# Please help, changing dryer cord from 3 prong to 4 prong



## oldpirate (Aug 6, 2008)

I need help. I have a 4 prong outlet in my wall. I have a 3 prong dryer cord. I changed out the 3 prong cord for the 4 prong...for the most part. red to red, black to black...white to white...but now I have green wire from the dryer that I don't know what to do with? The green wire from the new 4 prong cord I believe goes to the ground screw on the back of the machine. So what do I do with the green wire inside the back of the dryer? 
I guess in some models of dryer its a copper tab that can just be bent back...so what do I do with the green wire


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

The green wire needs to connect to the green wire from your cord and possibly the frame of the dryer. Look in your owners manual or online at the manufacture's site for detailed directions on making the 3 wire to 4 wire cord change.


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## oldpirate (Aug 6, 2008)

According to this website I should just rewire the green wire coming from the dryer back to the neutral. I have the green wire from the cord going to the back of the dryer.... the bottom picture is where I'm at right now. I need to know if this is correct, thanks for your help. 

http://www.american-appliance.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=10&newsdesk_id=5

I don't have a manual...the dryer is old as ****.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

oldpirate said:


> According to this website I should just rewire the green wire coming from the dryer back to the neutral. I have the green wire from the cord going to the back of the dryer.... the bottom picture is where I'm at right now. I need to know if this is correct, thanks for your help.
> 
> http://www.american-appliance.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=10&newsdesk_id=5
> 
> I don't have a manual...the dryer is old as ****.


According to that web site, you would be wrong as they are.
Somewhere on the dryer that green wire is connected to the frame. There should be a spot for the green wire from the cord to connect to the frame also. A picture might help if the dryer is old as **** as you say it is.


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## theatretch85 (May 17, 2008)

This was posted by Stubbie back in January on another thread, I think this should help with the wiring diagram (some text omited due to relevance to the topic)....



Stubbie said:


> ....This image by the way is a GE range terminal block and should be very similar to yours. The white wire connected to the center terminal is the neutral wire. The black and red are your hot conductors. The green of course is your equipment ground. This is showing the correct connection for your application. For a 3 wire connection there will be a metal strap from the white wire connection to where you see the green wire only that green wire is not present in a 3 wire range cord connection. So if it is installed you must remove that metal strap and that procedure is shown in the image after this one. The second image is the correct junction box using what is called a 1/2" raised double gang mud ring on a 4x4 by 2 1/8" metal box with a receptacle like yours installed. We can help you with the wiring if you like..... just ask.


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## Stubbie (Jan 7, 2007)

In simple terms you do not have any green wires connected to the neutral terminal on a 4 -wire dryer cord connection. You only have the neutral to case bond on 3 wire dryer connections. 

In your case ( 4 wire dryer cord) take that green wire coming from the dryer and connect it under the external ground screw with the green wire of the dryer cord. It will look like the below diagram.


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## oldpirate (Aug 6, 2008)

Thanks all. That helps greatly...I found a post elsewhere that said to disconnect the green wire from the back of the dryer/neutral and electrical tape it off and hide it. I ground the green wire from the cord and everything works fine.


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## Ash (Aug 1, 2008)

Be sure to have the dryer grounded if it was designed to be. Use a multimeter to find which wire is ground (sometimes colors other than green are used)


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## JohnJ0906 (Mar 18, 2007)

Here is a little slideshow I put together for a previous question.

http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/...dryer cords/?action=view&current=0db53106.pbw

Actually, that is a range, but a dryer hooks up the same way.


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