In recent years most dryer manufacturers have adopted the 4prong electrical cord over the dates 3prong model while they can both effectively power a traditional dryer the 4prong model contains an extra grounding wire as a preventive measure if the electrical wiring tied to your dryer malfunctions the voltage.
Dryer power cord 4 prong color code.
Changing a dryer cord from a three prong to a four prong or vice versa is an easy project for most people.
The switch to a 4 prong outlet was due to a flaw in the 3 prong outlet design.
In the first section i will be showing you how to connect a dryer cord that matches your 3 prong or 4 prong outlet.
Due to changes in the national electrical code nec recommended wiring for electric clothes dryer outlets changed in 1996 before the change dryer outlets were 3 slot devices that accepted 3 prong cords.
The process is relatively simple and this is usually the best way to deal with the situation when your dryer cord doesn t match the dryer outlet present in your home.
The 3 wire connection is now outdated where current dryers are wired with a 4 wire cable.
Converting a dryer outlet or dryer cord yourself.
Most older homes are wired for the 3 wire outlet as shown below.
This configuration did not include a dedicated ground connection.
Dryer power cord 4 prong color code.
Existing homes may still use 3 prong outlets.
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