Trouble with dryer, do i have appropriate voltage?

[mattography]

I just bought a 1962 home and purchased a new digital samsung washer and dryer. The washer has been great but the dryer has only turned on once. I have scheduled for a geek squad technician to come out but in the meantime I checked my outlet voltage.

I have a three prong outlet, from hot to hot I have 244 volts. from one neutral to hot I have 95 volts and from the other hot to neutral I have 97 volts.

I believe I should be somewhere around 110 or 120 on the hot from neutral readings. Do I have insufficient voltage?

Also, as a contingency a new 200 amp circuit board was installed and there are dual 30 amp breakers that do not pop.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[barry2952]

Why would you want the breakers to "pop"? They are designed to protect the wire against overload and short-circuit. Are you doing either of those? You should never force a breaker to trip.

That is some strange voltage. I've never see low legs compile to produce high voltage.

Is it a 3-wire or 4-wire outlet? Try another 240 outlet in the house to see if you get the same readings.

['dubber]

97 volts probably won't satisfy the machine control board, they usually start to "complain" under 105 or so. Sounds like some sort of resistance on the neutral circuit.

geek squad technician .

Hahaha, really? Samsung sends out Geek Squad for authorized warranty service for their appliances? I guess that they had to find someone out there to do it, lol.

[Mk1Racer]

97 volts probably won't satisfy the machine control board, they usually start to "complain" under 105 or so. Sounds like some sort of resistance on the neutral circuit.



Hahaha, really? Samsung sends out Geek Squad for authorized warranty service for their appliances? I guess that they had to find someone out there to do it, lol.

I would agree, sounds like an issue w/ the neutral. And I'm guessing the OP bought it at Best Buy.

[barry2952]

No neutral is required for a 240-volt circuit.

[shofast]

Sounds like something is fishy with that outlet. You should be able to do some more checking to see where something is going on. I have seen some old houses have subpanels with fuses under the floor since dryers were often add ons.

[GeoffD]

I'd throw the meter in the trash.

[Mtl-Marc]

I'd throw the meter in the trash.

this

[Mk1Racer]

No neutral is required for a 240-volt circuit.

Even on a 4-wire plug?

[barry2952]

No. With a 3-wire you simply jump the ground to the neutral connection. Most 240-volt devices will work without a ground, just like many foreign countries.

The only place that I know of that has requirement of a separated neutral and ground would be if the dryer/stove/whatever is run off a sub-panel. Otherwise the neutral is redundant.

In either case the ground is never supposed to carry current.

[vwluger22]

I had something like this happen to me when I moved into my new place. It only had enough power to turn the drum and light up but not make heat. I think its a 4-prong but either way one side had proper volts but the other side didnt something like yours. Went back and checked electrical panel nothing appears to be wrong take the cover off to test each wire and a couple of them where about to fall out of the breaker they where so loose. Tightend them back down and the outlet worked like it should.

['dubber]

No neutral is required for a 240-volt circuit.

The boards aren't running on a 240 volt circuit. They need a neutral and clean voltage.

[barry2952]

The boards aren't running on a 240 volt circuit. They need a neutral and clean voltage.

The neutral is created by the transformer or power supply. A 240 volt compressor doesn't need a neutral nor ground to work, nor does any type of heating element.

['dubber]

The neutral is created by the transformer or power supply. A 240 volt compressor doesn't need a neutral nor ground to work, nor does any type of heating element.

Of course not, why would they need a neutral when they already have the two legs that they need, and that also go back to the power company?

The motor, lights, etc, and the electronic control boards, which are very sensitive to dirty voltage, do not run on a 240v circuit.

Do you plug a gas dryer into a 240v outlet?

[barry2952]

Of course not, why would they need a neutral when they already have the two legs that they need, and that also go back to the power company?

The motor, lights, etc, and the electronic control boards, which are very sensitive to dirty voltage, do not run on a 240v circuit.

Do you plug a gas dryer into a 240v outlet?

Wow.

Are you that dull, or do you not realize that US is not the whole world? About 95% of the gas dryers in the world are plugged into single phase 240-volt outlets without ground nor neutral. How do you suspect they work? You should go with what you know, not what you think.

['dubber]

Wow.

Are you that dull, or do you not realize that US is not the whole world? About 95% of the gas dryers in the world are plugged into single phase 240-volt outlets without ground nor neutral. How do you suspect they work? You should go with what you know, not what you think.

I suspect that they work like any other 240V circuit, which is not what we are talking about here.

Open your eyes! So far none of your posts in this thread have been cogent to the OPs problem. Maybe you are missing that:

OP is in the US with an electric dryer that will not turn on.

OPs dryers control boards are NOT wired to operate on 240 volts.

OPs control boards do not like to run on dirty voltage.

OP has stated that he sees dirty voltage when testing either hot leg through neutral, and why you seem to think that this is just fine is beyond me. The first and last thing that I would have checked in that house would have been the outlet, and I would have told him to have an electrician fix it.

How many Samsung dryers have you diagnosed and repaired? Dryers in general? Appliances in general? I've completed thousands of successful diags and repairs over many years, and not by shooting in the dark like a parts monkey. I'm not going with what I think, but with what I know, and have seen. And since you find in necessary to act rude and condescending, that thumbs-down that you gave me? Turn it around and stick it in yourself where the sun don't shine.

[barry2952]

I suspect that they work like any other 240V circuit, which is not what we are talking about here.

Open your eyes! So far none of your posts in this thread have been cogent to the OPs problem. Maybe you are missing that:

OP is in the US with an electric dryer that will not turn on.

OPs dryers control boards are NOT wired to operate on 240 volts.

OPs control boards do not like to run on dirty voltage.

OP has stated that he sees dirty voltage when testing either hot leg through neutral, and why you seem to think that this is just fine is beyond me. The first and last thing that I would have checked in that house would have been the outlet, and I would have told him to have an electrician fix it.

How many Samsung dryers have you diagnosed and repaired? Dryers in general? Appliances in general? I've completed thousands of successful diags and repairs over many years, and not by shooting in the dark like a parts monkey. I'm not going with what I think, but with what I know, and have seen. And since you find in necessary to act rude and condescending, that thumbs-down that you gave me? Turn it around and stick it in yourself where the sun don't shine.

He stated he had a problem with his house wiring. It was being addressed. Maybe you missed that. If I have a problem with my Samsung appliance I'll be sure to contact you.

[PowerDubs]

Can't we all just get along?


Agreed- won't power up, check power at outlet = funky, tell cust to call electrician. Next house..

[Jettavr666]

I just bought a 1962 home and purchased a new digital samsung washer and dryer. The washer has been great but the dryer has only turned on once. I have scheduled for a geek squad technician to come out but in the meantime I checked my outlet voltage.

I have a three prong outlet, from hot to hot I have 244 volts. from one neutral to hot I have 95 volts and from the other hot to neutral I have 97 volts.

I believe I should be somewhere around 110 or 120 on the hot from neutral readings. Do I have insufficient voltage?

Also, as a contingency a new 200 amp circuit board was installed and there are dual 30 amp breakers that do not pop.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

you have 244 across both hot, which is where you should be measuring it, the voltage shouldnt be your issue, but who knows, as barry said the two voltages together shouldnt produce something that high.

That being said voltage at a socket does vary, 95 is a quite low, but anywhere from 90-130, on a "120 volt" line can happen.

Think summertime brownout, when things go a bit dim, due to all the line load, vs middle of the night early fall, when there is very little draw.

['dubber]

He stated he had a problem with his house wiring. It was being addressed. Maybe you missed that.

Yes, I noticed that, and also how you kept harping on about 240 volt appliances. Here is a wiring diagram of an electric dryer for everyone to look at. Everyone should notice that for the most part, the unit utilizes the L1 to Neutral circuit. The heater circuit is the only portion of the appliance that requires a circuit through L1 and L2.

http://www.managemylife.com/images/8...jpg?1308402025

[barry2952]

Yes, I noticed that, and also how you kept harping on about 240 volt appliances. Here is a wiring diagram of an electric dryer for everyone to look at. Everyone should notice that for the most part, the unit utilizes the L1 to Neutral circuit. The heater circuit is the only portion of the appliance that requires a circuit through L1 and L2.

http://www.managemylife.com/images/8...jpg?1308402025

That was designed to work on a 4-wire system.Maybe you missed the part that said he has a 3-wire system with a ground wire, which he has misidentified as a neutral. It has nothing to do with dirty power or whether he has voltage to ground. FYI, a ground wire is to never carry current. It's only supposed to be a ground path.

['dubber]

The appliance can be wired for either power cord. Ground is meant to carry current when there is a short to ground, not "never". You're a jerk. Call powerdubs when your stuff breaks, he's good at BS'ing people who have no idea as to what they are talking about.

[PowerDubs]

Leave me out of your pissing match.


- Josh

[barry2952]

The appliance can be wired for either power cord. Ground is meant to carry current when there is a short to ground, not "never". You're a jerk. Call powerdubs when your stuff breaks, he's good at BS'ing people who have no idea as to what they are talking about.

It's getting clearer with every post that I wouldn't want you anywhere near my appliances. Stick to fixing toasters and stop giving electrical advice. You're not very good at it.

['dubber]

It's getting clearer with every post that I wouldn't want you anywhere near my appliances. Stick to fixing toasters and stop giving electrical advice. You're not very good at it.

You're still confused and not paying attention, obviously.

[barry2952]

Whatever you say, Mr. Toaster.