My Dryer is trying to kill me

chrismor34

Not really, but it did give me a good shock. I moved the 220 receptacle from the first floor to the basement, and I got it wired up and the dryer was working. Then my washing machine flooded the floor (my fault), and when I was cleaning up the mess, I touched the top of the washer and got shocked. The problem went away when the water was all gone. Any ideas what's going on. Keep in mind that I may well have wired the 220 receptacle wrong.
Any help appreciated.

KUIPORNG

Sounds like your water get into the receptacles area or inside the machine itself and short the hot with the ground.... the other problem whether you wire your dryer properly is really a separate issue...
I need to do the same which I have not done yet... I suppose if the dryer can run and no breaker jump in normal circumstances, this should mean a proper wiring... I would like to see what the expect has to say on this one: "What is the rule to figure out if a dryer is wired properly?"

chrismor34

I don't think it is water getting into the receptacle area as it is located about 1 ft off the ground, but I suppose it could have gotten in the machine,...although I don't know how that would have happened.

jeff1

Hi,

Dryer or washer?

How much water? Small puddle, a couple of inches of water, ontop of the machine or just on the floor?

Make, model#?

jeff.

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chrismor34

The dryer is the machine that shocked me. There wasn't too much water on the ground. Since there is a drain on the floor of the laundry room I would say that there was about 1/4 inch at the deepest. It is a Kenmore, but the make and model number escape me. I will have to give you those when I get home from work.
Thanks

tribe_fan

Please disconnect the dryer until you find out if it is connected properly. You should never get a shock from touching any appliance.

(Unless the puddle you were standing in was "electrified" at the time - your problem still exists.)

Please describe your connections - (3 or 4 wire setup).

chrismor34

I am no longer getting shocked by the appliance, and I have done nothing to the wiring setup. It is a 3 wire setup, 1 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground on a three prong dryer receptacle. I am guessing that the water was somehow electrified, but how, I have no idea.

troubleseeker

I'm guessing that if you don't get this fixed, we won't be hearing from you much longer . Sounds like the motor may be shorting out and electrifying the frame/case of the machine. Unplug and call a service man pronto.

jeff1

A 220-240 volt AC receptical should be 2 hot lines with a neutral and ground strap. Newer 4 prone outlet has the neutral and ground seperated.

1/4" shouldn't be deep enough to access any of the electrical parts in the dryer or washer.

Might want to meter test between the dryer and washer cabinet and cold water pipe, any reading and unplug the appliance until the problem is corrected!

jeff.

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chrismor34

I mispoke, this is the correct setup. Upon checking the wiring, I think I have it wired properly. But maybe I should back up, and ask "what is the correct manner to wire this setup?" ie. to which lug does each wire, (2 hot, 1 ground) go to?

tribe_fan

You may have connected the receptacle up correctly, but the appliance might be not strapped for 3 wire vrs. 4 wire, and/or there could be a problem in the appliance which is putting a voltage on the frame of the dryer.

You got shocked because you were standing in water - but tomorrow you could walk in there with bare feet and get electrocuted.

Please don't use your body as meter ! Do you have one ?

jeff1

Meter testing the outlet:

4 wire


3 wire


Dryer:

3 wire - Notice that there is a ground strap connected from the common center terminal to the frame of the terminal block


4 wire - Notice that the ground strap has been removed from the terminal block frame and folded back onto the center terminal for storage.


jeff.

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chrismor34

Thanks for the diagram, that will come in handy.
I don't think this is the case. The dryer is several years old, and has the original cord, which is a 3 wire. Is there any way that wiring the receptacle wrong could cause the dryer frame to become live?

jeff1

Only way I would think is mixing up a couple of the wires....or possibly a wire touching another wire that it shouldn't be touching. Meter tested the receptical yet? Meter tested the dryer to ground/cold water pipe yet?

jeff.

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megawatt

holy mackeral----- unplug the dammed thing man!!!!!! NOW!!!!!! you got it wired wrong and your gonna kill someone here! UNPLUG IT NOW!
Call an electrician. If you cannot understand the pictures that were posted you need to stop right where your at and call an electrician.