#Dryer plug in code#

But such is the case if it were connected to a proper NEMA plug/receptacle of 240 VAC or even 3-phase.Īlso, if the neutral conductor is the same gauge as the legs and there is a fault, that conductor could become over-loaded since both legs could short to it. If there were faults in both legs to ground, the ground conductor in my welder would certainly overheat with 100 amperes through a 10 foot section of 12 AWG copper. The neutral is tied to the same point for all the grounds in the wiring. The existing wiring on the receptacle is 10 AWG for all thee conductors. I ran a rough failure modes effects analysis of this before wiring my Dynasty 200DX to a NEMA 10-50 plug. And the master power on a welder disconnects all power, not just one leg of 240 split phase. If one leg shorts to ground, it will trip both legs of the breaker. On an inverter machine, using the neutral as ground is far safer since the possibility of both legs dumping to ground is highly remote. If there is a short from the heater element to ground, the leg that is unswitched will continue to draw, even when the machine is off! There are no safety controls for this on older appliances Consider 240 VAC heater elements are switched by one leg only. As since there is no circuit breaker on a neutral, there is potential for fire.

Also, if the neutral conductor is the same gauge as the legs and there is a fault, that conductor could become over-loaded since both legs could short to it. This can lead to a problem IF the neutral is broken and the device is also grounded through the neutral as there WILL be 120 volts potential in the frame. But a small percentage is used from one leg to the neutral. Across the legs, the potential is 240 volts AC and the majority of the current is through these legs.

Both have a potential of 120 volts AC to ground. With this stated, a 3-pole, non-grounded connection is intended to have the majority of the current through the hot legs of the split-phase connection. Neutral is intended to carry current, ground is an emergency connection.

#Dryer plug in code#

I'm not a licensed electrician but I have studied the National Electric Code to know the intent of neutral and ground connections.