electric dryer adapter

[Mark]

did you mean you have a 4 prong plug and a __3__ hole outlet?

Mark

[AlanBown]

No adapter available that I am aware of. You could always replace the 4 pronged cord for a 3. Is running a new circuit for the dryer out of the question? Newer codes require the 4 wires for all appliances that have 120v controls or outlets. Olden days we just ran 3 wires and tied the neutral and ground together. Which became a code violation but every one did it. I just bought a new cord for the dryer and changed it back to the olden days of doing things. My dryer happens to be on the opposite side of the house from the service. To bad I do not have a gas dryer, the gas is less than 2 feet away.

Your home your choice.

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

No adaptors....as others have mentioned. Usually means new cord time, this may help...

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Mark]

this will be a good question for the code experts...

In my opinon, the 3 prong solution (while it met code in the old days) is very dangerous and I would not go backwards to it. It is dangerous becasue if a fault should develop in the wiring such that you had an OPEN circuit for the neutral/ground, you could get

120Volts on the metal cabinet of the dryer which is obviously very dangerous. This is one of those crazy cases where something meets code but is still very dangerous.

My suggestion would be to change your house outlet to a 4 prong outlet and find out the code approved method of getting a saftey ground connection for the 4th prong. Maybe you can wire it to a nearby 120 Volt outlet that has a saftey ground. Here is where the code guys can help by telling us the code accepted way of doing this.

If code says that you have to leave the 4th saftey ground pin not connected and add a label to the outlet warning that it is not grounded, then I would do it that way to be legal. But I would connect another wire from the dreyer cabinet to the saftey ground on a nearby

120 Volt outlet to make it safe.

Bottom line is you want the dreyer cabinet to be connected to saftey ground only, not to neutral.

Maybe there is a 240 Volt GFI? Anybody know?

Mark

[longshot]

I went to plug in my electric dryer & I have a 4 prong plug & a 4 hole outlet, the outlet doesn't have a ground hole, can I just buy an adapter? do they make such a thing, or will I need to re wire the outlet? snapping off the ground plug came to mind also, but I refrained. :o)

Thx Rob

[longshot]

yes, this is what meant, nice work with the mind reading thing. :o)

[HorneTD]

Please be aware that with a three wire drier set up any failure in the neutral conductor will energize the frame of the dryer at 120 volts. That is why the code was changed to require new installations to be run with a completely separate Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC). The code still permits existing three wire circuits to be used. Just follow the directions that came with your dryer for converting it to a three wire appliance.

-- Tom H

[American Family Insurance Suck]

People that snip off the ground terminals on anything often die in firey deaths or fact the electric chair right in their own homes. Is your life insurance paid in full yet? Have you purchased your cemetery plot or coffin yet? Do you have a will?

Do all of these things BEFORE you snip off that ground.

[Mark]

longshot is a troll,

but the 3 prong 120/240 volt dryer connection really is dangerous.

If you get an open circuit from a loose connection on the neutral /return the dreyer cabinet will have 120 Volts on it. Now this doesn't happen often and 120 volts doesn't always kill you so fortunatley there probably haven't been many deaths, but it is still an accident waiting to happen. This is one code change I am glad to see

The fact that a 3 prong 120/240 volt outlet was EVER legal by code tells me what a farse the code system can be.

My older home has a 3 prong outlet (legal per the older code) and I have added a saftey ground wire to my dreyer.

Mark

[longshot]

please tell me when the 4 prong plug became a necessity.. 4 years ago? 10 years ago? I have seen plenty of newer dryers with the 3 prong plug... none of which have owners that died a fiery death. often these safety code changes are brought on by an electrical outlet manufacturer to increase their sales. buy a senator or 2 & sit back collecting the checks. get real.

[Mark]

Longshot,

My apologies, I was wrong, I misattributed.

It is American Family Insurance who I meant was the troll.

My bad longshot.

Mark

[longshot]