how to hook up an electric dryer?

i bought a new dryer a while back. had to install the power cord in the back. easy enough. 3 prong cord. 3 wires. 3 connections in the back of the dryer.

i just moved and my new house has a 4 prong outlet on the wall. i bought the cord but im not sure about this extra wire deal.
red, white, green, and black.

the connections at the back of the dryer are only red, white, and black

do i just not hook the green up?

i dont want to burn the place down

thanks

a reply to: TinySickTears

Well I have not heard of a single phase socket that has four prongs. In my country four prong sockets are for three phase power.

The green wire is ground there should be a green screw with a washer on the chassis beside the terminal block. I'm assuming you're in NorthAmerica.

a reply to: TinySickTears
Green is ground, hook it to a nearby piece of metal.

a reply to: TinySickTears you will need a to do the match cords Green is only the ground but if your original cord doesn't have the ground you will need to get another . Or get a 3 pole for the wall and eliminate the ground ...

thanks vector and kukri.
i dont know # like this.

now i can get some clothes done

so it will look like this?

a reply to: TinySickTears
Is that your pic or a stock pic?

a reply to: TinySickTears


I'm sure that your "new" dryer gives exact directions on how to install the new cord. Certainly, your four plug receptacle is wired for it. The internet has tons of instructions on such a job. Look it up and don't rely upon sites like this for specific info that can get you killed if you don't know exactly what the standards are for your job. I about lost my life one day to a dryer rewiring job of exactly that type that a supposed/assumed electrician had done.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: TinySickTears
Is that your pic or a stock pic?

stock.
off a site i was reading on how to do it

that stock pic is wrong.

i need t put the white wire from the dryer that is grounded now to the neutral terminal on the dryer with the white wire from my cord. the green only goes in that spot

a reply to: TinySickTears
Your pic is of a 3phase setup, residential is single phase. If you have 4 wires to hook up that probably means it hooks to a capacitor. Without actual pics of your setup I can't really help you.

originally posted by: TinySickTears
so it will look like this?

it will with the exception of the jumper from the neutral(white) to ground(green). it's not dangerous or wrong, just unnecessary since the neutral is bonded at the main panel.

a reply to: TinySickTears

My husband just did the same job for our son a week ago... except he was converting from 4 wire to 3 wire. So I asked him. He's saying that the red and black wires are the power cords, the green is for grounding, and the white is "common," but also grounds. The red and black connect to the outside terminals, with the green in the center. The white needs to attach to the body of the dryer -- the sheet metal. The green wire grounds the motor, and the white wire grounds the body of the dryer.

I hope this helps. If not, let me know and I'll pick his brain for you some more

a reply to: Boadicea
that is not correct

The white needs to attach to the body of the dryer -- the sheet metal. The green wire grounds the motor, and the white wire grounds the body of the dryer.

the white is neutral and connects to the center terminal. the green is ground and connects to the sheet metal

originally posted by: OveRcuRrEnteD
a reply to: Boadicea
that is not correct

The white needs to attach to the body of the dryer -- the sheet metal. The green wire grounds the motor, and the white wire grounds the body of the dryer.

the white is neutral and connects to the center terminal. the green is ground and connects to the sheet metal

Also not correct, white is not neutral.

a reply to: Vector99
in this case it is.

a reply to: OveRcuRrEnteD
No, it isn't

a reply to: OveRcuRrEnteD

the white is neutral and connects to the center terminal. the green is ground and connects to the sheet metal

Thank you for correcting me... I was taking notes as he was talking and must have reversed that.

I'll just back away slowly and let the experts take over...

a reply to: Vector99
in a four wire 220 volt application, the white wire is a return path for current and balances potential between loads. it is called a neutral here in north america. the green wire is ground and provides a low resistance path to earth. both are bonded at the main panel