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**DustBow** · 03-16-2012, 06:32 PM

One 4-prong male and one 4-prong female end on the cord?

milldoggy · 03-16-2012, 06:33 PM

If you have a 3 prong plug, shut off the breaker and take the receptacle apart, you might find the 4th wire grounded to the box or hanging out.

When I got mine, the hot end was bare wire, you need to but a female plug end.

stamandster · 03-16-2012, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milldoggy

If you have a 3 prong plug, shut off the breaker and take the receptacle apart, you might find the 4th wire grounded to the box or hanging out.

When I got mine, the hot end was bare wire, you need to but a female plug end.

Or you can wire it directly into your project box/panel.

IrishBrewer74 · 03-17-2012, 01:22 AM

I'm in the same boat with a three prong dryer outlet and would be looking at same distance to run a new circuit. I've already taken the outlet apart and there was no separate ground. I will have to look at running a new circuit (which i'd of had to do for a spa panel anyway) or perhaps wiring it to a matching three prong plug and attaching the ground to the metal outlet housing, since that is grounded to the main panel.

stamandster · 03-17-2012, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishBrewer74

I'm in the same boat with a three prong dryer outlet and would be looking at same distance to run a new circuit. I've already taken the outlet apart and there was no separate ground. I will have to look at running a new circuit (which i'd of had to do for a spa panel anyway) or perhaps wiring it to a matching three prong plug and attaching the ground to the metal outlet housing, since that is grounded to the main panel.

IS there such thing as a three to four prong adapter? Something to simulate this picture?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/spa-panel-wiring-dummies-266751/#post3228528

P-J or someone else more knowledgeable may want to chime in about that though. I am not an electrician or play one on tv.

IrishBrewer74 · 03-17-2012, 03:33 AM

Based on my interpretation of the diagram it would be easier to just buy a three prong dryer cord, cut the 4 prong plug off of the in-line GFCI cord, and splice the neutral and ground on that cord to the neutral from the 3 prong cord.

I would of course do this in a junction box, not just wire nut together and tape the crap out of it. (my job takes me in a lot of basements and I've seen some pretty crazy home wiring)

Beerfly · 03-17-2012, 03:44 AM

With the one I received, the brown and black are the 2 hots, the blue is the common and the green is the ground. As far as I can figure from all the research I did was you don't hook up the common or use it. The common is only used for 120 volt circuits and I can tell you first hand, if it's grounded the GFI will trip. It took me a long time to grasp that a ground and a common are not the same even if they hook up to the same place in your supply panel. You have to think of the common as a return circuit, not a ground.

IrishBrewer74 · 03-17-2012, 04:01 AM

I'll take you word on it... I understand neutral and ground are not the same, it just looked like the two were tied to the same bus in the spa panel, but upon lookin harder it looks like they may be two separate ones at different heights. I'll just be happy if it's doable to run it safely from existing 3 prong dryer outlet.

IrishBrewer74 · 03-17-2012, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beerfly

With the one I received, the brown and black are the 2 hots, the blue is the common and the green is the ground. As far as I can figure from all the research I did was you don't hook up the common or use it. The common is only used for 120 volt circuits and I can tell you first hand, if it's grounded the GFI will trip. It took me a long time to grasp that a ground and a common are not the same even if they hook up to the same place in your supply panel. You have to think of the common as a return circuit, not a ground.

actually, won't I need the neutral then? Thee will be several items in the control panel running off of 110. Hopefully PJ can chime in.

Beerfly · 03-17-2012, 02:59 PM

If you want the GFI to work and have 240 and 120 I am quite sure you will need 4 wires from your supply panel. If it were me, I would wire my 240v with the GFI from your 3 prong outlet. For the 120 volt circuits I would run a separate circuit from a single breaker in your main panel or a near by outlet to plug in to. It would be cheaper than running a new 240v circuit and less hassle than running a single common wire in conduit.