The instructions for my new dryer states that "the neutral wire may be bonded to the frame of the dryer" - why would anyone want to do that? The green ground wire is already connected to the frame.

I'm confused!

re: 220 volt clothes dryer	wirenuts	3:38 pm monday september 3, 2001

Hi Don;
for years all a dryer required was a 3 wire, 2 hots and a third conductor that was basically assuming the duty of both ground & nuetral.

In recent times the code has dictated that a 4 wire circuit be installed on new installations ( 250-134 & 138) . Existing 3-wire circuits can be used ( 250-140) and the ground & nuetral of the dryer can be both connected to the dryer frame.

If you have a newer 4-wire circuit, then the ground & nuetral must be isolated from each other, the green ground should be bonded to the dryer frame, the white nuetral should be isolated by removing the bonding strap or wire.

I hope this makes sense to you and helps, if not post us back..

re: 220 volt clothes dryer	JuiceHead	12:26 pm tuesday september 4, 2001

The Key word is "may". After reading Wirenuts' reply this may make more sense to you. If you presently have 3 wire service to the dryer receptacle you would use the bonding strap between the neutral lug where you install the cable or whip and the grounding lug or screw on the cabinet itself. Using 4 wires (2 hots, a neutral and a ground), is the preferred way to go and the required way for new installations as wirenuts indicated. By new installations this does not include simply buying a new machine, it means that if you're either running new wire or if you modify the existing circuit you must bring that circuit up to the 1999 NEC. If you can run 10/3-w/ground I'd recommend it. If you have finished walls and would have to rip them out to run new 4 wire cable you may want to just bond the neutral and ground at the dryer and call it a day.

Hope that helps.

Juice