burned out dryer outlet

[winnie]

As Little Bill has said, the most likely problem is something loose at the receptacle, and replacing the receptacle and dryer cord will very likely completely fix the problem.

The OP opened this thread with a question about some defect in the dryer causing the receptacle or cord to fail.

While this scenario is unlikely IMHO it would show up as excessive current flow on the dryer circuit. IMHO this is best tested a convenient location where there is access to individual conductors for a clamp on current sensor. This location might very well be the panel where the conductors are exposed, but there is lots of other junk there.

-Jon

 

[retirede]

You can take the plate off the connection point on the dryer and measure there, while also observing the receptacle. I think everyone is going way beyond basics here. 99% of all burnt dryer or range receptacles or plug ends that I have come across have been from loose/worn connections.

Absolutely correct - my response was to the person who asked “why not measure at the panel”.

 

[growler]

Replace receptacle, check plug for burn or pitted & replace if necessary... Drive off ,., end of story

Turn around quick and go back, you forgot the most important part, getting paid. I hate when that happens.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I have seen a solid #8 aluminum wire in dryers. ( Mucho Problemo)

 

[MD Automation]

...other than the neutral in the 30 amp version has a notch in the receptacle contact to accept the L shaped plug.

Funny you should note the notch for the L-shaped neutral blade… just this past week I was upgrading some laundry room wiring at home and I installed this new 4 wire receptacle…



To replace this old 3 wire…



While staring at the inside of the old Leviton 3 prong dryer receptacle, I am ashamed to admit I was confused for a bit by the small blade on the one side of the neutral. After a minute or so, my eyes wandered to the floor where I saw the L-shaped prong on the old cord laughing at me So dumb…

We have a nice roll-around 60K BTU air conditioner in our shop and this summer I noticed the 6-50 outlet (and plug) was really hot when I went to power it off at night. I think the problem started in one blade on the plug, but the point I wanted to make is that the heat had gotten to the metal female socket in the receptacle and really softened them up – they had lost the “spring” in their step so to speak – so the retention force that clamps both sides of the male blade was really weak. This of course leads to more heat, which leads to less retention, corrosion, heat, retention… and the negative spiral continues. It was remarkable how soft they became and lost all their grip.

I agree that it’s very likely just a poor connection and not the dryer itself.

As others have said – if you really did suspect the dryer, can you throw a clamp on ammeter somewhere and see what it draws? I have these numbers in my head, only because I tested my new work this week. My standard dryer, on 240 VAC, was drawing ~25A on one leg and the other leg was a few amps smaller (w/o the 120 VAC motor load I assume).

 

[WasGSOHM]

Fair enough.

Anybody have a callback because a dryer socket you installed was defective from the factory?