The black plug wire went to the heater's L1 and the red wire went to the L2 lug. The green plug wire I tied to the heater's internal ground wire with a wire nut. The dryer cord even came with a metal clamp used to secure the wire to the rear panel of the heater. The heater is made to be wired directly so any 220 volt cord or plug type can be used as long as the wire is 10 gauge or sized to handle the 22 amp load. I'm happy to say I've got a heated garage brew room now and it really feels good doing stuff out there without having to be all bundled up. The store had only one 220 volt 5,000 watt wall mounted heater left, it was on display and I was able to buy it for 10% off. I ended up buying a 4 wire electric dryer cord that is compatible with my existing 220 volt wall outlet. Always turn off power and verify the power is off before working on any electrical system.Just wanted to provide my latest update since yesterday. Although this is a moderate DIY project if you a are the least bit uncomfortable or unsure, please consider Hiring an Electrician in Greenville for assistance. With the average cost of a new cord being less than $25 and the installation involving the removal of a cover plate, 3 termination screws, and 1 ground connection this qualifies as a DIY project with many YouTube Videos offering advice. What Can You Do?Īdding a 4 Prong Dryer Cord is the recommended course of action. Call an Electrical Contractor in Greenville for an evaluation. If your panel doesn't have breakers and still uses a cartridge and screw-in fuse it is time to think about a Panel Upgrade. If it is more than 30 amps, the Wrong Breaker was installed. Any faults that occur use the grounding path to the Ground Rods or Grounding System and voltage travels into the Earth instead of energizing the metal frame of the dryer.įact: Your dryer circuit should be supplied from a 2 pole 30amp Breaker. This wiring method safety carries all voltage back to the main electrical panel where the ground and neutral are bonded together. Modern homes are wired using 10-3 NM Cable (Romex) and have four prong dryer receptacles installed. The obvious solution was to add a neutral wire so the 120 volt components could operate safely without being used as a neutral path. A dryer using 5000 watts when supplied with 240v draws 20.83 amps while a dryer using the same 5000 watts when supplied with 220v draws 22.73 amps. What is the difference between 120v & 240v?įact: The term “220 volt circuit” is not accurate in the United States, we use 240 volts as a standard although most appliances still run off 240v or 220v. People are much more at risk if they are barefoot while using the dryer. Since the metal frame of the dryer is bonded to the incoming ground wire, there was a potential to be shocked by stray voltage when touching the dryer. This condition becomes dangerous because the voltage is cycling back and forth on a ground wire instead of the required neutral wire. The potential for electrical shock was starting to become more and more of an issue with the rise of digital displays and components utilizing 120v for their operation even though the dryer circuit was 240v without a neutral. The change like most code changes was made to increase safety by limiting the potential for electrical shock, and this why your new home has a 4 prong dryer outlet and your dryer cord won’t fit.įact: The first Electric Dryer sold to the public was in 1938 Why Was a Change Needed? Homes built before the mid 90’s only required 3 prong receptacles, but in 1996 the National Electrical Code (NEC) mandated all new home wiring use a neutral for Dryer and Range electrical circuits. This issue is common and doesn't mean your home has Bad Wiring, and it certainly doesn't mean you need to buy a new dryer. Either your dryer cord has too many or too few prongs to fit. So you moved into a new home, and your dryer plug does not fit the receptacle. Choosing the Right Dryer Outlet for Your Home
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