Unique Changing A 4 Prong Dryer To 3 Prong
However if you have moved into a new house or apartment that has a 3 slot dryer outlet then you might want to change out your 4 prong cord with a 4 prong in order to make use of that existing outlet.
Changing a 4 prong dryer to 3 prong. If you re switching from a four prong to a three prong cord or vice versa the first step is to remove the old cord. Remove the screws securing the cover on the splice box on the back panel of the range where the cord goes in. In this instance the solution is to replace the old 3 prong cord with a 4 prong cord to match the new outlet.
It is only new installations where the four slot dryer receptacles are required. Homeowners owning older dryers with 3 prong cords are sometimes perplexed when they move into a home that has a newer 4 slot outlet. It is much more common to go the other direction to update by changing your dryer cord from 3 prongs to 4 prongs in order to meet the current code requirements.
Dryer cord installation 4 prong to 3 prong sep 04 2014018332an electrician will usually charge around 80 dollars to install a new power cord on your dryer. This is an allowable remedy under the electrical code which grandfathers in older installations. A 4 prong 30amp 250v dryer power cord will usually cost around 15 to 25 dollars if you buy it yourself.
Pull off the cover and set it aside. Existing three slot receptacles are allowed to remain. It is therefore somewhat rare that you would want to change a 4 prong cord on an electric dryer to a 3 prong cord.
The other option is to replace the four prong cord with a three prong cord. These outlets have four slots and will accept only 4 prong electrical cords. Fortunately it is a very easy project.