"MiamiCuse" wrote in message
...

"RBM" wrote in message
...

"dpb" wrote in message ...
MiamiCuse wrote:
...
My older dryer no longer works, and it has the molded outlet plug. I
have a new dryer laying around in the new (being remodeled house) so I
figure I will move that here but the plug does not work.

...
I have a multimeter that can check voltage on a regular outlet (120v)
but I plugged that into the dryer outlet and get nothing.but I am not
sure the pins are sticking all the way in correctly.

So I think I need to determine if my dryer outlet is working or not,
and I don't know how to do that with the older dryer not working and
the new dryer not pluggable. If I can test that then I can check with
breaker and that would tell me the amp for that circuit. I think it's
30amp.

As RBM says, assuming this multimeter is an actual meter, there's no
fundamental difference between checking an outlet regardless of the
voltage--set the meter on the proper AC Volt scale and probe between the
two hots (the angled) and between each of them and the ground--there
should be 120 to ground and 240 between. If your not sure you're
reaching the plug contacts w/ the test leads, plug the old dryer in
leaving just a smidge of the blades exposed and probe there. Be careful
to not drop lead across and short, etc., etc., ... Or, pull the rear
cover and test at the point where the pigtail is attached is pretty
simple.

This new info raises the question of "was it working" and when did it
quit working and what were symptoms, etc.?

As for finding out which circuit, I'd start by going to the breaker box
and look at each 240V breaker to see if any happened to be tripped--if
it was working but now isn't, possibly tripped a breaker (say if a
heater element happened to short).

Obviously there will be a range and perhaps water heater, etc., you
should be able to find them by trial and error and isolate which one
must be the dryer circuit.


MC, dpb makes an important point, the probes on my Fluke tester won't
quite reach the contacts of range and dryer outlets, so don't rely on
them. Test as he describes


OK I just did a complete trial and error on my entire house circuit, and
base on process of elimination, I have determined that my dryer circuit is
a double breaker, each labeled "30" taking up slots 7 and 9. The range is
also a double breaker labeled "50", and the central AC unit takes up 4
slots labeled "60". There is a window unit in the garage also taking up
two slots labeled "30", water heater two slots "30", all the rest are 20
and 15 circuits.

So if it's using two 30A breakers, it's 30A right?

I then used my multimeter to test a normal 120V outlet, put the two pins
in and it says 124.

Knowing my range works, I pulled out my range, put the two pins into the
slot and reading is zero. But as RBM says it may be not long enough to
engage so I plugged the range back in but did not push the plug all the
way in, and still left a little of the prone exposed, the range is on. I
touched the multimeter pins on two of the three legs exposed metal, and
reading is 0.

Both plugs are molded so I don't think I can change the plugs between old
and new dryers.

Is there something I can buy at say a HD that can test to make sure the
outlet works? I know they sell those 120V test plugs that lights up are
there ones for 240V?


OK I just repeated the test on the dryer. I plugged the dryer plug in 3/4
way and left the metal blade about 1/4" exposed. I turned the multimeter on
and set to test AC voltage.

Let's label the bottom legs "L" and "R" for left and right legs, the the top
center one "T".

If I touch L and T, reading is 123, if I touch T and R, reading is 123, if I
touch L and R, reading is 245.

So it means the outlet and circuit is working, right?