# Dryer doesn't have a ground screw



## pastoreem (Oct 27, 2011)

I have an older dryer that needs to be converted from a 3 prong to a 4 prong. We know how to do it and all that jazz. However, the dryer does not have a grounding screw that we can see. Is there any other way we can ground the green wire?


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## a7ecorsair (Jun 1, 2010)

Can you post a picture of the terminal block?


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## pastoreem (Oct 27, 2011)

Here is the best picture of the terminal block I have... Hopefully I attached the picture correctly.


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## a7ecorsair (Jun 1, 2010)

pastoreem said:


> However, the dryer does not have a grounding screw that we can see. Is there any other way we can ground the green wire?


You have to remove the strap that goes from the center lug to the frame and then connect your ground to the frame using the same screw hole.


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## jimmy21 (Jul 2, 2008)

a7ecorsair said:


> You have to remove the strap that goes from the center lug to the frame and then connect your ground to the frame using the same screw hole.





Im gointo repeat the same thing in a littl more detail. The center terminal is the neutral and it also grounds the frame in the old 3 wire system. Since you are converting from 3 wire to 4 wire that strap needs to be removed. After it is removed use a solderless crime ring and put it on the hex screw. The wires may come with crimp terminals on them


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## pastoreem (Oct 27, 2011)

I just got home from work and actually looked at the dryer (I guess its a mistake to go off of what my boyfriend tells me). Anyways, there is a ground screw, however the wire is just not long enough to reach it... 

The wire that is attached to the center terminal actually goes up into the dryer, it does not connect to the ground screw. 

So I have two questions. 1. Do we still have to remove the wire that is attached to the center terminal, even though it goes up into the dryer? and 2. Is there a way to extend the ground wire to make it reach the screw?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

pastoreem, you have to get a four wire pigtail. On that pigtail, the ground wire will go where the strap screws down. The two wires on the center screw stay where they are.


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## pastoreem (Oct 27, 2011)

I do have a 4 prong, the 3 prong is still hooked up (which is what you see in the picture), we haven't done anything to it yet. The green, ground wire on our new 4 prong won't reach the ground screw.

Sorry should have clarified.


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## jimmy21 (Jul 2, 2008)

pastoreem said:


> I just got home from work and actually looked at the dryer (I guess its a mistake to go off of what my boyfriend tells me). Anyways, there is a ground screw, however the wire is just not long enough to reach it...
> 
> The wire that is attached to the center terminal actually goes up into the dryer, it does not connect to the ground screw.
> 
> So I have two questions. 1. Do we still have to remove the wire that is attached to the center terminal, even though it goes up into the dryer? and 2. Is there a way to extend the ground wire to make it reach the screw?


Don't remove anything except the metal strap. Leave all the wires where they are. For the ground, just ground to the screw where the strap was. If you want to hook both grounds up, get a 12" piece of wire and put crimp rings on each end and daisy chain from one to the other. Either one is sufficient though


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## SD515 (Aug 17, 2008)

You also need one of these for the cord where it goes through the hole in the dryer, if it didn't come with the cord.


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## pastoreem (Oct 27, 2011)

Sorry just want to be sure this is correct... 

I remove the metal strap and apply the green grounding wire here (where the black wire is pointing), even though it is not on the out side of the dryer? The white wires, circled in red stay connected to the center terminal. The actual labeled ground screw (where the blue arrow is pointing) is of no use anymore. Correct?

Thanks everyone for your help!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Correct. You will most likely have to pull enough of the cord through, so that you can attach from the right. Do the ground first, then the others. It is okay to pull the cord through then out the access hole, but be careful, when pulling back through the retainer. It is also easier to take the two screws out of the sleeve on the retainer, so that all you have is the attached retainer that sd515 showed installed, then when you get done securing the cord inside and pull the excess back, you place the piece of the retainer you removed against the cord, and insert the first screw, tighten a little, then put in the other screw and then tighten down to where it starts to become snug, not so tight that it pinches the cable.


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## a7ecorsair (Jun 1, 2010)

pastoreem said:


> The actual labeled ground screw (where the blue arrow is pointing) is of no use anymore. Correct?
> 
> Thanks everyone for your help!


Someone who didn't understand grounding probably thought it was a good idea. Remove it completely.


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