What would you guys/gals do?

[stud696981]

Re: What would you guys/gals do?

marc deschenes,

You are correct. Back in the day when dryer and ranges were three wire, the neutral had to be insulated or type SE cable. Not 2 wire romex with ground.

 

[charlie b]

Re: What would you guys/gals do?

Originally posted by LarryFine: More recently, separating the neutral and ground has been done for new installations, which is why both 3-prong and 4-prong cordsets and receptacles are available, and you must specify with a new dryer.

Thanks, Larry. That was essentially what I was asking. I was at a department store recently, looking for a new dryer. I haven't had to buy a new one in many years. The salesman said it didn't come with a cord, and I would have to buy it separately. Now I understand why.

 

[LarryFine]

Re: What would you guys/gals do?

You're welcome.

It's also important to properly connect the dryer's green wire and that of a 4-wire cord to the dryer cabinet, or conversely, to the neutral terminal if a 3-wire cord is used.

It's all determined by the circuit installation in the premisis, and when it was done. There's no advantage to replacing a 3-wire dryer receptacle with a 4-wire; replace the cord instead.

I once had to delve deeply into an older dryer to find the "main bonding jumper" to separate the internal EGC wiring from the neutral wiring.

I had to disect the wiring harness where the green and white wires were inter-connected, and add to the EGC to reach the wiring compartment.

 

[benaround]

Re: What would you guys/gals do?

stud696981,

Many years ago, for at least one code cycle,a 10-2 w/grd was code compliant. The way it was written ,it said 'neutral conductor had to be insulatrd or covered' COVERED was the loop hole. The outer covering of the romex covered the bare wire inside! Cheap shot,for sure but the Instructor at the time was Chief Inspector City of Boston. and he knew code real good.

 

[william runkle]

Re: What would you guys/gals do?

If you are getting T&M Change the Service out now. Then properly wire the dryer. If you are worried about fire and or electrocution then by all means change out that service and then add arc-faults to all the branch circuits and in line with ground-fault outlets.