dryer outlet

[Anonymous]

Posted by: selfhelp (old forum transfer)
Posted - 04/29/2002 : 11:59:53


the wire to my dryer outlet had 4 wires. black,red,white and bare. the dryer outlet has 3 connections 2 on the outside and 1 in the middle. the black and red go on the outsides the white in the middle, but what do i do with the bare wire.

[Anonymous]

Posted by: Wgoodrich
Posted - 04/29/2002 : 17:24:37

Sounds like you are installing an older existing dryer in a newer built home.

Existing dryer circuits are allowed to remain a three wire SE cable [black, red, bare conductors in the cable] with a three prong dryer plug and a three wire pigtail connected to the dryer that is plugged into the receptacle in the wall.

When you are installing a new dryer branch circuit in an old home or you have a newer home that has been wired in the last 5 years you will find a Romex cable that is a 4 wire cable 10/3wGrnd with a black, red, white, and bare conductor in that cable. This cable is supposed to connect to a four prong dryer plug. A three prong dryer plug installed on a 4 wire cable would be an NEC violation. YOu must use a four prong 30 amp rated dryer receptacle to serve a four wire cable 10/3wGrnd. You are not allowed to install a 3 wire cable or a three prong dryer receptacle as a new branch circuit serving a dryer.

When you are moving an existing dryer with a three prong dryer cord connecting to a newer style 4 wire dryer branch circuit in the home then you must change the dryer cord [pigtail] to a four wire dryer pigtail [cord] with four prongs on the cord.

The newer style 4 wire dryer branch circuit must have a black, red, white, and bare wire in that branch circuit connecting to a receptacle mounted on the wall that is also a four prong receptacle with the two hots connected to the two outside screws of the receptacle and the white neutral connected to the center screw that is a part of the center spade of hte receptacle and then your bare wire must connect to the center screw usually green that connects to the round spade of the receptacle.

You must also change the dryer cord that existing was a three prong three wire pigtail changed to a new four wire four prong dryer cord with four wires in that dryer cord [pigtail]. In the dryer where these four wires are to be connected to the new four wire pigtail you must remove the jumper from the center neutral screw on the dryer connector block that jumps from that center screw to the metal frame of hte dryer. Then you must connect the two hot wires to the two outside screws of that dryer terminal block the you must connect the white wire of that 4 wire dryer pigtail to the center screw of that dryer terminal block then you must connect the green wire of that dryer pigtail to the green screw on the metal frame of your dryer.

The older existing circuits may be a three wire three prong receptacle with a three wire dryer pigtail with a bonding jumper from the center screw of that dryer terminal block to the metal frame of the dryer. The neutral on this existing setup is used as both the neutral and the equipment grounding conductor. Over the years we have experienced people getting shocked in this wiring style for electric dryers. This is why new branch circuits are required to have the four wire branch circuit and four prong receptacle and four wire dryer pigtail with a four prong plug and in the dryer the neutral and grounding conductors are no longer the same wire but now is a white wire to the center screw of that dryer terminal block and the green wire to hte green grounding screw on the metal frame of the dryer to ensure safety and limit chances of the neutral causing shocking experiences to the public.

Try looking at the following link to see what is being said above as an example.

http://www.homewiringandmore.com/switchoutlet/dryer/dryer.html

Let us know how you come out.

Hope this helps

Wg

[Anonymous]

Posted by: selfhelp
Posted - 05/08/2002 : 06:38:48

the hookup worked great thanks