New Dryer is 3 wire, receptacle is 4 Wire.

thelimit

Please Help,

My new Dryer is 3 Wire 240. Red, White, Black. 120/240 22a 60hz.

My receptacle is 4 wire 240 30a. Red, Black, Green, White.

I replaced the receptacle with a 3 wire using the 2 hots (red and black) and the non insulated (green). I capped of the white and plugged the dryer in.

It works fine but i occasionally get a shock from touching the dryer.

I am thinking since it says 120/240 i DO need that white neutral wire or some type of other ground to avoid this shock. (it has a digital display to select dry type and timer, im thinking this may need the 120 neutral wire?)

Any info is greatly appreciated.

-thanks eric

Gigs

The neutral wouldn't be tied to the chassis anyway (would create parallel current paths), so you have a different fault.

InPhase277

You need to put the 4-wire receptacle back in, and change the 3-prong cord to 4-prong. Find and disconnect the neutral to frame bond. Connect the green wire in the cord to the screw provided on the dryer.

This can kill you!

Jim Port

You may want to verify the proper ampacity of your new dryer. Most are 30 amps wire with number 10 wire. You said yours is 15 amp.

If your really is 15 amp your breaker needs to be changed.

thelimit

Actually the dryer reads 22a. I am about to connect a 4 wire cord and use the 4 wire receptacle instead

rgsgww

You need a 15 amp "double pole" breaker for this dryer.

thelimit

can you elaborate why i would need a 15 amp double pole rather than a 30 amp double pole that i already have?

being that the dryer read 22 amp 15 amp should not work?

InPhase277

The chassis is tied to the neutral in a 3-wire setup. This was how dryers were grounded since WWII.

rgsgww

Sorry for the confusion, when I posted, your post about it being 22 amps was not shown.

The breaker there is fine. All you need to do is replace the cord with a 4 prong and the outlet back to 4 prong.

tribe_fan

If he goes to the 4 wire - wont he need to remove the jumper on the dryer too ? ( assuming it was even on ? ) ( see InPhase 277 post)

3 wire = Jumper connected
4 wire = Jumper Removed.

thelimit

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP PROBLEM SOLVED

I switch to 4 wire and removed the neutral to ground jumper all is working well . amperage is 22 from dryer and my breaker is double pole 30a.

thanks again guys

chris75

All the info you asked for should have been in your owners manual...

Pudge565

No he would not have to change the breaker. The breaker protects the wireing NOT the device. As long as the wire is 10 AWG a 30 amp breaker is fine.

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Gigs

Why would it be this way in a dryer that was 120/240 and shocking him?!

Obviously this is a fault.

rgsgww

It depends on the manufacturers specifications.