Clothes Dryer

**AnOldUR** · 02-23-2010, 08:37 PM

I just sent this question to CodeRage, but noticed that he hasn't been on HBT for a couple of days. Anyone else with a good electric background here?

My son just called. He's wiring a new dryer into an old house that he just moved into. The house now has an existing three-wire receptacle for the dryer, but his dryer has a four-prong plug. He purchased a four hole receptacle. How dangerous is it to run a jumper between the neutral and the ground at the receptacle? There is nothing else on the circuit.

He’s Navy and will only be at this house for a while, so he’d like to avoid running new wire if it’s not necessary.

Thanks for your help.
Herm

wildwest450 · 02-23-2010, 09:04 PM

Take this with a grain of salt, I know NOTHING about electricity. But, my dad is a licensed electrician. He says it's preferable to run a new wire, but you can do what you proposed. As long as it's NOT in a mobile home. In a house the ground and neutral are the same thing. I guess in a trailer it's a different setup.

Please don't sue me.

**Hammy71** · 02-23-2010, 09:23 PM

Or.....swap out the 4 wire plug for a three wire one. Most Home Improvement stores should sell the 3 wire cords. Very simple to put on. That way, he can keep the old one and he'll be covered for his next house either way.

**AnOldUR** · 02-23-2010, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammy71

Or.....swap out the 4 wire plug for a three wire one. Most Home Improvement stores should sell the 3 wire cords. Very simple to put on. That way, he can keep the old one and he'll be covered for his next house either way.

That does make sense, but when he called he had already purchased the receptacle and asked how to wire it. My concern is if the neutral wire was used for anything 120V in the dryer, it would be bad to use the ground as a neutral.

**kjung** · 02-23-2010, 10:09 PM

Ok, first...even in a residential set-up, the ground and the neutral are NOT "the same thing", although in ANY panel, the neutral IS grounded. The correct, safest way to do this is to run the proper wiring.

**Bernie Brewer** · 02-23-2010, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammy71

Or.....swap out the 4 wire plug for a three wire one. Most Home Improvement stores should sell the 3 wire cords. Very simple to put on. That way, he can keep the old one and he'll be covered for his next house either way.

Winner. Take the receptacle back and get the dryer cord. Perfectly legal to do it that way. Don't jerry-rig a receptacle with incorrect wiring.

malkore · 02-23-2010, 10:58 PM

as someone who used to install home appliances, just get the right pigtail for the dryer, or hire an electrician to put in the 4-prong receptical.

**jmendez29** · 02-24-2010, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malkore

as someone who used to install home appliances, just get the right pigtail for the dryer, or hire an electrician to put in the 4-prong receptical.

I never did it for a living, but this is the correct answer. As mentioned before, the ground and neutral are not the same, they both serve different functions, but ultimately go to the same place. If this isn't his house, I wouldn't recommend replacing the wiring, the owner could get kinda pissy about it, either now or later. But getting the right pigtail is the correct answer. It's not that hard to do and I've done it several times. But I will also recommend taking a cell phone picture of the receptacle as I've learned the hard way that there are more than one style of three prong plugs. I'm not an electrician by trade, but I know enough to wire my bathroom and my kitchen. I know it doesn't qualify me for anything, but everything I learned was from a master electrician that I work with.

**lschiavo** · 02-24-2010, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjung

Ok, first...even in a residential set-up, the ground and the neutral are NOT "the same thing", although in ANY panel, the neutral IS grounded. The correct, safest way to do this is to run the proper wiring.

The neutral is only grounded in the main panel. In subpanels it is not.

Running a 4-wire circuit is the legal solution. If this is not possible I would change the cord. Changing the receptacle and miswiring it will leave a receptacle that looks like proper wiring to the next user. The effect will be the same either way however.

A dryer draws a minimal amount of current on the neutral. Usually just for timer motors and controls. That is why in the past it was viewed as insignificant and was allowed in appliances.

I think the 4-wire cord is just a picky code issue and cannot think of a situation where it really makes anything safer.

**andysim** · 02-24-2010, 01:45 AM

220, 221, whatever it takes - Michael Keaton (Mr. Mom)