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Can you install a dryer outlet using the bare copper as a neutral wire in an older house?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Technically, yes you can. However, this is one of the most dangerous things you can do in electrical wiring. It's not only against the code, it's a fire waiting to happen. Don't do it! Understand, the neutral wire is a conductor. It carries current. It needs to be an insulated wire. Also, if you use the bare copper (ground) wire for a neutral, you have taken away the earth ground from the circuit, eliminating short circuit protection. If the dryer motor shorts out it will burn up. (fire again) A residential dryer requires a 30 amp 220 volt circuit breaker in your panel and a # 10 gauge wire with three conductors (insulated) and a bare ground. Have a qualified electrician install it.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What do the letters stand for on a 4 prong plug?
On a 240 volt outlet, such as a dryer outlet: G is Ground, W is Neutral, X and Y are the two Hot legs.
How far from a laundry tub faucet should you install an electric dryer outlet?
There is no requirement on the distance the dryer must be from a sink. Any 120 volt outlet must be GFCI protected if it is within 6 feet of a sink. There is no requirement for a 240 volt dryer outlet. I would not want the dryer right next to the sink and I would want the dryer to be on a 4 wire circuit and not a 3 wire circuit. Use common sense here.
When wiring 4 prong plug for 220 has W X G and Y what goes into the X and Y?
On a 240 volt outlet, such as a dryer outlet: G is Ground, W is Neutral, X and Y are the two Hot legs.
What size wire should be used to connect a dryer to electrical panel?
That depends on the dryer. Some have natural gas capabilties and use a standard 120V outlet (20 amp dedicated circuit). Others operate strictly off of electricity and use a 230V power source. These use a somewhat standard dryer outlet that conforms to the plug from the appliance, and are usually (but not always) 30 amps. In the case of the former you would use a 12 gauge wire with 2 conductors (hot and neutral) and a ground. The latter would use a 10 gauge wire with 3 conductors (2 hot wires and a neutral) and a ground. Always refer to the appliance specs to determine how the appliance should be wired, and find a qualified person to install these outlets if they don't exist.
Why are you getting 123V at your dryer outlet?
You are probably measuring between the one leg of the 240 volts and the neutral or the ground pin connection. Take the measurement from the two outside blade holes on the receptacle. There the reading should be 230 to 240 volts. Between either of the outside blade holes and the neutral or ground you should read around 120 volts.
How do you add an electrical hookup for a dryer?
If there isn't a power outlet in reach of the unit you have two options. Call an electrician to install an outlet or call a carpenter to redesign your kitchen so that there is one near (basically move the dryer). Extension cables are not recommended for permanent use in kitchens.
How do you put on a four prong outlet on a roper electric dryer?
Black & Red are hot, and White is neutral. If it has no place to connect neutral connect neutral to ground.
What do the letters stand for on a 4 prong plug?
On a 240 volt outlet, such as a dryer outlet: G is Ground, W is Neutral, X and Y are the two Hot legs.
What is the difference between a 4 prong dryer outlet and a 4 prong stove outlet?
The four blade dryer plug brings a separate ground wire from the machine to the electrical grounding system. The three blade dryer plug depended on the neutral wire of the plug to make this connection.
How do you wire a 220v connection into the main panel?
I assume you mean you are wiring a 220 volt circuit. You will install a 220 volt double pole breaker of the correct size for the circuit. An example would be for an electric dryer that requires a 30 amp double pole breaker wired with 10/3 wire. You connect the Red & Black wires to the breaker. One on each screw. You now connect the White wire to the neutral bus bar in the service panel. Then connect the bare copper ground wire to the ground bus bar in the service panel. At the dryer outlet connect the black & red to the hot screws, white to the neutral, and ground to ground. They will be labeled on the back of the outlet.
Can you change the wall outlet to fit a 4 prong dryer outlet?
It's probably more difficult than you might expect. I'm assuming you have a NEMA 5-15R outlet, and you want to plug in a dryer that has a NEMA 14-30P plug at the end of its electric cable. The NEMA 5-15R outlet is by far the most common type of outlet in North America. It has two flat slots (hot and neutral), and a round safety ground hole. It is rated for 15 A and 125 V. On the other hand, most electric clothes dryers have an electric cable with a NEMA 14-30P plug on the end. It has two flat slots (2 hots from 2 different phases, each one 120 V from neutral, and each one rated at 30 A), an L slot (neutral), and a round safety plug. It is possible for an electrician to "fish" a electric cable carrying the necessary phases through the wall from the fuse box to that outlet, and then pull the old outlet and install a new outlet. If one merely did that last part -- pulled the old outlet and placed a new outlet -- without the proper electrical cables in the wall behind it, then the dryer would probably blow the fuse at the fusebox every time it was turned on.
How far from a laundry tub faucet should you install an electric dryer outlet?
There is no requirement on the distance the dryer must be from a sink. Any 120 volt outlet must be GFCI protected if it is within 6 feet of a sink. There is no requirement for a 240 volt dryer outlet. I would not want the dryer right next to the sink and I would want the dryer to be on a 4 wire circuit and not a 3 wire circuit. Use common sense here.
When wiring 4 prong plug for 220 has W X G and Y what goes into the X and Y?
On a 240 volt outlet, such as a dryer outlet: G is Ground, W is Neutral, X and Y are the two Hot legs.
Can a 120 hair dryer work with a 110 outlet?
Yes - a hair-dryer rated at 120 volts will work in a 110 volt outlet.
Can you adapt a dryer outlet for everyday use for say a toaster over or microwave?
You cannot. A dryer outlet is wired with 2 hots and 1 neutral. its circuit breaker ampacity rating will be 30 amps. Also the plug is completely different from you standard toast male adaptor. A toaster operates on a single hot and neutral. It will also have a power rating on it. If it were even possible to plug it in, (which its not.) You would burn up your toaster.
When I disconnect the neutral wire from sub panel still have juice in the gfi outlet When i connect the hair dryer to the gfi without the neutral it works and the light in the bathroom turns on?
You have some serious wiring problems, for sure. My first guess is that your grounding conductor and neutral are touching somewhere and your ground is acting as the neutral when the neutral is disconnected. The light coming on when the hair dryer is used is another mystery. You need to hire a competent electrician to trouble shoot these problems.
How do I wire a hot water heater to a dryer outlet?
I believe you are required by code to hardwire the hot water heater and not plug it into an outlet. One assumes that you are no longer using the dryer, so you could have an electrician install the proper connection box if the current dryer outlet was in the correct location. There are other rules about requiring a disconnect if you can't see the connection point from the water heater. There are lots of ways to screw this up so I don't suggest you do it if you are not qualified.
