electricalelectrical-panelwiring
I am purchasing a home and on the home inspection it says that the dryer is on a 40amp breaker. It states that we need to change that to a 30 amp breaker to prevent over heating of dryer conductors.
Is that something that needs to be changed right away or is a 40 amp breaker fine?
You have an incorrect receptacle installed at your apartment. Some genius just replaced the existing 30A dryer receptacle with the incorrect 50A range receptacle for some reason rather than doing it right.
You only real option is to get the landlord/super/etc to have the receptacle replaced with the proper 30A dryer receptacle. The cord you have on the dryer is correct, albeit the old style 3-prong version.
There should be either a NEMA 10-30R, or 14-30R receptacle where your dryer will plug in.
NEMA 10-30R
NEMA 14-30R
When you purchase an electric dryer, the store should also sell you a cord for the dryer. Most times they'll ask you which you need, or they'll just have both on hand if they're installing the dryer for you.
If the installers (or you) simply installed the wrong cord, you should just be able to replace the cord with the proper one. You'll need to install either a NEMA 10-30P 3-wire cord, or NEMA 14-30P 4-wire cord depending on which receptacle is in your home.
If for some reason the dryer requires 50 amperes, instead of 30. You'll have to replace the breaker, the wiring from the breaker to the receptacle, and the receptacle.
If there's a NEMA 10-50R, or 14-50R receptacle installed in the home on a 30 ampere circuit. You should replace the receptacle with the proper one. Receptacles and plugs are configured in different ways, to prevent things from being plugged into an undersized (incorrectly sized) circuit.
Best Answer
The answer to this question depends mainly on two factors. It really has no bearing on the dryer itself.
The size (diameter) of wire conductors from the breaker in the panel over to where the dryer plug is located. The primary function of the panel breaker is to protect the wiring from ever being used at a current rating over its rated size. If that wire is 10AWG then the breaker needs to be a 30A breaker. 8AWG wire may be used with a 40A breaker.
The dryer plug outlet itself will be rated for a particular current carrying capability. If that is a 30A outlet then it cannot be used with a 40A breaker even if the wire was rated at 40A.
If the dryer outlet looks like this it is a 30A outlet and the breaker will definately need changing. When doing so just make sure that the connecting cable has at least 10AWG conductors. (Note that wires with smaller AWG numbers are larger diameter wires capable of higher current).