A newer dryer run on a 3-prong system is an electrical hazard at best, even if nothing goes wrong, and a disaster if there is a short or loose wire. Never fall for the big box store “handyman fix” and simply replace the plug attached to your dryer! This is against National Electrical Code standards and while it may be a quick and easy fix, its a risky move. The solution is to hire a local licensed electrician to install a new dedicated circuit and 4-prong outlet for your dryer so you can safely plug it in. Unfortunately, many homes still have obsolete (and dangerous) 3-prong dryer outlets. The 120-volt service is for the dryer's timers, sensors, and other electronics (and if your dryer has a light inside, this too is 120 volts), while the 240-volt service supplies power to the heating elements and the drum motor. So, if there is ever a problem inside the dryer, the electricity gets diverted away from the dryer frame into the ground, which generally causes the breaker to trip in the meantime and prevents any additional electricity from flowing into the dryer. A 4-prong dryer outlet is wired as a 120/240-volt circuit. This wire provides a solid path from the metal frame of the dryer back to the panel and then outside to disperse safely into the earth. This problem was solved with the addition of the fourth wire (a ground). Potential current could not flow back to the panel through the bare wire and instead would flow through unsuspecting home owners. This created problems because when the bare wire became loose or there was damage to the neutral line coming into the home, the dryer could become one large metal electrocuting device. ![]() The bare wire was used as a ground and a neutral conductor. You went to plug in your new dryer and, oddly, the plug did not fit! Your brand new appliance was suddenly nothing more than a useless (although fancy) ornament and you were looking at spending even more money to make it work.īefore 1996 dryers were wired with three conductors (two “hot” wires and one bare wire). Your savings account was a bit lighter, but your laundry room had gotten an instant face lift and you would soon have dry clothes again. Soon you had a shiny new dryer in your home, ready to go. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published.Did it happen to you? Your old dryer died and you decided it was time to upgrade. We are happy to help find the solution to work best with your existing hookups and teach you how to install them properly and safely. If you have any questions about how to convert or properly hook your dryer up to your current outlet contact our sales engineers for solutions. We have a variety of dryer adapter types to find solutions allowing you to convert a 3-prong to a 4-prong or vice versa. This provides a safe path for any current traveling to the machine to be re-routed and avoiding danger. The 4-prong cords contain two hot wires, a neutral, and a ground wire. For example, your hot wire could cause your dryer to become live, causing electrocution or shock to anyone who touches it. There are many things that can go wrong with a dryer that has been incorrectly ground. Make sure you are correctly connected before you plug your dryer in. ![]() When converting with a 4-prong adapter it is important to make sure the neutral terminal is not connected to the ground case. When using an old 3-prong cord, the neutral wire had to be tied to the ground connection on the case of your dryer, which is metal. This is because you may have an old dryer and a new construction home or a new dryer and an old home.ĪC WORKS™ brand residential collection contains a few options for you to adapt to the current outlet you have in your home, meaning you won’t have to hire an electrician to re-wire your outlets. There are some cases where you cannot plug your dryer into your receptacle. ![]() This means the cords now have 4-prong plugs. Changes in the National Electrical Code now require dryers to be wired with a ground wire. The old style of 3-prong dryer cords did not include a ground wire. Did you know some dryer plugs are 3-prong and others are 4-prong? Have you wondered why this is or have you had trouble connecting your dryer to your home electrical dryer outlet because they don’t match?
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