[misspeabodi]

Hey everyone,

So today I changed out the cord on my dryer from a 4 prong to a 3 prong cord. I found 2 videos online that showed me what to do, but I found an article by an actual electrician who said to install a ground wire with this new 3 prong cord. I made a video to document my journey and from what I can tell, I was successful. However, I wanted to share my video and get feedback from someone who really knows electrical stuff before officially posting it to youtube, and to be sure I did do it correctly.

Please understand, this is not about self promotion--I make occasional videos which are more about relaying the information and helping others than making money (to date I have $0 income from my youtube videos).

I have posted the 'unpublished' link of my video below, meaning only people w/ the link can view it. I just wanted to see if someone had time to skim through the important parts to ensure you agree with what I did. Like I said, this isn't about getting a bunch of "hooray's", I just want to be sure I actually did this right (the dryer does turn on and work), and if I did it right, then I'd like to share this with the public to help other people out. Like I said, the other videos did not show or mention adding a ground wire to the 3 prong set up, so I place more weight on the article, but there was limited pictures, so, here I am.

Also, here is the article I referenced (by Dan Harmon): https://dengarden.com/appliances/how-to-change-a-4-prong-dryer-cord-and-plug-to-a-3-prong

My video link:

Thanks for your time, any feedback is appreciated, good or constructive.

 

[surferdude2]

The National Electrical Code does not allow bonding the neutral to the cabinet as you did. It would allow the cabinet to become live if the neutral connection ever fails. Since most dryers are sitting close to several available ground contact points, it would be creating a needless risk.

A safer method is to run a ground wire from the dryer cabinet to the washing machine cabinet. The NEC doesn't require this but it's a good idea nonetheless. The washing machine cabinet is grounded since it is plugged into a grounded receptacle.

SD2

 

[surferdude2]

It's great of you to do videos like this to help people that often have these kinds of problems. Dryers cords and receptacles have been a problem for many years and will continue to be for many more. No doubt your video will get plenty of hits! It's also good that you take the proper steps to be sure you're giving good and safe advice. Kudos to you!

SD2

 

[Fishbulb28]

While what you did isn't exactly wrong, it was wasted effort. The white pigtail you were confused about is there for the purpose of connecting the frame of the dryer to the cord's neutral conductor.

Generally the color of the pigtail indicates what the non-free end is connected to. White indicates it is connected to the neutral somewhere within the dryer. Moving the free terminal end from the center terminal to the screw on the chassis would have accomplished the same thing your new green jumper does. Sometimes the color code isn't used by a manufacturer and a white jumper may be connected to the chassis internally. Either check the owner's manual or use an ohm meter/continuity tester to be sure.

Using a hammer to crimp a ring terminal is guaranteed to crack it. It may not break apart immediately but the crack is a weak spot that may fail at a later time.

 

[Fishbulb28]

The National Electrical Code does not allow bonding the neutral to the cabinet as you did.

In existing installations it does.

250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.

Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only where an equipment grounding conductor is not present in the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be connected to the grounded circuit conductor if all the following conditions are met.
(1) The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system.
(2) The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum.
(3) The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE service-entrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service equipment.
(4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment.

It would allow the cabinet to become live if the neutral connection ever fails.

That part is true and is why new circuits are no longer permitted to use this configuration.

A safer method is to run a ground wire from the dryer cabinet to the washing machine cabinet.

The equipment grounding conductor on the washing machine circuit is very unlikely to be of sufficient size.

 

[surferdude2]

To be fair to the electrician that gave you the original advice for the video, he was correct as far as he went, he just didn't go far enough. You can do as he advised but only under closely defined conditions.

To remake the video, if you decide to do that, you would need much more detail to ensure that all situations were covered so as not to put anyone at risk.

The NEC allowed bonding the neutral to the ground prior to 1996 under certain condition when dryers, ranges and cooktops were involved. The 1996 code forbids the use of the ungrounded receptacle on new installations.

The NEC still allows those ungrounded receptacles if they are existing. Even then, if there is a ground wire in the receptacle box, you are not allowed to use the ungrounded receptacle, you must replace it with a grounding type.

Furthermore, on using an existing ungrounded receptacle, if you choose to bond the neutral to the ground inside the dryer, the neutral must derive from the service gear and not from a sub-panel. It must also be insulated for its full length unless it's part of an approved service cable and the braid is used for the neutral and is kept from contact with any ground until it lands on the neutral of the receptacle.

You can NEVER use a bare wire for the neutral. I mention that because you may see that if some uninformed person made the installation and figured since 10/2 w/ground was what he found in the old box, it must be good enough to comply with the code exception.

Bonding the dryer to the washer is a great idea under all circumstances. It is neither required by code nor does it conform to or meet the size of ground required for a dryer...BUT...It's like belt and suspenders... you can't be too safe.

SD2

 

[Jim Port]

The bare in SE cable is a neutral and it is allowed. SE cable was allowed to feed dryers. XX-2 NM with the bare ground was not allowed.

Out of curiosity why the effort to show how to revert to a less safe installation?

 

[Fishbulb28]

Bonding the dryer to the washer is a great idea under all circumstances.

Except when doing so would cause current to flow on the washer circuit's equipment grounding conductor. Such as would happen in this case...

 

[surferdude2]

Out of curiosity why the effort to show how to revert to a less safe installation?

I think the OP took on the task because there are still plenty of ungrounded dryer receptacles in service and dryer manufacturers still include some often hazy instructions as to how to deal with them. There are also plenty of unschooled buyers that get that dryer home and hook it up with a three conductor cord because it fits what was there already and had been used for years.

There are so many ifs and ands that apply to using those receptacles that many probably get installed with no grounding means connected to the cabinet at all. I suppose a few people getting electrocuted isn't as important as selling dryers to all comers, regardless of their ability to do what's required to use the product. In your dreams the typical homeowner/installer will read the full instructions and do it as safely as possible. yeah, right.

It'll take another 100 years to get most of the old receptacles out of existence... most of us will never see that day, although I'm going to try. :biggrin2:

SD2

 

[NCmountainCabin]

I had a similar, but different, situation recently - an existing 4-prong 240v OUTLET, but a recently purchased used 3-prong DRYER 240v plug - which I interchange with my son's Nissan Leaf's 4-prong CHARGING plug, when I need to dry clothes.

I found an easy-to-use adapter that provides an easy connection change between the 3-prong 240v dryer plug and the 4-prong 240v outlet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PB5GCTM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[rjniles]

I had a similar, but different, situation recently - an existing 4-prong 240v OUTLET, but a recently purchased used 3-prong DRYER 240v plug - which I interchange with my son's Nissan Leaf's 4-prong CHARGING plug, when I need to dry clothes.

I found an easy-to-use adapter that provides an easy connection change between the 3-prong 240v dryer plug and the 4-prong 240v outlet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PB5GCTM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You should have put a 4 wire cord on the dryer.

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[NCmountainCabin]

it's not a 4 wire dryer, that's the point of the adapter

 

[rjniles]

it's not a 4 wire dryer, that's the point of the adapter

Unless it is a 120 volt dryer, all dryers are arranged for 3 or 4 wire hook ups.

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[misspeabodi]

I think the OP took on the task because there are still plenty of ungrounded dryer receptacles in service and dryer manufacturers still include some often hazy instructions as to how to deal with them. There are also plenty of unschooled buyers that get that dryer home and hook it up with a three conductor cord because it fits what was there already and had been used for years.

There are so many ifs and ands that apply to using those receptacles that many probably get installed with no grounding means connected to the cabinet at all. I suppose a few people getting electrocuted isn't as important as selling dryers to all comers, regardless of their ability to do what's required to use the product. In your dreams the typical homeowner/installer will read the full instructions and do it as safely as possible. yeah, right.

It'll take another 100 years to get most of the old receptacles out of existence... most of us will never see that day, although I'm going to try. :biggrin2:

SD2

Yes, surferdude's response is pretty much why I did it. Like I said, I based this video/project off of this article and the author has now included my video in his article: https://dengarden.com/appliances/how-to-change-a-4-prong-dryer-cord-and-plug-to-a-3-prong

The few videos I saw online about doing this same process (4 prong to 3 prong cord) didn't mention grounding it. To me, a non electrician, grounding it seemed worthwhile and wasn't difficult to do. Also, I usually make videos when there are a lack of them on a project I want to do, but mainly on projects where existing videos lack detail.

Currently I'm in a rental house and I know they won't replace the outlet to a 4 prong one since that will require rewiring (they wouldn't even cover the cost to input a coax cable for internet). We bought this dryer and this is what I had to work with. Obviously there have been many opinions about this set up/video, which is appreciated--I respect everyone's opinion, especially the people who know the codes and work with them daily. This was also the reason I wanted to post it, to get a general consensus on the set up.

So for all intents and purposes, would you say this set up is safe to use??? In my non-expert assessment, it seems safer than not adding the ground wire. I still plan to post it to youtube since the author was ok w/ it, but I will include a link to this forum feed so people can further educate themselves on this topic and be able to read all of your input.

 

[rjniles]

A dryer can work with an existing 3 or 4 wire receptacle and be compliant. Use a dryer cord that matches the existing receptacle. With a 3 wire set up the frame of the dryer is grounded to the neutral.

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