Jane that surge protector only has a Joule ratting of 660.

You want something higher.

I have this RCA two outlet surge suppressor. Rated at 1500 Joule surge protection.
I don't know if any surge protector can handle if the on-board heater on the washer kicked in and the gas dryer was on at the same time.

Gas dryers can go as low as 300 to 400 watts per hour.

The spin cycle alone can use around 400 watts on the washer.

http://amzn.com/B004AM5Z5O

Here is another great surge suppressor.

http://amzn.com/B00006B81D

George， thank you so much for your suggestion and link. Looks like the Tripp-Lite is more popular and has better rating.

Dadoes, do you mean the washer and dryer cannot be protected with one surge surpressor plugged in the same outlet plate with two outlets? There is only one standard outlet plate on that wall. One circuit breaker of 20A in the electric panel controls that washer/dryer outlet plate. Or do I have to use separate surge suppressor like this http://amzn.to/1kNAGfl ? Or with only one outlet plate, is it impossible to surge protect the washer and dryer? Thank you very much.

The surge supressor is not the point of concern. Standard code is that a circuit can safely carry 80% of the rated capacity.

12 amps + 9 amps is considered an overload on a 20 amp circuit.

The washer and the dryer should be connected to separate outlets, each served by a separate breaker/circuit. The installation instructions for them probably call for it, and your local city/county/jurisdiction electric codes may also require it.

You've already been running a washer and dryer together on the target outlet or this plan is the first time for that to happen?

Thank you very much, dadoes. Now I got what you meant.

I've been running washer and dryer on the same outlet plate for so many years. I am going to buy a new set. I saw a surge protector was suggested by some people since new machines are much more electronically controlled.

It looks like without adding another outlet plate and a circuit breaker to control it, it's impossible to use surge protector to protect the washer and dryer.

Jane...If you don't want to have an electrician install a new electrical line, you can plug both into a surge suppressor in one outlet but just remember...ONLY run one or the other at a time.

You'll likely blow a fuse if you say use the Sanitary cycle and the dryer at the same time.

George, thank you very much for your suggestion. It seems that's the only way to surge- protect the washer and dryer in my situation.

Why not get two surge protectors, one for the washer and one for the dryer, and plug one into each outlet? This way the surge protectors won't be overloaded. If the 20A circuit is overloaded then the circuit breaker will trip, and you'll learn how to avoid it.

suburbanmd...it's not the surge protector that would be overloaded it's the outlet (circuit). Two major power draws on the ONE circuit would still trip both surge protectors on the same circuit.

Georgect, are you sure about that? Yes, the circuit breaker would trip on an overload, but I don't see how that would trip the surge protectors, either their surge suppression or their overload protection.

I think I miss spoke.

If two surge suppressors are both plugged into the same outlet they would protect each appliance that were plugged into each of them but ONLY from surges.

But the circuit that both surge protectors are plugged into would not be able to handle a large draw (if say the washers built in heater is on during the Sanitary cycle AND the dryer is on just powering the motor and glow igniter).

Therefore to protect the circuit the fuse or tripper would kick in and turn off the whole circuit and anything else on that line.

For instance (not the same scenario but close) if my washer is doing the Sanitary cycle (on board heater is active), and I plug in a hand held clothes iron in another outlet that shares that circuit then the fuse blows (tripper trips) turning off power to the whole circuit. If I plug that clothes iron in another outlet that's on different circuit than the washer uses, then each will keep running fine since each circuit can handle each draw independently.

My suggestion will let her connect both appliances through a surge protector, while leaving her no worse off load-limit-wise and safety-wise. Given that the circuit has a 20 amp breaker, not 15, it may work out ok running the washer and gas dryer at the same time. My big Miele, with heater on while tumbling, draws in the range of 1200 watts according to Kill-A-Watt meter (Most of that is the heater, so I won't worry about the motor's power factor). This may leave plenty of circuit capacity for the gas dryer.

I thought dryers used 220v outlets. that is how mine are wired, both my old school dryer and my miele dryer. The washer is on a 110v outlet. So if that is the case how can both of these appliances be run through the same 20amp circuit. I thought a 220 outlet had its own dedicated circuit, not shared with any other circuit.

Oh, are you talking about a gas dryer? I have electric dryers.

Why don't you have a whole house surge protector installed? We had one installed in 2009 for $200.00. It protects everything in the house, TVs, computers, washer & dryer, dishwasher and everything else electric. It goes in the electrical panel and you never see it unless you are checking the light on it, red. it needs replacing and green, everything is OK.

I have one of those installed. But I also use really good surge suppressors also.