dryer

11 years ago

My receptacle is 4 prong with red and black wires to hot and white going to the ground .there is no bare wire.the dryer plug is wired with red and black to hot,white to neutral and green to ground screw.is there a simple solution to make this work

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Comments (4)

Ron Natalie
11 years ago
There is an exception in to the code for existing installations that allows the grounded conductor (neutral, white wire) to be used for the equipment ground (green, bare) on the dryer. Most dryers have a provision to bond the frame to the neutral conductor where the cord attaches to the unit.
User
11 years ago
I think the question here has to do with the receptacle in the wall being the 4-wire type with a "fake" ground. In other words, the ground and neutral terminals on the back of the receptacle are both attached to the neutral wire.

While this will work, it is not a good idea. The proper method is to leave the receptacle as the 3-wire type and use a 3-wire attachment cord. Then you bond the frame of the dryer to the neutral inside the dryer. There is a green screw and bonding strap at the terminals that usually needs to be removed if you have a 4-wire system. Hopefully, it is still there, and just disconnected.
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weedmeister
11 years ago
The receptacle on the wall was 4-wire and should have been 3-wire.

I don't know if you could get an electrician to change this back for you since by code it needs to be upgraded to 4-wire if touched.
User
11 years ago
You do not need to upgrade to 4-wire if you touch it. By code, you need to change it back to a 3-wire receptacle.

250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.

Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only where an equipment grounding conductor is not present in the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be connected to the grounded circuit conductor if all the following conditions are met.

(1) The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system.

(2) The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum.

(3) The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE serviceentrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service equipment.

(4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment.