I'm trying to change the cord, with three terminals within the dryer and a four prong cord. Need to know what colors to connect? The colors inside running from the terminals are black, white, and blue. The colors on the cord are black, white, red, and green. What do I match to what?

Unplug the dryer then remove the terminal block cover and disconnect the 3-prong cord from the dryer. Note that the cord has red , black, and white wires but sometimes the red and black wires are both replaced by same color wire, usually gray and can switch places. There's also a ground strap wire also connected to the center terminal together with the white (neutral) wire.

Get yourself a 4-prong cord and note that it has red, black, white, and green/yellow wires but sometimes, like the 3-pronged one, the red and black wires are both replaced by same color wire, usually gray and can also switch places. All you have to do now is connect the 3 wires in the same manner they are connected as 3-prong cord to the terminal block. The ground strap wire now just need to be connected to the remaining 4th wire, the green/yellow wire instead of the center terminal together with the white (neutral) wire. Reinstall the terminal block cover and it's done.

It can be observed that converting a 3-prong cord to 4-prong cord is merely splitting the neutral line and the ground thereby increasing the number of prongs from 3 to 4 whereas, on the other hand, converting a 4-prong cord to 3-prong cord is merely joining the neutral line (white) and the ground (green/yellow) thereby reducing the number of prongs from 4 to 3.. The links below might enlighten you further on this matter.

Four-prong to Three-prong Electric Dryer Conversion
Three-prong to Four-prong Electric Dryer Conversion

It's either you convert the 3-prong outlet to 4-prong or the 4-prong cord to 3-prong. But the latter is easier and more feasible. Unplug the dryer then disconnect the 4-prong cord from the dryer. Note that it has red, black, white, and green/yellow wires but sometimes the red and black wires are both replaced by same color wire, usually gray. The red and black wires are lines L1 and L2 reversibly, meaning they can switch places, while the white and green/yellow wires are the neutral line and ground, respectively.

Get yourself a 3-prong cord and note that it has red , black, and white wires but sometimes, like the 4-pronged one, the red and black wires are both replaced by same color wire, usually gray and can also switch places. All you have to do now is connect these 3 wires in the same manner they are connected as 4-prong cord to the terminal block. The wire strapped to the dryer cabinet and connected to the green/yellow wire of the 4-prong cord wire is now left hanging. The last step is to connect this hanging strap wire to the same terminal on the terminal block (center) where the white wire (neutral) is connected and it's done.

It can be observed that converting a 4-prong cord to 3-prong cord is merely joining the neutral line (white) and the ground (green/yellow) thereby reducing the number of prongs from 4 to 3. On the other hand, converting a 3-prong cord to 4-prong cord is merely splitting the neutral line and the ground thereby increasing the number of prongs from 3 to 4. The link below might enlighten you further on this matter.

Electric Dryer Prong Conversion

There's a ground strap wire (green/yellow) attached to the dryer cabinet and connected to the center terminal where the white neutral wire of the power cord is connected. Disconnect this ground strap wire and remove the 3-prong power cord from the terminal block taking note where the wires are connecedt to. Connect the 4-prong power cord in the same way same wire colors of the 3-prong cord are connected to the terminal block. Connect the ground strap wire to the remaining fourth wire (green/yellow). Just do the reverse when converting 4-prong to 3-prong. The link below might enlighten you further on this matter.

Electric Dryer Prong Conversion

You have to replace the dryer's 3-prong cord to 4-prong. Get yourself a 4-prong cord then on the terminal block at the rear of the dryer, connect the wires of the 4-prong cord to where the same wire colors (red, black, and white) of the 3-prong cord connects to. The only modification needs to be done is on the green/yellow stripe wire that connects from the white wire terminal to the dryer's cabinet. Remove this wire (green/yellow stripe) from the white wire terminal then connect it to the same wire color (green/yellow stripe) of the 4-prong cord and you are done. The new wire configuration would then be red, black, and white on the terminal block and green/yellow stripe wire on the cabinet.

There could be two situations for you. For the wall outlet, you may have a four prong plug or a three prong plug. For a three prong plug the outlet has three prongs and the terminals inside match up with these prongs. The two slanted prongs on the top are the hot terminals and the red and black wires get connected to these (order doesn't matter but keep the wires matched up with the terminals on the same sides). The white wire is connected to the "L" shaped prong, the third lower prong. The bare copper wire is just bent out of the way. At the dryer for the three prong there will be three terminals 2 hot and one neutral. Usually, your dryer cord will have the neutral as the middle wire, but pay attention if your cord wires are color coded (where white will be your neutral wire). At the dryer there is a terminal which is connected to the frame of the dryer by a piece of metal. This is your neutral, connect your neutral wire from your cord up to this. The other two wires get connected to the other two terminals (order doesn't matter but keep the wires matched up with the terminals on the same sides). For the four prong its very similar but there is a small change, that bare copper wire is now used. The terminals on the wall outlet will line up with the prongs. The two vertical terminals on the left and right are your red and black wires. The "L" shaped prong is your white wire. Now the fourth prong, the one shaped like a semi circle is the terminal you connect that bare copper wire up to that is your ground. At the dryer for the cord (If its a four prong cord your wires should definitely be color coded). The terminal that had a connection to the dryer frame now will no longer have one. The terminal thats connected to the frame you connect the green wire to. The terminal that was connected to the "green wire terminal' is now the neutral terminal and your white wire gets connected to it. The other two terminals are where your connect your last two wires.

Changing from 3 to 4 wire hookup on a electric dryer:
Power cord help for 3 & 4 prong dryer cords
This is an example of a three wire connection dryer cord hookup. Notice that there is a ground strap connected from the common center terminal to the frame of the terminal block. Place the center wire of the cord on the center terminal [ one with the ground ******** it ] and the other two wires will be placed on the outer terminals and it doesn't matter which wire goes right or left. Get the center wire of the cord right and you are in business.
This is an example of the 4 wire dryer cord hookup. Notice that the ground strap has been removed from the terminal block frame and folded back onto the center terminal for storage. You can see the colors of the other hookups. TIP: White always to the middle.

Below are a few websites.
http://www.applianceaid.com/general.html#3to4


http://www.american-appliance.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=10&newsdesk_id=5

On a three wire configuration, the ground and the negative are tied together at the center position, using the dryer ground strap. Following is a description of the difference between three and four wire. Hope it helps you.
These two pictures illustrate the power wiring on a the terminal of an electric dryer. The one on top/left is the old-style three-wire configuration. Most people have this type in their homes. New code changes, though, require that dryers now have a four-wire cord, shown on the bottom/right.
Besides the number of wires in each cord, there are two important things to notice. First, in the four-wire configuration, notice that the dryer's grounding strap is folded back on itself. The whole point of the four-wire cord is to separate the ground from the neutral. The green wire (the "new" extra wire in the four-wire cord) is attached to the dryer cabinet. In the three-wire configuration, the grounding strap is left intact and the neutral and ground are tied together.


Sure hope this helps you find a resolution to your delimma! Best wishes.

The three wire goes on the electrical block on the back of your dryer just like the cord is made. If you look at the cord, it's made flat (Most 3 wire cord are made flat, Some are not) The wire in the middle goes in the middle of the block. The two wires to the outside go to the outside of the block. It makes do difference which wire goes on which side as long as the outside wires go to the outside.
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Wiring in a new power cord for your electric dryer? Upgrading your electric dryer outlet from the old three-prong to the new four-prong outlet? Well, grab hold of those two large lumps at the base of your spinal cord and let's romp through the wild and wacky world of dryer cords and outlets.

These two pictures illustrate the power wiring on a the terminal of an electric dryer. The one to the left here is the old-style three-wire configuration. Most people have this type in their homes. New code changes, though, require that dryers now have a four-wire cord, shown to the right. These are just just thumbnail pictures that you can click for a larger view. But I'll bet you already figured that out, didn't you?
Besides the number of wires in each cord, there are two important things to notice. First, in the four-wire configuration, notice that the dryer's grounding strap is folded back on itself. The whole point of the four-wire cord is to separate the ground from the neutral. The green wire (the "new" extra wire in the four-wire cord) is attached to the dryer cabinet. In the three-wire configuration, the grounding strap is left intact and the neutral and ground are tied together.
If you need to re-wire the outlet, these pictures will explain the anatomy of the three-prong (left) and four-prong (right) outlets. Once again, these pictures are just thumbnails--click 'em for a larger view.

Sure hope this helps you find a resolution to your delimma! Best wishes.

Is the receptacle in the wall a four prong or three prong. You will have to match the cord on the dryer to the wall recepticle. If the wall is four prong the dryer cord has to be a four prong. The green wire with the yellow line, that is on the end of the dryer cord, is a cabinet ground and should be attached to the cabinet of the dryer and making good contact. The other three wires on the end of the dyrer cord attach to the terminal block.