The other day, my friend called me in a panic when he moved into his new house.
When trying to install his new dryer, he noticed his dryer plug did not match the outlet. His dryer plug only had three prongs, while they outlet had four holes. While this may be alarming, it is a very common problem.
Prior to 1997, all dryer cords and receptacles only had three prongs and three receptacle holes. There was one neutral prong and two positive prongs. However, in 1997, the National Electric Code mandated that all dryers be outfitted with 4 prongs. A ground prong was added. If you have read my previous posts on grounding, you will know that grounding an electronic device is very important for safety reasons.
This also means that any dryer made after 1996 will come with 4 prongs, and any house built after 1996 will have a 4 pronged dryer outlet. If your house was built before 1997, you are considered “grandfathered in”, and you simply need to buy an adapter for your outlet. However, if your dryer was built before 1997, you are responsible for replacing the three pronged plug with a four pronged plug. The type of plug you will be looking for is a NEMA 14-30P.
The NEMA 14-30P is a high voltage plug. Quail Electronics has both receptacles and plugs in the NEMA 14-30 configuration, I explained to my friend. If you are having difficulty finding the plug, our sales department will be happy to direct you to the proper dryer plugs.
Remember, when installing a new wire, make sure that you either hire an electrician, or at least have the guidance of an experienced electrician if installing the wire yourself. While it is tempting to minimize costs and attempt to wire the dryer yourself, be aware of your level of expertise with electronics. Jumping into a major electronic renovation can be dangerous.