Up until the mid 1990s 3 prong outlets were the standard used in american homes.
Dryer power cord 4 prong to 3 prong.
The national electrical code currently requires 4 prong dryer outlets in all new home construction.
Unfortunately few people understand the difference between 3 prong and 4 prong dryer cords.
The switch to a 4 prong outlet was due to a flaw in the 3 prong outlet design.
Welluck 1 5 ft 4 prong to 3 prong dryer adapter 30 amp dryer outlet plug power cord nema 10 30p male to 14 30r female three prong converter 250v 3prone old clothes dryer connector w ground wire 4 9 out of 5 stars 14.
Before the mid 1990s most electric clothes dryers operated with three prong plugs that fit into three slot outlets but since 1996 the electric code has required four slot.
Existing homes may still use 3 prong outlets.
While they can both effectively power a traditional dryer the 4 prong model contains an extra grounding wire as a preventive measure.
A 3 prong dryer cord was the standard for dryers prior to 2000.
Kohree 1 5 ft dryer adapter 4 prong to 3 prong dryer outlet plug power cord adapter nema 14 30p male to 10 30r female receptacle for clothes dryer 30a 250v visit the kohree store 4 8 out of 5 stars 220 ratings.
Therefore the dryer s neutral was tied to the ground connection on the metal case of the dryer.
Welluck 1 5 ft 4 prong to 3 prong dryer adapter 30 amp dryer outlet plug power cord nema 10 30p male to 14 30r female three prong converter 250v 3prone old clothes dryer connector w ground wire 4 9 out of 5 stars 13.
Kohree 1 5 ft dryer adapter 4 prong to 3 prong dryer outlet plug power cord adapter nema 14 30p male to 10 30r female receptacle for clothes dryer 30a 250v 4 8 out of 5 stars 240 34 88 34.
The key difference in the wiring configuration between 3 prong and 4 prong cords is that with the older setup the 3 prong cord has only two hot wires and one neutral wire there is no separate ground wire.