No power to dryer, is it the circuit breaker?
hi, guys... the dryer won't turn on, but the circuit breaker isn't tripped, so I checked for power to the dryer with my voltmeter and nothing... then I took the face off my panel box and used the voltmeter across the dual 30 amp Westinghouse circuit breaker, which has 4 lugs rather than just two. Wires to the lugs are (from top to bottom) red (hot), black (ground? a fat aluminum wire), black (ground? same), and grey/black (hot). I say "hot" because when I meter between this lug and the neutral bar, I get 120v. When I meter between the black "ground" I get no reading. Lastly, when I meter between the red and black or grey and black, I get 70v. If I turn the breaker(s) off, I get no reading red, black, or grey metered to neutral, or red or grey to the black lugs.
I went to the house next door, which is exactly the same, and checked the circuit breaker. I think it registered zero when the power was on and I metered between the red or grey and the black lug. I think. Then I did the dumbest thing ever. I didn't check to see if the dryer in that house worked. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
I turned power off in both units and swapped the circuit breakers. Neither one works. I re-swapped them back, neither one works now. I feel terrible, and need your comments about why things aren't working at all.
I think it unlikely that both dryers would have gone out at exactly the same time on their own. So maybe by swapping the circuit breakers (which are the same make and model) I destroyed the second one... but they never "tripped" or sparked or anything. All the wiring is upstairs (2nd and 3rd floor) so it isn't likely that it got wet and it doesn't look damaged. The distance between the panel box and the dryer outlet is about 30 feet, most of it hidden behind walls or in the ceiling.
What do I do? go down and buy 2 new 30amp dual circuit breakers and install them? I guess I could check to see if the lines are intact by running a wire between the two ends and checking with an ammeter. I thought that the voltage between the red and black wire should be 240 rather than just 70volts. Is there any way to check a circuit breaker? I appreciate your guidance... sorry about being so long winded... Ed in North Carolina
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