Dryers and Ranges and EGC

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smallfish

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Certainly the code making panel had good reason to insist that three-wire cable be replaced with four-wire cable (the fourth wire being the equipment ground wire) for ranges and dryers, but have you had any instances where a three wire cable supplying a range or dryer provided shocks due to lack of an equipment ground wire?
Both my range and dryer are three-wire without ground and I've had none.
Thanks
 
When I was a contractor I came across problems caused by this on more than once but the greatest injury I was personally awre of is a woman who worked for my accountant who involved in protracted lawsuit over an electrical shock she received from a dryer that would not spin. The a manufacturers rep told her to reach in and spin the drum. The problem was an open neutral and she received a shock at the back of her neck when she tried this. The shock perminantly inflammed the nerves. After medications, nerve blocks and spinal surgery to scrape the nerves she still suffered great pain. Her lawsuit was against the manufacturer, landlord and electrical contractor that originally wired the unit.
 
One of our customers received a bad shock between the range and the sink, because the cord's neutral wire had pulled out of its crimped-on spade lug in the wiring compartment.

They had noticed that the clock and lights quit working a few days before, but didn't realize why. At my suggestion, they had me convert the entire circuit to 4-wire.
 
I had one about three months ago. Landlord had new tenants in a rental house, and they were getting shocked between the stove and stainless steel sink.

The NM in the wall had 4 wires, so I just chaged the recep and cord to 4-wire and all was good.
 
If there is a difference in "potential" you can get a shock. I belive that is why it was allowed in a main panel installation as the nuetral and ground hat the exact same potential as both were tied to the same buss bar and the same legnth. ( theoretically speaking)

What is crazy is that I have seen many a 10-2 or 8-2 romex feeding a range. I will refuse to make the connection or install any outlet other than a 2 wire w ground one. Some other lucky guy will get the work as the customer will not pay for a new run of wire. I bet in the last 10 years I have turned down about a 50-70 of these.
 
Only had 1 problem almost 30 years ago. Was a surface mount 3 prong for range by Eagle. The neutral in the receptacle was not making contact. Luckily the lady was ok, could been disaster as she was pregnant.
Was never a good reason for not using 4 wires. Story goes back to wwII when we had copper shortage and because of few problem was allowed to remain for many years.
 
I had a customer call me about a shock she was getting from her microwave.
Turns out the microwave was fine.
The range was the problem, the chasis of the range had voltage on it.
The metal frame of the microwave was well grounded.
She leaned on the range to get stuff in/out of the microwave and received a nasty burn on her arm where it touched the microwave.

The range had a 3 wire whip. Changed to a 4 wire whip and no more voltage on the chasis.
 
They have been wiring stoves and dryers with (3) wires ever since those appliances first hit the showroom floor.

Yes.. it is a good idea to make new installations (4) wire, but I don't see any problem grandfathering in the (3) wire method.

People getting shocks from sinks and electrical appliances is nothing new
 
BLACK4TRUCK said:
They have been wiring stoves and dryers with (3) wires ever since those appliances first hit the showroom floor.

Yes.. it is a good idea to make new installations (4) wire, but I don't see any problem grandfathering in the (3) wire method.

People getting shocks from sinks and electrical appliances is nothing new
Click to expand...

Sir I think it does matter that the Neutral should not be used as EGC even though it was accepted in the NEC. And also, it doesn't mean that ever since these appliances are 3 wires coming from the manufacturer, they are already safe. 4 wires is safe and will protect the consumer.

I think people are getting shocks on wrong electrical installation and wrong equipment specifications. Compliance with the NEC is just a minimum safety requirement. Our installation should be above NEC to be much more safe.

Just my opinion sir.
 
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