Need some help with a clothes dryer guys!
 

One of my friends just got a new dryer. Her old one was a three prong, and she has a three prong outlet on her wall. The new dryer is a four prong. We took the three prong chord off of the old dryer and we were going to subsitute it onto the four plug dryer.

Make sense?

Thing is that I hate working with electricty. ***** scares me. The three prong chord will fit onto the new dryer, but there seems to be no chord. Do I need to go to Home Depot and buy some special three pronged wall side and a four pronged dryer side to hook it all up safely?

Here are some pics:
This is on the new(four) pronged dryer
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1220068117.jpg

From the web:

But - this is because recent Code changes require that most (if not all) new dryers and stoves/ranges now have the 4 wire hook-up in NEW construction or recently built homes....so more and more manufacturers are making sure the dryers (and stoves) meet these new requirements. Unfortunately - most homes over a decade or two old do not have the 4 wire runs...

Where your home is almost 10 years old....it was built just BEFORE the Code changes went into effect....and more then likely only has the then minimum required 3 wire hook-up for the dryer.

IF you find that you have only a 3 wire feed for this dryer (and the reason for the 3 prong receptacle)...then you can not properly install a 4 prong dryer cord to it. You now have 2 choices....either rewire (assuming that it is a 3 wire supply) the entire run from the dryer breaker to the outlet location with 4 wire (typically a run of 8/3 with ground having a black, red, white and bare ground)and install a 4 prong dryer receptacle to match the configuration of the new dryers cord.....OR - you can remove the 4 wire cord and replace it with a 3 wire cord....re-using the ground strap - IF it is still in place.

NOTE: For more detail on the 3 wire hookup/4 wire hookup at the dryer end, see the images at the links at:
http://www.applianceaid.com/general.html#3to4

The choice is up to you....even a decade ago it was well known that the dryer and stove receptacles would soon all need to be 4 wire (having a seperate ground and neutral connection)...and we've been installing the 4 wire runs in all new homes for at least that long - apparently the electrician who wired your home wasn't aware of this pending fact....or hadn't read his/her updates. Where this is a fairly new home....I'd go with the wiring change out and install the proper 4 prong receptacle - and then you'd already be up to current Codes. Of course - where there is a grand-father rule in effect...you can always convert the dryer back to 3 wire....but down the road you won't be in Code compliance. (Some stores already no longer carry the 3 prong dryer and stove cords and receptacles...)

Th choice is up to you....but in either case....you are not "stuck" with this new dryer.....there IS a solution.

Hope this helps...please follow-up if you need more details.

Best Wishes,

Bob Osgood
Master Electrician

RKO ELECTRIC

www.rkoelectric.com

That's 240v my friend, I hope youre not trying to hook it up to 120v outlet. You have 2 "hots" (Black, RED) a neutral (White) and a ground (Green). The black and red both need a separate 120v feed. EDIT: As Danny posted, if your outlet is a 240v you need to run a 4 wire feed. Not hard, but working with electrical can be interesting. You usually know right away when you've f'ed up.

Here is a picture of the original three prong chord. See the lack of the ground strap. Is that going to be a problem?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1220068602.jpg

Most electric dryers are 120/240. The 240 powers the heating element while the 120 powers the control panel & interior light.

Click on the link in the article above.

Thanks Danny for the link. Reading it right now. So if the wall is 120 and the dryer is 240 I am safe?

The wall isn't 120. It is either 240 or 120/240.

P.S. - If you don't know exactly what you're doing, please call an electrician. Getting zapped by 120 may/may not be a big deal. Getting zapped (while holding a pile of wet clothes standing on a damp laundry room floor) by 240 will most likely kill you.

No worries Danny. It's all dead right now. I think I may just invite my dad over and bribe him with a six pack.

How about some pics of the chick that owns the dryer?

The only real difference is the addition of the ground wire. It's not really complicated (especially after you see a diagram). Problem with the 3-wire set-up, if the neutral ever gets loose/fails, you can get zapped. The 4th wire (ground) is sort of a safety back-up. How far is the dryer from the elec. panel? Re-wiring a new home-run is the best bet.

...standing in front of the dryer in her underwear waiting for the clothes to dry... :)

Here is a picture of her chest for ya guys! Maybe I might be able to sneak a photo when she isnt looking.
























http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1220070268.jpg

Or standing there nekkid waiting for her underwear to dry?


Exchange it for a gas dryer. Many homes have both options. Gas is cheaper and more efficient.

How did you ground the cabinet so it is not floating? The top picture shows a strip of metal that looks like it should be a jumper.

I have never done this so I am curious but this seems to be a critical safety measure.