Dryer Power Cord 4 Prong To 3 Prong

The national electrical code currently requires 4 prong dryer outlets in all new home construction.

Dryer power cord 4 prong to 3 prong.

A 3 prong dryer cord was the standard for dryers prior to 2000. The key difference in the wiring configuration between 3 prong and 4 prong cords is that with the older setup the 3 prong cord has only two hot wires and one neutral wire there is no separate ground wire. In an effort to shed some light on this subject we re going to discuss the purpose of these cords and why there s a growing popularity for 4 prong cables. Unfortunately few people understand the difference between 3 prong and 4 prong dryer cords.

When moving a newer electric dryer into an older house it s not uncommon to find that the cord and plug included with the new dryer doesn t fit the 240 volt dryer outlet. In recent years most dryer manufacturers have adopted the 4 prong electrical cord over the dates 3 prong model. Welluck 1 5 ft 4 prong to 3 prong dryer adapter 30 amp dryer outlet plug power cord nema 10 30p male to 14 30r female three prong converter 250v 3prone old clothes dryer connector w ground wire 4 9 out of 5 stars 13. Existing homes may still use 3 prong outlets.

The switch to a 4 prong outlet was due to a flaw in the 3 prong outlet design. While they can both effectively power a traditional dryer the 4 prong model contains an extra grounding wire as a preventive measure. Welluck 1 5 ft 4 prong to 3 prong dryer adapter 30 amp dryer outlet plug power cord nema 10 30p male to 14 30r female three prong converter 250v 3prone old clothes dryer connector w ground wire 4 9 out of 5 stars 14. Up until the mid 1990s 3 prong outlets were the standard used in american homes.

Therefore the dryer s neutral was tied to the ground connection on the metal case of the dryer.