Spectacular Converting 3 Prong To 4 Prong Outlet
The national electrical code began requiring 4 prong receptacles for 220 volt residential circuits in 2000 but it doesn t prohibit you from using.
Converting 3 prong to 4 prong outlet. The 3 wire has two hot wires usually black and white and a ground usually green or bare copper. Otherwise you can install whichever cord you need to fit the outlet in your house. This is a job for an electrician and it brings the circuit up to code.
Although in theory it doesn t matter if you. I bought a welder recently and had to convert my 4 prong 220 volt outlet to a 3 prong which is more universal for 220 welders. One is to replace the old circuit by installing new four wire cable and a four slot outlet each with a dedicated ground.
It is only new installations where the four slot dryer receptacles are required. When those wires return to the panel fuse box the red goes to one side of a 220 breaker fuse and the black goes to the other side of a 220 breaker fuse. This is an allowable remedy under the electrical code which grandfathers in older installations.
If you install a new range or dryer outlet today it must have four slots to accept a four prong cord. Safety considerations because you are not working on actual circuit wires while installing the cord this is a very safe project. Two hots usually black and red a neutral white and a ground bare copper.
Existing three slot receptacles are allowed. When you convert from the 3 prong to the 4 prong configuration you must make sure that the dryer s neutral terminal is not connected to the case ground. An alternative would be to ground the outlet separately to a metal stake driven into the ground or possibly to a suitable metal water pipe.
Like aj6969 said you just need to change the cord on your dryer from. Either way it s a job for an electrician and it usually isn t necessary because there s a better solution. The 3 wire was allowed by most codes before 2000 or so then the code changed to require a 4 wire outlet.