How to Replace a Dryer Outlet

A close up on a dryer.
  • 1 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 100
What You'll Need
Replacement dryer outlet
Screwdriver
Multimeter
What You'll Need
Replacement dryer outlet
Screwdriver
Multimeter

Dryers require a special dryer outlet to function properly. This outlet is designed to provide the dryer with both a 240V and 110V electricity supply. Dryers require the 240V supply to heat up, while the 110V supply is used to provide electricity to control the timers in the dryer.

Over time outlets can become damaged or simply stop working for a number of reasons. There's no point in trying to fix these dryer outlets due to safety concerns and the fact that they're so cheap to replace.

Step 1 - Turn Off the Power

Before starting work on the electrics in your house, it is essential that you first switch the power off. If the power is left on, this task can be very dangerous. Either shut-off the circuit breaker dedicated to that individual circuit, or if you're not sure which circuit breaker needs to be removed, then you should switch off all the power to your house.

Step 2 - Remove the Old Receptacle

The old receptacle now needs to be removed from the wall by unscrewing the two screws which are holding the faceplate in place. Once these screws are removed, it should then be possible to pull the outlet out of its electrical box. However, you must be careful because it will still be connected to the wires in the wall. Put the screws in a safe place so that you can use them again later.

Step 3 - Remove from the Terminals

The terminal screws can then be loosened using a screwdriver. Once the terminals are unscrewed the whole outlet should then quite easily come away from the wall.

Step 4 - Wire the Outlet

If you have enough wire to work with, cut off the old bare wires so that you can work with a fresh piece of wire. Use wire strippers to strip around ¾ of an inch from each of the individual wires.

The grounding wire should be connected to the green screw and the neutral white wire should be connected to the terminal. The red and black wires should be connected to the other terminals, but it doesn't matter which way around these go.

Step 5 - Replace the Electrical Receptacle

You can now complete the installation by pushing the receptacle against the box, carefully placing all the wires inside, and screwing back into place. The dryer can finally be plugged back in and the circuit breaker turned back on for the initial test.