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Using a red wire nut hook the 3 wires (of the same color) together with a short piece of wire of the same color. You now have 4 wires tied together.

Now take the other end of the short wire and attach it to the outlet on the correct screw

Do the same with the other 2 wires

Please keep in mind to make sure the wire nut has securely fastened the wires.

Loose connections cause heat which cause fire

If you do not completely understand this answer please contact a qualified electrician

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15y ago
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15y ago

There should be a wiring diagram on the back of the dryer. It is hard to tell without actually seeing the dryer in person. I would call an electrician if I were uncertain about how to wire something safely.

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10y ago

If the receptacle is a 3 wire receptacle then purchase a 3 wire pigtail and connect it to the dryer. When you connect it connect the neutral and ground together.

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The cord to the dryer should stay a four wire as that is now the new electrical code. What should be done is changing the three wire wall receptacle to a four wire installation.

Turn the breaker off that controls the circuit for the dryer. Look in the back of the dryer receptacle box that is in the wall. The three wires coming in should have a bare ground wire in the cable set. It wasn't brought to the receptacle because there was no place for it on the old three wire receptacle. If you find the ground wire back there under a screw terminal, just add another short piece of wire under the screw and then connect the other end of the short wire to the new ground terminal on the new four position receptacle. The wire should be equal in size to the size of the wire that exists around the ground terminal now. If the house is so old that the range cable did not have a ground wire in it, the electrical code allows a separate green ground #10 wire to be taken from the breaker panel box to the existing range receptacle. This wire is to be bonded on each end. At the panel end to the ground buss and at the receptacle end around the ground screw at the back of the box unbroken and then to the new four position receptacle ground lug.

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15y ago

I am guessing that the three different wire colours are red, black and white. This is a connection that is used to wire a split receptacle usually in the kitchen for counter plugs. Look on the back of the receptacle at the gold coloured screws, there is a tie bar that connects the screws together pry this bar out by wiggling it back and forth until it breaks. Connect the red wire to the top screw, the black wire to the bottom gold screw and the white wire to the silver coloured screw. If this connection is made without removing the tie bar, the breaker will trip, as you are putting 240 volts across the receptacle's top and bottom outlet causing a short circuit.

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3y ago

u have to connect them and then cenect it to a different wire then suwter them all together

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Anonymous

Lvl 1
3y ago

3 wire

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Q: How do you wire a 4 prong dryer cord to a 3 wire receptacle?
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Related questions

Where do you ground the extra wire when plugging a 4 prong wire into a three prong outlet for a dryer at?

It may be a 220 Dryer, and you will need a new outlet installed. There should be no extra wires when connecting the Power cord to the plug


Is an adapter to go from a 3 prong dryer outlet to a 4 prong dryer cord available for purchase?

I would not recommend trying to use an extension cord for a dryer. the better option is to either buy a longer cord that is properly sized to deal with the extra distance or have an electrician come out and either move the outlet or custom make you a longer cord for your dryer.


You are trying to change a 3 prong cord to a 4 prong your new dryer has two green cables attached to the inside of the dryer?

Dryer plug three to fourOpen up the electrical access panel on the back of the dryer. You will see a terminal block with three wires going into it from the plug cord assembly. A red and black and white are now connected to the terminal strip. Look at the position and colours of the existing 3 prong cord and how it is connected. Make a diagram. Coloured wires on the outside terminals white in the center. From the center wire terminal you will see a jumper strap that goes to the frame of the dryer. When installing the four prong plug this jumper is removed completely. The kit should have with it a grounding lug that connects to where the removed grounding strip attached to the frame of the dryer. This is the attachment point for the fourth green ground wire from the new dryer cord assembly.


Is it necessary to connect the ground wire to a 4-prong 240V outlet - I am switching a 3-outlet to a 4-prong outlet for my new dryer but the ground wire is cut off so I can't connect it?

Only if you wanted to fry your hair.for God sake(and yours)buy a new cord to hook up your dryer


Is it possible to put a 4-prong plug on a dryer that uses a 3-prong plug and how would you do this?

If you are viweing this because you want to change the newer 4-prong plug/outlet to fit an older 3 prong outlet/plug don't do it! The newer plug is safer and the 3 prong plug no longer meets code. See the discussions in other threads. all you need to do is hook the two hot leads on the outer terminals, then the nueatral, white wire on the center terminal and the green ground wire to the ground screw. Be sure to remove the bonding jumper that ties the neutral to the chassis. This is no longer needed as now you have a ground line from the outlet. There should be 3 insulated lugs in the dryer, two hots and a neutral. Connect the red and black wires in your new cord to the hot lugs (red &amp; black are interchangeable), and the white neutral to the neutral lug. Neutral is the center wire on your older 3-wire cord, for reference. Connect the green ground wire directly to the chassis of the sryer using a convienent screw. Use the four prong cord if you can. It is safer because it has the extra ground wire which older cords did not.


Which colors are hot on a 4 prong dryer cord?

A four blade dryer plug cord should have a red, black, white, and green wire in the cord set. The red and black wires are the ones that deliver the 240 volts to the dryer. Black and white deliver control 120 volts to the dryer and also drive the motor to turn the dryer drum. On some dryers they use the red and white for the motor and black and white for the control. As for the green it is always the ground wire.


You were shocked by a dryer receptacle is there any danger?

Yes there is a serious danger. The breaker should be tripping under this condition and not allowing the frame of the dryer to become electrically energized. It means that the ground wire is missing from the dryer receptacle or the dryer cord is not grounded to the machine. Shut the breaker off to the dryer and remove the dryer receptacle. Look for a bare copper wire. It should be bonded to the box and then to the receptacles U shaped pin hole. If this end is fine check the dryer end where the cord goes into the back of the dryer to make sure the green ground wire is connected to the frame of the dryer. If you don't feel competent of doing this get some electrical help as this condition needs to be repaired before you use the dryer again. If you were shocked and recovered, you will be OK You should report it though because it could kill someone, for example, if they had a heart problem of some kind.


Can you wire a external and an internal ground together on a drier?

The ground wire should go from the dryer directly back to the distribution panel. An external ground wire is not required. The ground wire that is in the cord set that is connected to the frame of the dryer and the ground wire that is in the feeders coming from the distribution panel, that is connected to the ground terminal in the dryer receptacle, is all that is required to satisfy the code requirement.


How do you change a 4 prong 240V cord for a dryer to a 220V 3 prong cord?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.You are approaching the problem the wrong way around. The cord to the dryer should stay a four wire as that is now the new electrical code. What should be done is changing the three wire wall receptacle to a four wire installation.Turn the breaker off that controls the circuit for the dryer. Look in the back of the dryer receptacle box that is in the wall. The three wires coming in should have a bare ground wire in the cable set. It wasn't brought to the receptacle because there was no place for it on the old three wire receptacle. If you find the ground wire back there under a screw terminal, just add another short piece of wire under the screw and then connect the other end of the short wire to the new ground terminal on the new four position receptacle. The wire should be equal in size to the size of the wire that exists around the ground terminal now. If the house is so old that the range cable did not have a ground wire in it, the electrical code allows a separate green ground #10 wire to be taken from the breaker panel box to the existing range receptacle. This wire is to be bonded on each end. At the panel end to the ground buss and at the receptacle end around the ground screw at the back of the box unbroken and then to the new four position receptacle ground lug.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliancesalways use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


Can you change outlet to fit old 3 prong outlet?

An old 2 hole receptacle can be changed to a 3 hole receptacle that will accept a 3 prong plug, provided a ground wire is available at the box and connected to the ground (green) lug on the new receptacle. A 2 hole receptacle has a hot and neutral wire, while a 3 hole receptacle will require a ground wire connection -- in addition to the hot and neutral wires.


What is the extension cord with 3 prong could be used for?

Depends on the size of the wire in the extension cord. The 3 prong is just the hot, neutral, and ground.


How do you change from a three prong to a four prong dryer plug?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Buy a new 4 plug cord for the dryer and hook its ground wire up to the drier and hook red to red, black to black, white to white.Also make sure you remove the copper bonding strap between the white wire terminal and the dryer metal frame. then connect the white wire to the white wire terminal and the green wire to the frame.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.