,

Michael Thellend

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Reply to
acdcmike

acdcmike had written this in response to

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Power Electric System Michael Thellend

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------------------------------------- mtl343 wrote:

One more thing,

The stove goes on the preferred load side of the switch and the dryer to the non preferred load side.

Mike

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Reply to
acdcmike

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