Dryer question?

Question

I replaced a 3 prong electrical cord on my dryer recently. I lost one of the bolts inside the dryer and used a wing nut as a replacement. Now he heating element doesn't work and i noticed that the back panel reads "use only copper nuts to attach electrical cord". is my heating elemen out because i used a metal wing nut? If i replace it with a copper nut will it start to work again?

Answer 1

You should get a replacement nut for the one you lost to prevent a thing called galvanic reaction. This will cause the connection to corrode and may cause a fire.

Did you replace the dryer cord because the element was not heating. If you did, the problem could be the connection to the element, the element is defective, the thermo cutout has opened and not reset (has to be replaced if this is the case), the cycle timer may be defective (contact that starts the heater may be defective - if so, have to replace the whole timer).

If the Element was working before you replaced the dryer cord, one or more of the above still may be true; but check that you have connected the new dryer cord correctly.

There are usually 2 brass or copper coloured terminals, 1 silver coloured terminal on the terminal block.

Connection schedule for the dryer cord whch should have 1 black wire, 1 red wire, 1 white wire and 1 green wire.

The cord should be rated at 30 amps and be marked as a dryer cord.

The black wire is connected to one of the brass or copper coloured terminals.

The red wire is connected to other of the brass or copper coloured terminal.

The white wire is connected to one of the silver coloured terminal.

The green wire is connected to the frame of the dryer (there should be a screw marked grd, ground, earth, and or coloured green

Answer 2

I think you should at least try it Joe.