# 3 wire with ground to 3 prong dryer plug



## dgbunk (Sep 6, 2008)

I'm changing out old wire with new. What do I do with the bare ground with the new wire on a three prong plug for a dryer? Can I connect it to the white wire or do I attach it to the frame of the plug? Should I just not use it at all since the old wire didn't have a ground wire.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Are you changing the appliance cord or the wiring from the panel to the dryer location?

If you are changing the wiring from the panel you should be installing 3 wires + ground. The Code has changed.


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

> Should I just not use it at all since the old wire didn't have a ground wire.


You *should* change the receptical and pigtail to 4 wire but if you are not going to, it doesn't matter what you do with the ground...just dont cut it off short!:furious:


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## EBFD6 (Aug 31, 2008)

220/221 said:


> You *should* change the receptical and pigtail to 4 wire but if you are not going to, it doesn't matter what you do with the ground...just dont cut it off short!:furious:


Exactly! You've already done the expensive part of the job by changing the wire from the panel to the receptacle, now finish the job correctly and buy a four prong receptacle and a new four wire pig tail for the dryer and change everything to be 100% legal and code compliant!:thumbsup:


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

220/221 said:


> You *should* change the receptical and pigtail to 4 wire but if you are not going to, it doesn't matter what you do with the ground...just dont cut it off short!:furious:


 A dryer is 120/240, so it needs a ground and a neutral. If you only have a ground you have pulled the wrong type of cable. You cannot use 10/2, it must be 10/3.


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

> finish the job correctly and buy a four prong receptacle and a new four wire pig tail for the dryer and change everything to be 100% legal and code compliant!:thumbsup:


As long as he removes the bonding strap. When I got new appliances, the Home Depot subcontracted installers didn't know anything about this little gem. He had been delivering/installing them for several years :jester:




> You cannot use 10/2, it must be 10/3.


Thread title:

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3 wire with ground to 3 prong dryer plug

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## dgbunk (Sep 6, 2008)

Jim Port said:


> Are you changing the appliance cord or the wiring from the panel to the dryer location?
> 
> If you are changing the wiring from the panel you should be installing 3 wires + ground. The Code has changed.


I'm only changing the wiring from the panel to the dryer location. The plug from the new Maytag dryer is a three prong. I have the matching receptical. I'm thinking that I should be able to contect the neutral and the bare ground together.??


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

DO NOT connect the neutral and ground together!! 

You ran a new dryer circuit. You MUST replace the 3-wire receptacle and cord with 4-wire. 

Do the right thing and change them! We're only talking $25 and no extra time to do so (you know you're going to home depot anyway).

The instructions with your new dryer will explain how to put the cord on.


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## Happylizard2 (Oct 19, 2010)

If you have no choice but to use the 3 prong recepticle and dryer plug with the 10-3 wire, does it make a difference what you do with the bare ground wire out of a sub-panel? I assume you do not bond the bare ground wire to the nuetral out of a sub panel right? Leave it disconnected at the panel AND the recepricle when using a plastic box?


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Happylizard2 said:


> If you have no choice but to use the 3 prong recepticle and dryer plug with the 10-3 wire, does it make a difference what you do with the bare ground wire out of a sub-panel? I assume you do not bond the bare ground wire to the nuetral out of a sub panel right? Leave it disconnected at the panel AND the recepricle when using a plastic box?


If you have 3wire and a ground, do the right thing and use a 4 wire plug and receptacle.


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