Dryer GFCI connection help

[Gadget89]

Hello all,
I have looked at the forums in great detail and haven't found one matching up. This is the closet but doesn't talk about my dryer outlet issue.
viewtopic.php?t=88146


I purchased the Oakstill controller box for a 240V 1 heating element up to 5.5KW

https://oakstills.com/products/variable ... v-240v-1ph

I'm in the USA.
I thought when I bought it I could just connect it to my 3 Prong Dryer outlet that has the 3 wires, 2 hots and Neutral. I was going to ignore the Neutral and just connect the two hots to the controller box and call it a day. After more reading seeing that wasn't the safest and I don't want to burn my house down a GFCI protection system is needed.

I'm having a really difficult time trying to figure out how to add GFCI connection to either dryer outlet with only 2 hots and a neutral, or my Saunas 240volt system that has 2 hots and 1 ground. Is it possible to use either of those two 240 Volt systems already?


Or is it as easy as installing a 240volt GFCI breaker in my Sauna's breaker spot, and creating a junction box to run my electric control panel.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-Ho ... lsrc=aw.ds

[elbono]

The spa panel is probably the easiest way to go. If you can add a circuit to it. It should already be GFCI protected, but make sure it is before you use it.

The dryer circuit breaker can be replaced with a GFCI for around 75 USD but a dryer receptacle isn't designed for frequent plugging/unplugging. If it gets easy to plug or unplug it's worn out.

The three wire circuit for a dryer in the US is two hots and a "combined neutral ground" you can use it for either.

[zach]

I was investigating the same thing for hooking up a spa panel, to a 3 wire dryer outlet.

GFCI do not need a neutral connection to function. If your control panel requires no 120, then no need to hook it up in the neutral in the GFCI panel. An older dryer outlet basically has two hots and a combo neutral / ground.

Before you use it, I'd make sure the neutral bar and ground bars are tied to together in the breaker panel with an adequate wire. Otherwise you don't have any protection.

viewtopic.php?p=7740095&hilit=gfci#p7740095

[elbono]

A GFCI only needs two conductors to do it job. Can be two hots, hot and neutral, hot and ground, etc

It senses imbalance, if one conductor has more going out than the other has coming in it will trip.

Good connection between ground and neutral at the service panel is needed for many reasons but GFCI operation is not one of them.

[Gadget89]

Would this splitter


with one end going to a Spa GFCI breaker box then my control box and the other end staying on the dryer work? or would that just be a bad idea. Not trying to run both at the same time, just limiting the number of times plugging and unplugging from the wall.

I did purchase this spa box
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Square-D-HO ... xIQAvD_BwE

now I'm trying to figure out if it's better to run from the dryer outlet with the neutral/ground or to splice the sauna 240v with only a ground. Any thoughts are appreciated.

[jonnys_spirit]

I wired a dryer plug to my controller and have been running 5.5kw for several years. No issues with the socket.

I did recently get a new breaker panel installed and now have capacity to add a dedicated circuit or two. I’ll use gfci breakers when I do.

Cheers,
J

[Gadget89]

I wired a dryer plug to my controller and have been running 5.5kw for several years. No issues with the socket.

I did recently get a new breaker panel installed and now have capacity to add a dedicated circuit or two. I’ll use gfci breakers when I do.

Cheers,
J

How did you ground your neutral/ground wire into your electric control box? Or did you just not use that wire?

[Gadget89]

I was investigating the same thing for hooking up a spa panel, to a 3 wire dryer outlet.

GFCI do not need a neutral connection to function. If your control panel requires no 120, then no need to hook it up in the neutral in the GFCI panel. An older dryer outlet basically has two hots and a combo neutral / ground.

Before you use it, I'd make sure the neutral bar and ground bars are tied to together in the breaker panel with an adequate wire. Otherwise you don't have any protection.

viewtopic.php?p=7740095&hilit=gfci#p7740095

I opened up my main panel, and it looks like all the ground and neutrals in my breaker box are connected to the same connections, not two separate bars. I have an older house with older wiring. would I just leave the "pigtail" disconnected if I added a gfci breaker or attach it to the ground/neutral bar with the ground cable from the wiring?

Thanks!

[elbono]

Would this splitter


with one end going to a Spa GFCI breaker box then my control box and the other end staying on the dryer work? or would that just be a bad idea. Not trying to run both at the same time, just limiting the number of times plugging and unplugging from the wall.

I did purchase this spa box
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Square-D-HO ... xIQAvD_BwE

now I'm trying to figure out if it's better to run from the dryer outlet with the neutral/ground or to splice the sauna 240v with only a ground. Any thoughts are appreciated.

I don't understand what you mean by "splice the sauna 240v with only a ground" but anyway-

That splitter is a good solution, just don't run the dryer while you're stilling. When the female end feeding the still wears out you just need to replace the splitter.

My statement about preferring twist lock connections is a personal grudge not a requirement. It's easy to tell when a straight blade receptacle is worn out, it will get warm in use and/or arc when jostled, when it's past worn out the plug will try to fall out of the receptacle. The receptacle in the wall is a real pain to replace when any of those happen.

The neutral and ground are connected at the service panel. I've never run into what you describe but it's not a problem in the service panel. In a sub panel they are kept separated, the neutral bar is insulated from the box.

I looked at your original post again and get impression you have a 3 prong dryer outlets AND a spa panel with only two hots and a ground? Is there an unused neutral wire (white) in the spa panel?

[elbono]

If your controller is like the picture on this page https://oakstills.com/pages/how-to-wire ... ontrollers and you have a sauna feed your still from that. You need a GFCI somewhere upstream from the controller box.

[Gadget89]

Update on what I did, I'll draw a picture or post pictures eventually. But I added a junction box to my sauna circuit (10/2 wiring), ran more 10/2 wire to a locking 3 prong female adapter, bought the inline gfci adapter that was $200 because I really think I don't want a shocking ending to my life, which as locking 3 prongs on it which I then have wired into the control box which will run to the heating element. I should be able to disconnect and move the wiring and cfgi protection wiring if I ever move or need to store it away for a while. I appreciate all the encouragement. Also if you don't think that'll work I can still return things as i haven't actually hooked anything up yet.

I got the 240V version of this, and it's the l6-30 plug type. The website no longer has it listed for sale.
https://www.gfcistore.com/product/30-am ... i-13011/19

[elbono]

Looks good. The GFCI may be a little more expensive than a permanently mounted one but the portability is worth some pocket change.

Your suana (steam room ) had me confused for a while. I was thinking spa (hog tub) which should be GFCI protected already.