Did you know some dryer plugs are 3-prong and others are 4-prong? Have you wondered why this is or have you had trouble connecting your dryer to your home electrical dryer outlet because they don’t match?
The old style of 3-prong dryer cords did not include a ground wire. Changes in the National Electrical Code now require dryers to be wired with a ground wire. This means the cords now have 4-prong plugs. There are some cases where you cannot plug your dryer into your receptacle. This is because you may have an old dryer and a new construction home or a new dryer and an old home.
AC WORKS® brand residential collection contains a few options for you to adapt to the current outlet you have in your home, meaning you won’t have to hire an electrician to re-wire your outlets.
When using an old 3-prong cord, the neutral wire had to be tied to the ground connection on the case of your dryer, which is metal. When converting with a 4-prong adapter it is important to make sure the neutral terminal is not connected to the ground case.
Make sure you are correctly connected before you plug your dryer in. There are many things that can go wrong with a dryer that has been incorrectly ground. For example, your hot wire could cause your dryer to become live, causing electrocution or shock to anyone who touches it.
The 4-prong cords contain two hot wires, a neutral, and a ground wire. This provides a safe path for any current traveling to the machine to be re-routed and avoid danger.
We have a variety of dryer adapter types to find solutions allowing you to convert a 3-prong to a 4-prong or vice versa.
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If you have any questions about how to convert or properly hook your dryer up to your current outlet contact our sales engineers for solutions. info@acconnectors.com We are happy to help find the solution to work best with your existing hookups and teach you how to install them properly and safely.
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34 comments
Hello James. You can follow the different ways to ground your connection outlined in this video: https://youtu.be/gpvFU8QJcus
I’m about to purchase a 4 prong to 3 prong outlet adapter for my dryer. Where do I put the ground wire?
Hello Donald. It sounds like you might not be getting enough voltage or amperage to your dryer to get it hot enough. The cause of that might be a wiring issue. Use a multimeter to test the outlet and see what you get. Voltage should be between 220 to 250, whereas the amperage should be up to 30.
Changed a 3 prong plug to a 4 prong plug on a 15 year old electric dryer to match the 4 prong plug in a newer house. However, dryer does not appear to generate as much heat as before the move. Dryer was moved was over 600 miles. Any recommendations of what to look for or an on-line troubleshooting guide?
Hello Timothy. For this situation, it is best to have the ground run all the way back up to the panel. Please consult with a local electrician on this.