Neat Changing A 3 Prong To 4 Prong Dryer

Fortunately it is a very easy project.

Changing a 3 prong to 4 prong dryer. An alternative would be to ground the outlet separately to a metal stake driven into the ground or possibly to a suitable metal water pipe. In this instance the solution is to replace the old 3 prong cord with a 4 prong cord to match the new outlet. Hope this video made sense.

This is an allowable remedy under the electrical code which grandfathers in older installations. It is only new installations where the four slot dryer receptacles are required. The switch to a 4 prong outlet was due to a flaw in the 3 prong outlet design.

Since the code change new dryer outlets must be wired with separate neutral and ground wires. Existing three slot receptacles are allowed to remain. This is a very simple process to change from the older late 90 s early 2000 s 3 prong dryer electrical cord to the modern 4 prong.

You can simply replace the cord on your new dryer with one that s compatible. The 4 prong dryer cord is comprised of two hot wires a neutral wire and a ground wire. These outlets have four slots and will accept only 4 prong electrical cords.

In a 3 prong outlet the ground and neutral wires are contained in the same prong. Basically all the 4th pro. If you want to replace your three prong dryer outlet with a four prong one you have to run a ground wire back to the panel and connect it to the panel s ground bus.

Homeowners owning older dryers with 3 prong cords are sometimes perplexed when they move into a home that has a newer 4 slot outlet. This creates a separate return path for unused current. This has the potential to allow a current to find its way onto the ground wire.