I'm getting electricians' quotes for installing a transfer switch on my dryer line. One quote was quite detailed, and listed the cost of a 220 volt, 30 amp transfer switch from a 3rd party as $775. Seems high to me but maybe that is what they cost. Is the cost reasonable? Any suggestions about where to obtain a cheaper switch? BTW, the other lines in the estimate were reasonable.
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Cost of transfer switch
- Thread starter cwoernle
- Start date
This one is $500 less than your quote at Home Depot.
Siemens Double Throw 30 Amp 240-Volt 2-Pole Indoor Non-Fusible Safety Switch-DTNF221 - The Home Depot
Siemens Double Throw 30 Amp 240-Volt 2-Pole Indoor Non-Fusible Safety Switch-DTNF221 - The Home Depot
Ebay has it cheaper. Comes from manufacturing facility. Got one for 50 US greens!
Here's one for 30$ Siemens GF221N Disconnect Switch 30 amp 240 VAC Fusible w/two Bussmann NON-25 783643335165 | eBay
Here's one for 30$ Siemens GF221N Disconnect Switch 30 amp 240 VAC Fusible w/two Bussmann NON-25 783643335165 | eBay
right. I could as well use a transfer switch since it can be used in my application as well
Well good for you, but suggesting a disconnect switch doesn't help the OP, who needs a transfer switch.
Soda Popinski
Member
Am hiring an electrician for $625 for parts and labor for installing a transfer switch and 10-30 plug. Any thoughts on the optimal placement of the switch and plug on the front wall? I want it in the center of the 2-car garage. Should the plug be dead center? What about height off the floor? Where does the cable wrap hook go? I guess the switch would be to one side of the plug. Thanks.
Put the plug/switch at whatever height is convenient. The hook can go nearby (again, your convenience). You want it ground up so the cord hangs properly.
Keep in mind, the NEC does not allow installation of new 10 series outlets. A new 10-30 shouldn't pass inspection. Which makes question your electrician's skill, since he apparently hasn't kept up with the code for 25 years or so.
Keep in mind, the NEC does not allow installation of new 10 series outlets. A new 10-30 shouldn't pass inspection. Which makes question your electrician's skill, since he apparently hasn't kept up with the code for 25 years or so.
davewill
Active Member
As far as placement of the switch (I'm assuming it's manual), ask yourself whether it would be more annoying to have to go to the laundry room when you want to charge, or to the garage when you want to do laundry. Or perhaps it would be easiest to have it somewhere in between like near the garage entry into the house.
Personally, I'd put it next to the dryer figuring that I can plug in and if the power isn't on, go to the laundry room to make sure the boss isn't using the dryer before flipping the switch.
Personally, I'd put it next to the dryer figuring that I can plug in and if the power isn't on, go to the laundry room to make sure the boss isn't using the dryer before flipping the switch.
I want to get a Dryer Buddy or equivalent so I don't need to plug and unplug all the time. Simple set-up. We have our electric dryer plugged in now and I just want to split that to be able to charge my new M3 in the garage which is less than 18 feet away where the new Tesla will be parked. Any advice? Model?? Price??
Is the dryer in the garage or is it in a living space near the garage? I only recommend the Dryer Buddy if the dryer is in the garage with the car.
Washer, dryer and a closet are all in a indoor walkway area between the garage and house. Just a passthrough entry/exit way to the garage. I understand I'll have a cord in the way during super off-peak charging hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. regardless I have to plug in where the dryer plugs in and I don't want to be doing a lot of unplugging and plugging in on that receptacle. We have no children and no pets so the cord running on the ground through the door is no problem. Or is it cool for me just to keep swapping the 2 as needed??
Personally, I would recommend running the wire in the wall so you don't have a cable running through the door. However, if it's a rental, then maybe take a little more leeway. The open door thing is fire code. If you don't have ICE vehicles or gas powered lawn equipment, or natural gas appliances in that garage, then there's much less chance of CO or other gases passing into the living space through the open door.
One more thing to consider is that the whole point of the Dryer Buddy is to avoid unplugging stuff. When you're running the cord through a door, you inherently only want that cord there when it's in use. Kinda defeats the purpose of the Dryer Buddy.
Best solution is to get dedicated charging circuit into the garage. It really is worth the money as a home improvement. If you have no more panel or service capacity, you could run a circuit from behind the dryer into the garage with the Dryer Buddy in between. However, you still need to have the cable properly run through the garage firewall.
I do have some recommendation about the different models.
The basic Dryer Buddy I would not recommend. It's straight splitter, and there is nothing preventing you from accidentally running both and overloading and tripping the breaker.
The Dryer Buddy Plus adds a toggle lockout, where you have to switch which side is active. That's pretty decent, but may be a little inconvenient to have to go switch it with the button, and you may forget and then the car doesn't charge, etc.
If you're going to buy one, I would just recommend getting the really good one, because it's not that much more, but is way more convenient. It's the Dryer Buddy Plus Auto. The "Auto" part is that it does the automatic toggling for you. When the dryer runs, it will lock out the car charging side, and then when it shuts off, it will re-enable the car charging side. So you never have to mess with it or remember to flip it back to the other one.
Well yes. I would think the idea is to not have to reach behind the dryer often. He could leave things plugged in, but pull the cord inside the door to shut it.
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