Dryer outlet problem

[Nate Nagel]

got a light bulb socket, some pieces of wire, and a 240V light bulb?

nate

[MiamiCuse]

OK I just did a complete trial and error on my entire house circuit, and base on process of elimination, I have determined that my dryer circuit is a double breaker, each labeled "30" taking up slots 7 and 9. The range is also a double breaker labeled "50", and the central AC unit takes up 4 slots labeled "60". There is a window unit in the garage also taking up two slots labeled "30", water heater two slots "30", all the rest are 20 and 15 circuits.

So if it's using two 30A breakers, it's 30A right?

I then used my multimeter to test a normal 120V outlet, put the two pins in and it says 124.

Knowing my range works, I pulled out my range, put the two pins into the slot and reading is zero. But as RBM says it may be not long enough to engage so I plugged the range back in but did not push the plug all the way in, and still left a little of the prone exposed, the range is on. I touched the multimeter pins on two of the three legs exposed metal, and reading is 0.

Both plugs are molded so I don't think I can change the plugs between old and new dryers.

Is there something I can buy at say a HD that can test to make sure the outlet works? I know they sell those 120V test plugs that lights up are there ones for 240V?

[MiamiCuse]

OK I just repeated the test on the dryer. I plugged the dryer plug in 3/4 way and left the metal blade about 1/4" exposed. I turned the multimeter on and set to test AC voltage.

Let's label the bottom legs "L" and "R" for left and right legs, the the top center one "T".

If I touch L and T, reading is 123, if I touch T and R, reading is 123, if I touch L and R, reading is 245.

So it means the outlet and circuit is working, right?

[MiamiCuse]

It's 30A, at least the circuit breaker is a double breaker both labeled "30". So it looks like the new dryer has the right amp, just that the outlet socket is not matching?

[aemeijers]

Wrong ocean, and the locals will laugh at you. If you are in Carib, you need island shirts. Different colors, sometimes just plain white.

-- aem sends...

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes

[Ed Pawlowski]

One end is molded. The other end is usually connected in a wiring box and is easily removed.

[Doug Miller]

That isn't "probably" a Code violation. That's *definitely* a Code violation.

[RBM]

[Nate Nagel]

yup, that's what you should see.

nate

[mm]

Yeah, save the old receptacle in case your next dryer after this one requires that, or in case you sell your house and your next house requires it, or so you can leave it behind for the next owner, in case the dryer he brings with him requires the old receptacle.

[mm]

By taking the probes of a meter and holding only the plastic parts and sticking them into every combination of two of the holes in the outlet.

Outlets have voltage, not current unless something is plugged into them and turned on.

Put your meter on the AC voltage setting, and if your meter doesn't have autoranging, and most don't, put it on a setting that goes to 240 volts or higher.

You own, iirc a pretty expensive house and you do repairs all the time. It's time for you to by a volt-ohmmeter. (OH, below I see that you do.) Often called multimeter. You can get by with a 15 or 20 dollar digital meter from Radio Shack with auto polarity, or from Harbor Frieght for 4 or 5 dollars. Home Depot has something for 15 dollrs too. Come to think, the Harbor Freight meter only goes up to

200 AC. You won't burn it out with 240 I think, but you won't get a good reading either.

For this you can use a neon test light, with two leads attached. If it lights up, it's over 50 volts AC and a dryer receptacle will either be good or zero, not likely anything in between. Stray voltages as have been discussd here are not enough to light a neon light.

Are all your breakers ON. If it's 240 and it is, it will have 2 breakers harnessed together. Or it will be twice as wide as most of the other breakers, same thign.

What scale is your meter on. Has to be over the voltage of the receptacle. Though if you had a needle meter, yuu could watch the needle fly over all the way to the right. It probably woudn't break the meter if it was set on 200 and was actually 220.

Does this possibly broken dryer have a mechanical timer? Does it move? Can you put your ear to the thing and hear the clock running.

If digital, it's probalby rather new and rather expensive. Is there a circuit drawn on the back or inside and does it list a fuse.

Use a neon test light, from radio shack and almost certainly in the electric tool part of Home Depot. Harbor Freight has a set of three of them or something, all diffferent, that I bought but haven't used yet. One has a sharp point for piercing wire insulation.

If the one that's there now is broken and unreparable, rather than just take the plug you could take the whole cord. Probably easy to interchange cords.

[Nate Nagel]

meh? you can get any cord you want at your local Big Box, just pull the plate off the back of the dryer and swap away. way easier than changing the receptacle, only reason I would change the recep is to "make it right" which would involve running a ground wire and using a current 30A

4-wire recep

nate

[Rudy]

Yes, how about just taking the plate off/out of the box and doing the testing -direct- on the wiring in the wall.. Theres the possibility that one of the screw/terminals is loose or incorrectly hooked up in there.

[mm]

Given the airfare, I think he should provide all the food. We've already spend more time on his house than I have on mine.

[zxcvbob]

That range plug sounds like a NEMA 6-50 (for welders.)

Bob