Standard electric dryers draw 22-24 amps and require a dedicated 30-amp, 240-volt circuit.
| Recommended wire | 10/3 NM-B or 10 AWG THHN |
| Breaker | 30A double-pole |
| Voltage | 240V |
| Typical amperage | 22–24A |
| Circuit amperage | 30A |
| NEC reference | NEC 220.54 |
| Max recommended distance | About 120 feet one-way for 3% drop at 24A |
A 4-wire connection (10/3 with ground) is required by current code. Older 3-wire connections (10/2) may exist but should not be used for new installations.
10 AWG copper wire on a 30A double-pole, 240V breaker. Standard electric dryers draw 22–24 amps. NEC 250.140 requires a 4-wire connection (two hots, neutral, ground) for all new dryer installations.
Yes — electric dryers must have a dedicated 30A, 240V circuit. No other loads can share this circuit. The dryer cord connects to a 3-slot or 4-slot dryer outlet (NEMA 10-30 or 14-30).
No — 12 AWG is undersized for a dryer circuit. Electric dryers draw 22–24 amps and require 10 AWG copper wire on a 30A breaker. Using 12 AWG wire on a 30A breaker is a code violation and fire hazard.
Older homes have 3-wire dryer outlets (NEMA 10-30) with two hots and a neutral. Current NEC code requires 4-wire connections (NEMA 14-30) with two hots, a neutral, and a separate ground wire. All new dryer installations must use 4-wire connections per NEC 250.140.