Washer/Dryer on 20AMP breaker question.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I was looking into replacing the plugs that came on the washer & dryer to the flat side plug-in type. There simply isn’t room to use the regular plugs that came with the stackable washer/dryer.

What I found out is that the washer & dryer is rated for 15 AMP and shouldn’t pull over 12-13 amps ea. total. This however is plugged into a circuit that is using 20 amp breakers. Since the appliance is rated for 15 amps shouldn’t the breakers be 15 amps also; even if it’s just for the wiring going to the appliance? This doesn’t set well with my thinking and what I’ve learned over the years for proper protection.

For those that bought the units new did they come with 15amp or 20amp breakers on the washer/dryer circuits?

[NCFischers]

Bill,
As long as the wire is 20 amp wire, you are ok.
Jim

[mhs4771]

x2 Jim's comment, breaker size is determined by wire size, not what you might plug into it.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I was told the appliances wouldn’t pull over 12-13 amps ea.
Will the washer or dryer run ok on a 15 amp breaker?
Is anyone using 15 amp breakers?

[BB_TX]

NEC says a breaker should be sized for 80% of the expected load. If they approached 100%, they would tend to run hot, or at least quite warm. And since breakers are stacked side by side, they will also tend to heat each other.
Since breakers are typically sized in increments of 5 amps, the logical size would be 20 amps.

[Tom S.]

Bill hit it square on the head. If you fequently exceed 80% of a breaker's rated capacity, you will shorten its life, causing it to trip more than it should, until it won't stay on at all.

[H. John Kohl]

I loosened the outlets top and bottom wing "holder" and and let them slid into the wall with the unit plugged in. I did not think even a 90 degree plug would properly work.

[jwedell]

The wire is sized to the amperage of the breaker, or the breaker is selected to the ampacity of the wire. The load should only be 80% of the circuit capacity. For a 15 amp circuit the load should not exceed 12 amps. For a 20 amp circuit it is 16 amps.

[NCFischers]

Angle plugs are available at electrical supply houses and I've even picked them up at Lowes.

[jwedell]

Angle plugs are fine. Make sure it is a 20 amp, 115 volt one.

[Ozz]

I use the angle plugs for my restaurant work, it keeps the cord close to the wall. I buy them at Johnstone supply also.

[steelpony5555]

Make sure the breaker is marked correctly. We just had an episode where the AC quit working. Checked the breakers and the only one that was thrown was the washer/dryer which would be right since we don't have a washer/dryer. I was ready to take it in to the dealer since I could not figure out why the AC would not come on till just for the heck of it, I threw the washer/dryer breaker on,,,,,yep the AC started right up. So the AC and the washer/dryer breakers are marked wrong.