Watts?

[ChuckL2]

The sticker on our clothes dryer shows 120/240 volts and 26 amps. Do I use 120 volts or 240 volts to convert to watts. Trying to understand whether my generator can run the dryer.

[TDKPE]

The sticker on our clothes dryer shows 120/240 volts and 26 amps.  Do I use 120 volts or 240 volts to convert to watts.  Trying to understand whether my generator can run the dryer.

240V.  The heating elements are the big load, and they run on 240V.  

The motor is probably 120V, but that's a small load compared to the heating elements.

[ChuckL2]

My generator clearly can’t handle that load. Thank you.

[EricU]

dryer is easily replaced with a clothesline, fortunately

[Robert Adams]

dryer is easily replaced with a clothesline, fortunately

               So you wash your clothes get them clean then hang them up outside to get covered in dirt, pollen and bird turds and then it's too humid for them to dry so you have to wash all over again. I don't get the purpose of a clothsline. 
       However I have been a couple places in the world where they would work. Say a desert or my favorite place and where I want to live in Greece. Dry air lots of sun cool temps no bugs no pollen and no blowing dirt.

[Willyou]

               So you wash your clothes get them clean then hang them up outside to get covered in dirt, pollen and bird turds and then it's too humid for them to dry so you have to wash all over again. I don't get the purpose of a clothsline. 
       However I have been a couple places in the world where they would work. Say a desert or my favorite place and where I want to live in Greece. Dry air lots of sun cool temps no bugs no pollen and no blowing dirt.

I sense some indignation in your answer but, Eric's answer is absolutely correct. What do you think people did before they had gas or electric driers. Your only other alternatives are to hang your clothes indoors or get a larger generator. If you were being facetious, then I apologize for my bluntness.

[EightFingers]

Nothing smells better than clothes dried in the sunshine.

[TDKPE]

Nothing smells better than clothes dried in the sunshine.

I actually agree with this.  My mother hung clothes out to dry when I was a kid.  Dirt driveway was a potential issue, so she timed it to be done by the time my dad came home from work.  But they do smell different.

[crokett™]

Nothing smells better than clothes dried in the sunshine.

We had a clothes dryer when I was growing up, my mom still used the clothesline more than not.  As an adult it took me a while to get used to clothes that weren't dried in a dryer.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Still hang clothes out all the time in back yard. Nothing better than the smell of fresh air dried clothes and not some drier lint.