Dryer plug doesn't match, but both are 3 prong?
Michelle G
5 years ago
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Michelle G
5 years agodadoes
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Dryer: change 4 prong to 3 prong plug, not working
Comments (7)rpsinfoman has you on the right track. I think it would be helpful if I add: Inside the washer, the "neutral" terminal will have white or blue wires going to it. The hot leads will usually be a red and a black wire. However, some manufacturers will just use all red or all black for the "hot" and white for "neutral." (I personally have wired devices both ways depending on the circuit.) The worse thing that can happen is you will trip a circuit breaker, so make sure the power is OFF before plugging in the washer. If you've made a mistake, the breaker will instantly "trip." If it does, just go back and try again....See More50 Amp Wall Plug, 30 Amp Dryer
Comments (5)If it is a 30 amp breaker it would appear they simply installed the wrong receptacle and you just need to replace it with the correct one for your 3 wire pigtail. Just make sure it is on a 30 amp breaker. My concern is if this was installed by an electrician or a home owner and did they use correctly sized wiring. It must have at least awg 10 sized wiring. If it was actually wired for 50 amp it would have had awg 6 wiring likely which would be fine and just gives added protection from overheated wiring. Replacing the receptacle is relatively simple but make SURE the circuit breaker is switched off and test to make sure all power is gone on all legs. The best answer would be to call an electrician and have it rewired for 4 wire operation for the added safety of the separate ground and neutral circuits and future safety of the home laundry. That may not be practicle for your personal needs. You will have to decide that one....See Morechanging 2 prong to grounded 3 prong....
Comments (22)I stand by my statement. You might read the current information etc. You are correct they are bonded together at only one place in an instillation; some locations now require that they are not. You are also required to have separate bars for the neutral and safety ground, if they are the same why? Why do they only want a single point ground? The earth is the ground and the reference point and hence the term ground. Why do you think the 25 ohm or less ground rod resistance to earth requirement exists? I know of farmers that ran a single wire to an outbuilding and drove a ground rod for the other to save money and the lights worked just fine. Your assumption of a ground fault does not compute. You describe a phase to neutral fault not a ground fault. Remove the bonding screw and connect a breaker to the safety ground then you have a ground fault and if the system is correct the breaker will trip. To make it easy just connect a test light between them, if it does not light you have a problem. Whenever a current flows through a conductor there is a voltage drop, ohms law defines this. You do not want that drop in the ground circuit. The difference can do interesting things if you get between them. Do you want to sit on the ground and when you turn on the power tool gives you a zap? The neutral carries only the difference current between the phases, the ground caries none. I assume you have four wires in your box, two phases (black and/or red), one neutral (white or bare) and one ground (green or bare separate from the neutral). All branch panels are connected with four wires, 220 assumed, one neutral, two phases and one ground. The normal transformer that feeds a house has a center taped winding with the center tap connected to the ground and called the neutral. If the neutral fails the safety ground will carry the current and protect your system that is why they upped the wire size requirement for the ground many years ago. Then you could get 12X2 with a smaller gauge ground #16 I think). The Edison transformer is also grounded via a ground rod on both the primary and secondary sides. I know this first hand, I have a neighbor with an open neutral and his ground current is coming in my city water pipe as well as the neighbors. I see 10 Â 30 amps on the water and gas pipes, even with my Edison power disconnected. Edison says this is normal and cannot do anything about it. They also told me it is very common in older subs and was caused by open neutrals.. The equation is resolved with the addition of a CFGI breaker, if the neutral opens it will trip if there is any connection to the earth. AFCIs take care of the arcing fault problems. CH makes a combo that costs about the same as the AFCI. I have a transfer panel out side and that is where they are bonded together as code requires. Four conductors connect each panel and sub panel. There is no bonding screw in any of the panels inside. The inspector did check this. You are correct in the normal flow of current. GFCI breakers measure the current in both wires, if they are more then about five mA different it trips. Where do you suppose the current is flowing?...See Morefast help ~ changing 3 prong dryer pigtail to 4 prong
Comments (13)My son called his landlord to get a recommendation for an electrician. The landlord came up to take a look at the dryer cord. She discovered that Home Depot sold my son's housemate a RANGE cord, instead of Dryer cord. Neither bothered to look at the package. LOL Guess that's why my son needs to go to college. Anyway, my son will attempt to try a new pigtail, but will still have the problem of the grounding wire. Once again, will it be safe to ground the wire to another screw that doesn't seem to have any real function?...See MoreMichelle G
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agoluna123456
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoluna123456
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoMichelle G
5 years agoMichelle G
5 years agoMichelle G
5 years agoAnne
5 years agowdccruise
5 years agoweedmeister
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agoluna123456
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agodadoes
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agodadoes
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agomtvhike
5 years agoRon Natalie
5 years agopatriciae_gw
5 years agoMichelle G
5 years ago
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