# Dryer Grounding Screw not Tightening



## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

We are changing our dryer from a 3 to 4 prong cord. When trying to tighten the green grounding screw, it won’t fully tighten. Do we have the wires connected correctly and any suggestions for the screw?


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## rogerwh (Mar 1, 2021)

Do you mean the green screw is striped and won't tighten? If that’s the case, I see another green screw behind the red wire. You can put more than one wire under a screw.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

rogerwh said:


> Do you mean the green screw is striped and won't tighten? If that’s the case, I see another green screw behind the red wire. You can put more than one wire under a screw.


I don’t think it’s stripped. We’ve only removed it this one time. I don’t even know what that wire is under the other green screw. 😬


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## rogerwh (Mar 1, 2021)

WadeFam5 said:


> I don’t think it’s stripped. We’ve only removed it this one time. I don’t even know what that wire is under the other green screw. 😬


If the green screw is not striped, just keep turning it clockwise until it’s tight.


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

You should remove the ground bonding wire from the (center) neutral terminal. 

Three prong cords have those two tied together. Each prong would be separate for:
Line 
Ground/Neutral
Line


Four prong cords require those two to be separate. Each prong would be separate for:
Line
Neutral
Line
Ground


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

I beg to differ. Two wires may not go under one screw unless they have lugs at the ends which lugs are held by the screw. (There are some alternative methods but the two actual wire ends must not touch each other and must not be able to slide sideways out from under the screw just before the screw is tightened.)

If two thin lugs (not two thick bus bars) are fastened to the same piece of metal (panel back, etc.) using separate screws then they may be fastened using the same screw.

A screw might refuse to tighten if it relies on a nut behind the panel. It is improper to fasten wires or bus bars (terminal strips) using screws that rely on wood or other material behind the panel to hold them tight.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

AllanJ said:


> I beg to differ. Two wires may not go under one screw unless they have lugs at the ends which lugs are held by the screw.


Don't all the wires here have lugs?


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

We followed the manual for the specific dryer and believe we have all the wires in the correct place. Mostly just the green grounding screw wouldn’t fully tighten. My husband added a washer and it tightened completely.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Perhaps the threads on the screw were stripped towards the head.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

As pictured the green with yellow stripe should be moved to the screw holding the green wire.


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## rogerwh (Mar 1, 2021)

AllanJ said:


> I beg to differ. Two wires may not go under one screw unless they have lugs at the ends which lugs are held by the screw. (There are some alternative methods but the two actual wire ends must not touch each other and must not be able to slide sideways out from under the screw just before the screw is tightened.)
> 
> If two thin lugs (not two thick bus bars) are fastened to the same piece of metal (panel back, etc.) using separate screws then they may be fastened using the same screw.
> 
> A screw might refuse to tighten if it relies on a nut behind the panel. It is improper to fasten wires or bus bars (terminal strips) using screws that rely on wood or other material behind the panel to hold them tight.


*OMG*


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

Jim Port said:


> As pictured the green with yellow stripe should be moved to the screw holding the green wire.


The manufacturers instructions said to move it to the white neutral section.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

AllanJ said:


> the two actual wire ends must not touch each other.


Is that like not letting the mashed potatoes touch the meat loaf on your plate?


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

WadeFam5 said:


> The manufacturers instructions said to move it to the white neutral section.


Wade ... what brand and model dryer do you have?


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

WadeFam5 said:


> The manufacturers instructions said to move it to the white neutral section.


That would be correct for a three wire plug. Are you sure you are referencing the correct section?


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## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

Listen to Jim Port.
Any screw that comes painted green from the manufacturer means it's for grounding purposes.
There are configurations that may work but not meet code.
The 4 prong plug with new units meets code for sure but likely requires outlet be modified to accept a 4 prong plug.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

Half-fast eddie said:


> Wade ... what brand and model dryer do you have?


It’s a Speed Queen electric dryer


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

azeotrope said:


> That would be correct for a three wire plug. Are you sure you are referencing the correct section?


This is the diagram from the manufacturer


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

Half-fast eddie said:


> Wade ... what brand and model dryer do you have?


It’s a Speed Queen


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

Ok. We have been using the dryer but it is now taking multiple rounds to get the clothes dry. 😣 any suggestions?


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

WadeFam5 said:


> This is the diagram from the manufacturer
> View attachment 654760


That clarifies it. So that green wire (8) is just getting ‘parked’ onto the terminal. It isn’t actually connected to a grounded point. (I couldn’t see than one the original pictures)

Thanks for the clarification. 

This modification should not have changed the heat output that the dryer was doing before. Is it possible the dryer vent has gotten pinched or blocked in the process of making this change?


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## rogerwh (Mar 1, 2021)

WadeFam5 said:


> Ok. We have been using the dryer but it is now taking multiple rounds to get the clothes dry. 😣 any suggestions?


Check your vent.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

rogerwh said:


> Check your vent.


That’s what I’m thinking. I’m going to have a vent cleaning business come out and do all our vents. We just moved in and I don’t know if they’ve ever been done. Our dryer vent in our last house was an exterior wall and I could clean it very easily myself. This house it’s more interior.


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

WadeFam5 said:


> That’s what I’m thinking. I’m going to have a vent cleaning business come out and do all our vents. We just moved in and I don’t know if they’ve ever been done. Our dryer vent in our last house was an exterior wall and I could clean it very easily myself. This house it’s more interior.


It’s probably not blocked due to lint buildup, you would have noticed poor performance before having repaired the dryer. If the performance degraded only after the wiring change then it’s probably just a kinked or squished vent behind the dryer. No need yet to have someone clean out the vents, check for a proper vent first.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

azeotrope said:


> It’s probably not blocked due to lint buildup, you would have noticed poor performance before having repaired the dryer. If the performance degraded only after the wiring change then it’s probably just a kinked or squished vent behind the dryer. No need yet to have someone clean out the vents, check for a proper vent first.


Well, considering we just moved in 11 days ago and the only reason we “repaired” the dryer was because we were changing it from a 3 to 4 prong plug….we would have never had any prior issues.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

rogerwh said:


> Check your vent.


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

WadeFam5 said:


> Well, considering we just moved in 11 days ago and the only reason we “repaired” the dryer was because we were changing it from a 3 to 4 prong plug….we would have never had any prior issues.


I thought you had a history with this unit to reference from. If you just moved in 11 days ago then it throws that knowledge right out the window. 

Looks like you found some restriction, hopefully that has the issue solved for you.


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## WadeFam5 (Jun 6, 2021)

azeotrope said:


> I thought you had a history with this unit to reference from. If you just moved in 11 days ago then it throws that knowledge right out the window.
> 
> Looks like you found some restriction, hopefully that has the issue solved for you.


It’s our dryer from our previous home where we had zero issue. We moved it here 11 days ago and had to change the plug, then it wouldn’t heat in less than 2 cycles. We cleaned our vent today and it works fine.


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## Scaredrabbit (Jun 10, 2021)

Yep. You'd be amazed what comes out. Crazy. Dryer works a million times better after you do it.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Is that what came out of the vent?


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## Scaredrabbit (Jun 10, 2021)

Whole mess of lint, some hair, etc. I am going to put one of those inline filters on it and make sure I clean it bi-annually.


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## azeotrope (Jun 3, 2015)

Scaredrabbit said:


> Whole mess of lint, some hair, etc. I am going to put one of those inline filters on it and make sure I clean it bi-annually.


Too much restriction will cause the slow drying speed. Those inline filters (if we are talking about the same ones) are still ment to be cleaned after each load.


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## KasenW (Jul 16, 2021)

We have this same issue @WadeFam5 for the same scenario. Was the washer ultimately your solution? That's what it sounded like from the thread


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## argile_tile (Aug 1, 2020)

azeotrope said:


> You should remove the ground bonding wire from the (center) neutral terminal.


Only if the home is modernly wired. The wiring of the bonding is described on the installation instructions and depends on the (type of plug).


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