I'm looking for some advice on re-routing my dryer electrical cable (either lengthening the existing cable or abandoning the existing cable in place and running a new cable)
Background:
The house was built in 1984. The house has separate two attics (first floor and second floor). The 220V electric dryer is on the first floor. The dryer electrical cable was routed from the panel in the basement up a first floor wall, across the first floor attic, back into the living space by way of through the second floor master bathroom wall then immediately through the floor, proceeding below the second floor, and finally down the first floor laundry room wall to the dryer receptacle.
I am remodeling the master bathroom and the original dryer electrical cable that was routed into the corner had been hidden behind the cavity of the steel bathtub and the bathroom wall (see attached picture). It appears to have been routed in this manner for two reasons: (i) there was an builder option to have the laundry room on the second floor, thus the indirect routing to the dryer's current location would be a direct routing to an optional location on the second floor, and (ii) the cable was routed through the bathroom wall and back into the floor to avoid an engineered beam that prevented the cable from being routed from the first floor attic directly below the second floor subfloor.
I'm replacing the bathtub with a full shower and want to reclaim the full floor space for the shower pan.
The dryer is currently on a dedicated 30 amp circuit with the following cable:
"Alcan S Stabiloy Type SE Cable Style U Type XHHW CDRS 600 Volts 3 CDRS 8 AL (UL) 1984"
If I've deciphered the cable label correctly it's 3 conductor #8 aluminum wire (I did pull the panel cover and verify AL). The length of the run is about 70 feet from panel to receptacle. Was the #8 specified, instead of #10, due to the length of the run to reduce the voltage drop?
Anyway, after all that yappin'… I'm looking at two options:
Option 1.
Lengthening the cable by splicing it to add about 5-10 feet of new cable in the first floor attic. Splicing and lengthening the cable would allow me to re-route the existing cable from below the master bathroom subfloor, through the non-load bearing shower valve wall, and back into the first floor attic. My readings on this forum lead me to believe that splicing is an acceptable and safe method of extending the length of the dryer cable as long as the splices are contained in boxes and the boxes are accessible.
If I choose the splice option:
- What are the considerations for splicing #8 aluminum wire? (my experience is with #12 and #14 copper and wire nut connections)
- Are wire nuts acceptable for #8 connections on a dryer cable?
- Must the inserted wire be of the same material as the current wire (aluminum)? (HD didn't have #8 AL, but did have three and four conductor #8 CU. I assume I can get #8 AL at an electrical supply co).
- Is the attic splice option considered a remodel in that it would require an upgrade to four-wire cable?
Option 2.
Abandon the existing cable and run a new cable from the panel to the dryer receptacle. The basement is unfinished so I'd have full access, although I believe it would be easier / faster to splice the existing cable as describe in option 1.
I'd welcome any suggestions regarding alternatives to reclaim the bathroom floor space.
Background:
The house was built in 1984. The house has separate two attics (first floor and second floor). The 220V electric dryer is on the first floor. The dryer electrical cable was routed from the panel in the basement up a first floor wall, across the first floor attic, back into the living space by way of through the second floor master bathroom wall then immediately through the floor, proceeding below the second floor, and finally down the first floor laundry room wall to the dryer receptacle.
I am remodeling the master bathroom and the original dryer electrical cable that was routed into the corner had been hidden behind the cavity of the steel bathtub and the bathroom wall (see attached picture). It appears to have been routed in this manner for two reasons: (i) there was an builder option to have the laundry room on the second floor, thus the indirect routing to the dryer's current location would be a direct routing to an optional location on the second floor, and (ii) the cable was routed through the bathroom wall and back into the floor to avoid an engineered beam that prevented the cable from being routed from the first floor attic directly below the second floor subfloor.
I'm replacing the bathtub with a full shower and want to reclaim the full floor space for the shower pan.
The dryer is currently on a dedicated 30 amp circuit with the following cable:
"Alcan S Stabiloy Type SE Cable Style U Type XHHW CDRS 600 Volts 3 CDRS 8 AL (UL) 1984"
If I've deciphered the cable label correctly it's 3 conductor #8 aluminum wire (I did pull the panel cover and verify AL). The length of the run is about 70 feet from panel to receptacle. Was the #8 specified, instead of #10, due to the length of the run to reduce the voltage drop?
Anyway, after all that yappin'… I'm looking at two options:
Option 1.
Lengthening the cable by splicing it to add about 5-10 feet of new cable in the first floor attic. Splicing and lengthening the cable would allow me to re-route the existing cable from below the master bathroom subfloor, through the non-load bearing shower valve wall, and back into the first floor attic. My readings on this forum lead me to believe that splicing is an acceptable and safe method of extending the length of the dryer cable as long as the splices are contained in boxes and the boxes are accessible.
If I choose the splice option:
- What are the considerations for splicing #8 aluminum wire? (my experience is with #12 and #14 copper and wire nut connections)
- Are wire nuts acceptable for #8 connections on a dryer cable?
- Must the inserted wire be of the same material as the current wire (aluminum)? (HD didn't have #8 AL, but did have three and four conductor #8 CU. I assume I can get #8 AL at an electrical supply co).
- Is the attic splice option considered a remodel in that it would require an upgrade to four-wire cable?
Option 2.
Abandon the existing cable and run a new cable from the panel to the dryer receptacle. The basement is unfinished so I'd have full access, although I believe it would be easier / faster to splice the existing cable as describe in option 1.
I'd welcome any suggestions regarding alternatives to reclaim the bathroom floor space.