The neutral allows them to have a 120 circuit for lights, controls or whatever. On old ranges some had a 120 plug on the stove.

 

couldnt have said it better my self.

Norcal01

the motor is most likely 220 i cant see why they would drop to 120 when 220 would use less to run it. but then again I just wire power to them. I am no Maytag man

 

that makes perfect sense. i figured it was something simple and it has been driving me nuts. thanks now i can sleep tonight.

 

Lights, timers & other controls, motors are 120 volts on ranges/dryers so a neutral is required. On a dryer the only thing 240V is the element everything else is 120V. .

 

Well jameo, that’s the simple answer and of course correct but not the complete answer. In a 3 phase 208 voltage system you have the following voltages, L1-L2, L2-L3, L1-L3 [208 V] and L1-N, L2-N, L3-N [120V]. That answers the voltage question, the other part is current. If all the loads L-L and L-N have equal currents than the current in the neutral line = 0 indicating that the system is in balance [some of all the currents = 0]. This not being a perfect world and the sum of the currents not = 0. The difference or un-balanced current must flow through the neutral to satisfy, Sum of all the currents = 0.

 

Are there a lot of 3 phase home clothes dryers?

 

You can save some big labor costs doing your own dryer repair for the simple things like slides/rollers, blower assembly, belts and the motors (if replacing the motor makes $sense$) . The blower motor and tmbler motor are tiny cheasy lil things, 120 volt. It doesn't take much to turn the drum with the ratio they have.

 

i just finished making my adaptor. i was just really confused at 1st why the welder didnt need the neutral if it was being used by the dryer plug. i asked if such an adaptor was available at my welding supply store and they looked at me like i had 2 heads. "what do you mean?" "You cant do that!". I told them i have seen them many times and used by many different welders. Had to come here and get the low down. thanks everyone for your help.

 

don't have idea but reading all other post i got some what around it.
Thanks for the information.

 

Simpliest way I can put it is in 120 you need a ground since the electric is going to find its way to the closest ground. In welding you dont need the ground since when you strike a arc that is your ground

 

Ummmm frogman... Do you mean the neutral? Both 120 and 240 need a ground for safety. The 240 doesn't need the neutral as you have the required 240 between the 2 power lines.

 

actually its more code and safty than anything you could drop the ground leg and your dryer would work fine but you have the possibility of a hot chasis you could also wire your welder 4 wire by just adding a ground wire to the chasis of the welder

 

The three blade dryer plug. two flat and one L blades. is an old style plug. It is not a grounded plug. The flat blade are hot and the L is neutral. The case of the dryer is connected to the neutral. This is not allowed in new houses any more. all new houses must use a four blade plug and one of them is round. this is the green ground. Most welders do not need a neutral to operate. They used a step down transformer to make the 110 and 24 volts and any other voltage needed. By code, the power cord on a single phase 230 volt welder can use a three wire cord. This means the white wire is used as a hot wire. 230 volts black to white. A three phase welder power cord also uses the white wire as a hot wire. This is allowed only in power cords. When the wire are in conduit, a white white must be a neutral. colors are hot and green is safety ground only. If a wrong color wire is used, it must be color taped the correct color. Sorry this is long but I run into incorrectly used plugs and wiring almost every day. Installed by electricians. Trust me, It is no fun plugging your equipment into a single phase 4 pole 230 plug and find out it is a 460 volt 3 phase plug. It lets the smoke out.

 

Trust me, It is no fun plugging your equipment into a single phase 4 pole 230 plug and find out it is a 460 volt 3 phase plug. It lets the smoke out.

It sure isn't, but there are different series NEMA connectors to differentiate between 3 phase, and 4 pole 220. Choose the wrong ones at your own risk.

 

ccawgc...perfect answer !

 

True. There is a plug style for different voltages. You would not believe how many 3 Phase welders have 4 pin single plugs on them. When I call it to their attention, they say but my whole plant is wired that way and we used an electrician. In the last 3 weeks I have had several 230 volt welders that were plugged into 460 volts. They let some of the magic smoke out. $500 to $600 in pc boards.