# Dryer



## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

Installed a 220 dryer in my barn. 

3 prong plug on dryer. Plug dryer into plug on the wall--switch on and the gfi on a different circuit trips. Dryer doesn't run. Dryer worked when I moved it into my barn. 

220 to back of dryer. Checked all internal wiring. 

In the panel I have the white to one lug on the breaker and black to the other lug. Ground to ground bar. 

Any ideas??


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

3 Prong 3 Wire has to go back to the main panel, I'm assuming you just ran this to a sub panel?


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

Inner10 said:


> 3 Prong 3 Wire has to go back to the main panel, I'm assuming you just ran this to a sub panel?


It's the panel in my barn that is fed off the panel from the house underground to the barn. So that would be a sub panel. Hmmmm....

Anyway of doing it off the sub panel in the barn? No way I'm going to run a couple hundred feet of wire back to the house.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Your circuit is on a GFI?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

rex said:


> It's the panel in my barn that is fed off the panel from the house underground to the barn. So that would be a sub panel. Hmmmm....
> 
> Anyway of doing it off the sub panel in the barn? No way I'm going to run a couple hundred feet of wire back to the house.


It should still work Rex, it just ain't right unless you have an insulated ground the same size as the conductors (or something like that).

Check the connections of the whip inside the dryer, see if there is a bonding clip in place on the ground.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

Leo G said:


> Your circuit is on a GFI?


No. When I turn the knob on the dryer it trips a gfi on a completely separate circuit and the dryer Still doesn't work.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Something is hooked up wrong then. Is it a newer dryer with 4 electrical connections?


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

So, I took the ground and put it on the neutral bar and it works now.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

Leo G said:


> Something is hooked up wrong then. Is it a newer dryer with 4 electrical connections?


Older dryer with only 3 connections on it.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

post picture of receptacle and cord connections


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Run a 4 conductor wire and put a 4 wire cord on the dryer and remove the bonding clip.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

rex said:


> So, I took the ground and put it on the neutral bar and it works now.


Where did you have it before?


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> Run a 4 conductor wire and put a 4 wire cord on the dryer and remove the bonding clip.


He said he wasn't going to run a new wire.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

Leo G said:


> Where did you have it before?


It was taken out of a rental I sold. Put it in my barn to dry drops and towels. Have had a washer in there for years and just hung them to dry. Figured why not it works....


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

I'll take some photos when I get back home. It's working now that I put the ground on the neutral bar.


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## jproffer (Feb 19, 2005)

Leo G said:


> Where did you have it before?


On the ground bar (subpanel...seperated n all)


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## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

When you say 220 to back of dryer you mean you have 110 on each leg and when both legs test its 220? 

is the dryer plug ran directly to the panel? If not that common wire might be grounded elsewhere. my first thought 

Is this romex or in conduit?


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Rex, PLEASE have someone who knows what they are doing hook this thing up for you. You have no idea what you are doing.

An electric dryer CANNOT have a 3-prong/3-wire circuit from a sub-panel. And any new dryer circuit like this that is run MUST be 4-wire as well. 
It does NOT matter what was on the dryer, it's the circuit that must be correct. You match the cord to the circuit.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Speedy Petey said:


> Rex, PLEASE have someone who knows what they are doing hook this thing up for you. You have no idea what you are doing.
> 
> An electric dryer CANNOT have a 3-prong/3-wire circuit from a sub-panel. And any new dryer circuit like this that is run MUST be 4-wire as well.
> It does NOT matter what was on the dryer, it's the circuit that must be correct. You match the cord to the circuit.


I'm pretty sure that's what I said, and I'm pretty sure he isn't going to change chit.


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## muskoka guy (Nov 16, 2013)

I remember from my old maintenance days when we had to repair dryers at rental units we took care of, that dryers use 110 to operate the tumbler. they use 220 for the dryer element. Therefor you must have four wires, two hot, one neutral, and a ground for a normal dryer to work. The 110 circuit requires a neutral to work the tumbler. If you only have a three prong dryer, maybe it is a 110 dryer. I have seen them for apartments. I agree that if you don't understand electricity, you shouldn't be messing around putting wires where they don't belong. You could hurt someone. Good luck.


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