? For Electricians. I’m stumped.

[kmckinnie]

I thought all the controls and the drum motor on most US dryers were 120 volts? Wasn't the purpose of the code change due to NEC not wanting dryers to use the ground for a neutral? Thus the code change to the 4 wires with a separate ground and neutral.

The drying part is the 240. That’s done in side the wiring in the dryer. Which I’m sure u know. ?

 

[Artfuldodger]

The drying part is the 240. That’s done in side the wiring in the dryer. Which I’m sure u know. ?

Yes the heating element, everything else is 120 volts. Some say the older 3 wire types, like the OP has, is two hots and a neutral but it's really two hots and a ground. And that ground is being used as a neutral.

 

[sleepr71]

The Ground wire for that 240 circuit is the one on the top right. No corrosion..nothing loose. I loosened each connection & looked for corrosion. Didn’t see any,so I tightened them all back down. Guess next step is the main breaker box..this weekend. I truly hope it’s something dumb..that I am overlooking..and I don’t have to dig half the yard up to rewire that joker?‍?

 

[arrendale8105]

Do you have the same readings on that breaker as at the dryer? 112 on one leg and 130 on the other. Read to ground and then to neutral in that panel. There a true 4 wire circuit in there. I bet it’s a ground/neutral issue.

 

[sleepr71]

I’ll check the next time I can get up there. Thunderstorm cut my time short this afternoon.

 

[baddave]

I thought all the controls and the drum motor on most US dryers were 120 volts? Wasn't the purpose of the code change due to NEC not wanting dryers to use the ground for a neutral? Thus the code change to the 4 wires with a separate ground and neutral.

if it is then I stand corrected. possibly nowadays they are since most ckts installed now have 4w.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Maybe an electrician could chime it but would it be OK to temporarily disconnect the dryer wire's ground/neutral wire from the grounding strip in that panel and connect it to the neutral strip?
Just for a test. Wouldn't this be a quick way to make sure the ground is tied to the neutral in the main panel box? I mean it would rule out that main ground wire not working.
Or would it be OK to temporarily tie the ground strip to the neutral strip which would leave the ground in place? Just to see if the dryer would power up.
This would just be a quick test and def not an end solution.

Either that or just move on to the main panel.

 

[Milkman]

View attachment 1164654
The Ground wire for that 240 circuit is the one on the top right. No corrosion..nothing loose. I loosened each connection & looked for corrosion. Didn’t see any,so I tightened them all back down. Guess next step is the main breaker box..this weekend. I truly hope it’s something dumb..that I am overlooking..and I don’t have to dig half the yard up to rewire that joker?‍?

Place a jumper wire between the ground bar and neutral bar if they aren’t already connected.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Place a jumper wire between the ground bar and neutral bar if they aren’t already connected.

But just for a test.

 

[Wire Nut]

I’m placing my bet on the underground feeder is aluminum wire and there is a nick in the insulation on the neutral or ground. New code requires to drive ground rods at out buildings. I’d be willing to bet a ground rod would solve some of the issue. A voltage test with a 240v load would show it

 

[notnksnemor]

As a side note:
You might also want to address the wire nutted neutral at the bottom of the panel.
It looks like they could be different size conductors nutted together.

 

[Milkman]

While we are talking about the possibility of a bad connection on a neutral I would like to share this. The image is of what was a crimped connector on the neutral/ground wire at the Ga Power pole transformer. This is what a squirrel did to the connector. m

Voltage in the office building went crazy and burned up some appliances, light fixtures, and a couple of UPS, and a computer.

 

[Havana Dude]

While we are talking about the possibility of a bad connection on a neutral I would like to share this. The image is of what was a crimped connector on the neutral/ground wire at the Ga Power pole transformer. This is what a squirrel did to the connector. m

Voltage in the office building went crazy and burned up some appliances, light fixtures, and a couple of UPS, and a computer.


View attachment 1164717

I’d say this is a definite possibility. Had this happen at transformer going to my barn. It destroyed the motor on an air compressor, and at same time, lights barely would glow. Stumped everyone, even the power company, until they checked that neutral at the transformer. Squirrels had chewed it in 2.

 

[Milkman]

I’d say this is a definite possibility. Had this happen at transformer going to my barn. It destroyed the motor on an air compressor, and at same time, lights barely would glow. Stumped everyone, even the power company, until they checked that neutral at the transformer. Squirrels had chewed it in 2.

Im not saying this is what he has since he has plenty of working circuits on the main panel and sub panel. But something is screwy on the ground side of the dryer circuit, I think.

 

[oldfella1962]

While we are talking about the possibility of a bad connection on a neutral I would like to share this. The image is of what was a crimped connector on the neutral/ground wire at the Ga Power pole transformer. This is what a squirrel did to the connector. m

Voltage in the office building went crazy and burned up some appliances, light fixtures, and a couple of UPS, and a computer.


View attachment 1164717

why would a squirrel (or any critter) chew on metal?

 

[Batjack]

why would a squirrel (or any critter) chew on metal?

Can't tell you why, but all rodents will eat all soft metals.. copper, aluminum, etc..

 

[little rascal]

Dryer needs a ground and a neutral and two 120 volt legs. It's called (10/3 w grnd.)
You can run 10/2 w grnd to an air conditioner and its fine, not a dryer. It has to to do with the some of the controls that use one of 120volt legs and the ground to run.

 

[kayaksteve]

Did not get much done today. Grabbed a new receptacle, and dryer cord. Replaced the receptacle… No difference.replace the cord… No difference. Took the cover off the breaker box… And I see nothing loose or corroded, but just for grins and giggles…I loosened and checked every wire connection. I didn’t see any corrosion or dirt where ants or anything had got into it. I do not see any damage to the wire from the breaker to the receptacle. It came up a pretty strong thunderstorm so I called it a day. I’ll have to revisit Saturday. I think the problem lies in the main breaker box, or the wire from the breaker box to the outbuilding. There has been no dirt work, yardwork with a tractor or anything… So not sure what would’ve happened to the wire underground.

We have underground service go out all the time for no apparent reason. It sounds like a bad neutral to me. If you could check voltage under load I would bet voltage on one leg will shoot real high and one will dip real low. Or it could be a bad hot leg that will read 120 until it’s under load and then it will drop way off. We have a device we can install that loads up the wire and will tell you if it’s a bad leg or neutral. I’m not sure if a residential electrician has access to these or not

 

[Doug B.]

Dryer needs a ground and a neutral and two 120 volt legs. It's called (10/3 w grnd.)
You can run 10/2 w grnd to an air conditioner and its fine, not a dryer. It has to to do with the some of the controls that use one of 120volt legs and the ground to run.

Nope. There are millions across this great land of ours (probably millions just in Georgia) that run off of 10-2 with ground. These were wired before the code change that requires a 10-3 with ground. Yes the dryer needs a neutral to run. For years they were being wired with a 10-2 to use a three prong plug and the ground was doing the job of the neutral. That is what it looks like is going on in the OP's pictures. His sub-panel looks like a four wire service which means he does need a 10-3 with ground wire to the dryer receptacle. He also needs to have a four prong cord and a four prong receptacle with the wires going to their respective positions. Also the bond on the dryer itself needs to be broken so as to separate the ground and the neutral. On the panel end the red and black wires go to the double pole breaker. The white wire to the neutral bar and the bare copper to the ground bar. This way the ground can do its job which is to keep anything from becoming energized, and the neutral can do its job which is to be a load carrying conductor back to ground.

I guarantee this to work!

 

[little rascal]

I said 120 volt and ground, meant neutral or bonded. You don't even have to have a ground, if it's true ground thats just for all the metal enclosures etc.
You need an insulated ground or neutral, because the controls use 120 and neutral. Old school used to use the bare ground.