Long story short, I'm swapping the cords between an older dryer (originally fitted with a 3 prong cable) and newer one (originally fitted with a 4 prong cable) and want to make sure I'm wiring the grounds correctly. I've attached 2 photos.

The first is the older dryer with the 3 prong setup. I've got a 4 prong cord with a separate green ground wire. Should I screw the cable's green ground into where the green ground coming from inside the dryer is currently screwed? Do I need both green cables screwed in there or should I disconnect what's already screwed in?

The second photo is the newer dryer. I have a 3 prong cable for it. Is that white cable coming from the top a ground? When affixing the 3 prong cable I have for it, do I just screw in the middle white neutral wire from the cable on top of this white cable coming from the top to ground it? If not, how do I ground it?

Any help would be appreciated... I've got power running to both, just don't want to start a house fire or 2 over messing up the grounds.

Thank you!

 

Are both dryers the same voltage? How about a pic of the plugs? The white wire in the middle is a neutral not a ground.

 

1st dryer,yes connect the green to the green screw.
Dryer 2 the white wire is the neutral and ground ,just connect to the 3 terminals,remember that the middle conductor is the neutral don't cross them.

 

The second dryer looks like it may require a bond strip between neutral and ground to be installed. It also needs a cable clamp.

 

The voltage on the older dryer says 115VAC (which, if I understand correctly is Voltage, Alternating Current and means essentially the same thing as just "V"). The newer dryer says 120V. My understanding is that 115 and 120 for North American appliances are essentially the same and I should be able to swap the cords. Please do let me know if I'm mistaken on this.

If it does matter, I could see that the newer dryer's (120v) cord would work on the older, lower voltage 115VAC dryer, but maybe not the reverse?

 

Thanks for the reply!
I thought the same thing, too... that a metal bond strip was needed from the central white connection out to the external ground. I was thrown off by the white wire coming from within the dryer unit in addition to the central connection. I can't tell exactly where it goes to, but thought that might be an older way of grounding (the dryer is from 2002 I believe).

Any thoughts on if that might be the case? If I get a bond strip, what should I do with the white cable?

I really, really appreciate your and everybody's help here. I'm definitely new to this and thank you all for your help!

 

Most dryers are 120/240 volt. It will take forever to dry clothes at 120 v for the heat.

 

Both would be 120 volts. Many electrical products are labeled by the clueless. However that is moot point since everything in this thread refers to a 120/240 volt dryer not a 120 volt dryer. The pictures verify that. They are pictures of a 120/240 volt dryer. not a 120 volt dryer.

A 120/240 volt dryer use 120 volts for motor and controls but 240 volts for heat.

 

Thanks Ray-
I double checked and the second dryer does say 120/240V. The older only says 115VAC, but agreed that's probably moot.... Going by what's been said here, it sounds like the cords are swap-able but I need to look into a grounding strip to run for the newer dryer's 3 prong connections.

I'm still not sure what that white cable coming from inside the dryer to the central connection is. Seems like it could be a ground, but i'd expect that to be attached externally to the chassis.

 

The white wire is the neutral and it is used to supply 120 volts for the control circuit ,timer,motor etc.
Geo