# What does x and y mean?



## Red Squirrel

Does x mean 120v hot and y mean 240v hot? This is what I'm guessing, but just want to check to make sure. I'm going to be installing a dryer plug and I know where ground and neutral go as they are marked, and ground is quite obvious just by the shape alone, but the other two line terminals are just labeled x and y.


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## InPhase277

Red Squirrel said:


> Does x mean 120v hot and y mean 240v hot? This is what I'm guessing, but just want to check to make sure. I'm going to be installing a dryer plug and I know where ground and neutral go as they are marked, and ground is quite obvious just by the shape alone, but the other two line terminals are just labeled x and y.


That's just the marking indicating a "phase" wire. In other words, one hot wire in X, and the other hot wire in Y. If it was three phase it would be X, Y, and Z. It doesn't matter which hot goes to what terminal on that dryer receptacle.


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## Scuba_Dave




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## Red Squirrel

InPhase277 said:


> That's just the marking indicating a "phase" wire. In other words, one hot wire in X, and the other hot wire in Y. If it was three phase it would be X, Y, and Z. It doesn't matter which hot goes to what terminal on that dryer receptacle.


I was wondering if I could put either or, but then figured there must be a right way. Guess it does not really matter as they're both hot anyway, and from each end it's 240 volt anyway, and from one of the ends to top (neutral) is 120 right? So basically same as oven.


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## InPhase277

Red Squirrel said:


> I was wondering if I could put either or, but then figured there must be a right way. Guess it does not really matter as they're both hot anyway, and from each end it's 240 volt anyway, and from one of the ends to top (neutral) is 120 right? So basically same as oven.


Yes. Single phase equipment doesn't know, and doesn't care which wire is which.


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## InPhase277

Scuba_Dave said:


>


5 cm. But I'm glad you found it.


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## zpm

Good answer. I guess that explains the F you got in geometry class.:jester:



Scuba_Dave said:


>


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## Speedy Petey

InPhase277 said:


> 5 cm. But I'm glad you found it.


OK, but what's that called? :whistling2:


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## Red Squirrel

Speedy Petey said:


> OK, but what's that called? :whistling2:


A line. :laughing:

Actually think there's a term for it, I forget. Think it's like hypotenuse or something like that. 

Math is not my thing.


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## kbsparky

Go back and watch the "Wizard of Oz" movie, and catch the scene right after the scarecrow obtains his brain. His response is to try to recite the pythagorean theorem..... albeit incorrectly .... :wink:


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## kbsparky

Red Squirrel said:


> Does x mean 120v hot and y mean 240v hot? This is what I'm guessing, but just want to check to make sure. I'm going to be installing a dryer plug and I know where ground and neutral go as they are marked, and ground is quite obvious just by the shape alone, but the other two line terminals are just labeled x and y.


When installing a NEMA 14-30 device, such as your dryer receptacle, the terminals should be marked *W X Y* and* G.*

If you were installing a NEMA 15-30 device, which does not have a neutral, the terminals would be marked *X Y Z* and* G.
*
In each case, the *X Y *or* Z* terminals designate "hot" lines. The use of *W *indicates a white or neutral connection, and *G* always is for the grounding connection.


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## Speedy Petey

That's it.
Bonus points for the W of Oz reference. :thumbsup:


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## InPhase277

Speedy Petey said:


> That's it.
> Bonus points for the W of Oz reference. :thumbsup:


That's how we all knew that the Wizard was a fraud. And as Professor Marvel, he was luring little girls into his trailer for "fortune telling. Hmmm...


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## Yoyizit

http://www.google.com/search?client...rd+of+oz"+parable+political&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8


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## Mike in Arkansas

It's imperative that the two hot wires be connected to the proper x and y terminal. If they are connected incorrectly, the dryer will work in reverse and blow cold air instead of hot. If you find your clothes frozen stiff as a board reverse the two wires. That is why virtually all freezers and refrigerators are 115 volts. Only one way to wire them up. Otherwise half the people would wire them backwards and cook the stored food rather than preserve it. No need to thank me for providing this information. I've learned so much from others here on this forum I'm just happy to be able to return the favor.:wink:


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## 99BN99

Mike, the clothes go stiff because the heat in the room air being sucked into the dryer is being used to run a generator. Wiring it backwards generates electricity. In some jurisdictions one can receive heavy fines or even jail time for generating electricity without a license/permit, in addition to the required business licenses & permits. (licenses for generators and licenses for distribution)

The advantage and disadvantage of using a natural gas dryer is that this cannot happen; they only work one way.


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## jerryh3

Mike in Arkansas said:


> It's imperative that the two hot wires be connected to the proper x and y terminal. If they are connected incorrectly, the dryer will work in reverse and blow cold air instead of hot. If you find your clothes frozen stiff as a board reverse the two wires. That is why virtually all freezers and refrigerators are 115 volts. Only one way to wire them up. Otherwise half the people would wire them backwards and cook the stored food rather than preserve it. No need to thank me for providing this information. I've learned so much from others here on this forum I'm just happy to be able to return the favor.:wink:


Is that the same way heat pumps work?


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## williswires

Mike in Arkansas said:


> It's imperative that the two hot wires be connected to the proper x and y terminal. If they are connected incorrectly, the dryer will work in reverse and blow cold air instead of hot. If you find your clothes frozen stiff as a board reverse the two wires. That is why virtually all freezers and refrigerators are 115 volts. Only one way to wire them up. Otherwise half the people would wire them backwards and cook the stored food rather than preserve it. No need to thank me for providing this information. I've learned so much from others here on this forum I'm just happy to be able to return the favor.:wink:


You certainly didn't learn _that _on this forum...well, you didn't learn it from those who know electricity, anyway...



99BN99 said:


> Mike, the clothes go stiff because the heat in the room air being sucked into the dryer is being used to run a generator. Wiring it backwards generates electricity. In some jurisdictions one can receive heavy fines or even jail time for generating electricity without a license/permit, in addition to the required business licenses & permits. (licenses for generators and licenses for distribution)
> 
> The advantage and disadvantage of using a natural gas dryer is that this cannot happen; they only work one way.


...uh, ... yeah... well, hopefully the OP can tell the correct answer from the BS :laughing:


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## Speedy Petey

williswires said:


> You certainly didn't learn _that _on this forum...well, you didn't learn it from those who know electricity, anyway...
> 
> 
> 
> ...uh, ... yeah... well, hopefully the OP can tell the correct answer from the BS :laughing:


Willis, if the OP cannot tell the joking from the real answers in this thread then they should not be touching electrical. :whistling2: :laughing:


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## Red Squirrel

Speedy Petey said:


> Willis, if the OP cannot tell the joking from the real answers in this thread then they should not be touching electrical. :whistling2: :laughing:



Oh shoot, I was about to patent an all purpose freeze/cook device by modifying a fridge to use a toggle switch and reverse the hot and neutral! You just bursted my bubble! 

But yeah, knew it was a joke, reversing AC does not really do much. It changes 60 times a second anyway. Just need to get neutral and hot correctly as it's hooked up a certain way at the panel and hot is what is "cut" when a switch or breaker is thrown, so you don't want neutral having any power to it on it's own.


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