Why would there be a 50 amp plug on a 30 amp appliance?

Question

I have an old conveyor dryer, which my office purchased used some time ago, just sitting in storage. The dryer is for silk screen t-shirts and has a large heating element and a variable speed conveyor that runs underneath, rather like a small pizza oven. I'm interested in getting it running, but I'm perplexed about the plug and circuit requirements.

The panel on the side of the dryer indicates that the full load amp is 30 amps. So why would the plug be a NEMA 14-50R, which handles 50 amps?

All the 220 outlets on the building have 30 amp breakers and run 10 gauge wire. Will I need to have someone install new breakers and run 8 gauge just for this dryer even though it says it won't pull more than 30 amps?

Answer 1

30 amps is where a 30 amp breaker should cut off, and to avoid that, you should only use 80% of the breaker's capacity. So for a 30 amp breaker, you shouldn't be using more than 24 amps. Using a 50 amp breaker and a dedicated outlet ensures that you don't exceed the capacity of the circuit with that appliance.

Answer 2

The fact that a 30-amp device is shipped with a 50-amp plug shouldn't bother you at all.

The most likely reasons for the "overkill" plug are the following:

• the manufacturer decided that it won't hurt to have a better ampacity plug - some extra reliability just in case and it doesn't really cost much
• the manufacturer used 50-amp plugs for all his high-power devices just to simplify the logistics (also see this similar question on Electronics SE).

Answer 3

If it's a piece of industrial/commercial equipment, then the odds are high that someone replaced the plug or entire cord at some point in time. This type of equipment gets modified all the time, and not necessarily the correct way.

I just went back and re-read your question...a 50 amp plug is probably appropriate for a 30 amp equipment...I wouldn't run the circuit at full capacity, even if it is a dedicated circuit.

I would rely on the legend plate for the accurate power requirement spec and not the cord end. If you are not confident enough to switch the plug your self to one that is compatible with your supply outlets (and meets the spec for the equipment) then an electrician should be able to do it for a very reasonable price (and he could inspect the used equipment for other electrical safety issues at the same time).

Answer 4

Your worries are correct here indeed. Why is there a 50amp in there? And I will tell you that it should not be there! In no home appliance rated for single phase @ 220v have i seen a 50amp fuse! You might as well stick a paper clip in there or piece of wire to bypass the plugs fuse.

50Amps = 11000WATTS! What the?

30Amp I have seen in like hot water boilers and those always run on dedicated 5mm solid core cable with 30AMP breaker, isolater and internal fuses.

So I would suggest to drop the 50amp to 30 amp.. or even 25amp.. but dropping it to low could blow it on start- as start always take a massive spike in electricity.

Either way if your main 30Amp is not tripping then the 50Amp is redundant because it will never fail.

What fuse is INSIDE the machine is the question to be asking! :-)

In the end plug it in and run it WITHOUT any other appliance on that breaker line!

Answer 5

My 2 cents: besides other possibilities some already mentioned in this trend, gien that it was bougt already used also could be tat what happened was that where it was working originally they had installed a female receptacle o the kind used by the male plug for 50A and preferred to change the male plug; or, maybe they were not using a dedicated circuit and the fuse would blow or the breaker open and they decided to change fuse and breaker from 30 to 50 and ten the plug too. There are a good number of possible speculations about the matter, but the practical point would be, is what I would do, to connect the drier, with an adapter or changing the plug for one of 30A, without working load for a work cycle and see how goes breaker or fuse, if no problem then turn it on again now with full working load and wait and see. If still no worries, all good and no need to change anything more than the plug; if with or without working load the fuse and or breaker open, then the machine needs a careful check up in inner circuits connections, motor, wiring, looking for shortcuts or burned up electric elements, or mechanical problems, that could be overloading the motor. As ppumkin said, a device marked on 30A of maximal input should not at all run over that, so to re-wire in 8 gauge and upgrade the value of circuit opener elements would just be inviting catastrophe if there's some problem underlying, or if there isn't any would be an idle and useless expense of money, work and time.