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I got a GFCI 30amp breaker and will be putting it in for my dryer circuit. Just want to confirm I'll be wiring this correctly before actually going ahead with it. enter image description here

In the red circle is the white neutral wire that is associated with the red+black wires that came from my dryer into the breaker. So my plan is to:

  1. Swap Black+Red onto the two load terminals on the GFCI.
  2. Move that highlighted neutral wire to the Load Neutral terminal in the GFCI.
  3. Connect GFCI neutral pigtail to neutral bar (where the original neutral was in step 2)

Does this make sense? Anything I'm forgetting? I figure i don't have to do anything with the ground (bare copper) wire.

This is the new gfci breaker for reference - https://www.homedepot.ca/product/siemens-30a-2-pole-120-240v-type-q-gfci-breaker/1000406279

Update: The dryer outlet is a NEMA 14-30. He's a picture of the wiring inside the outlet enter image description here

Thanks!

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  • What socket do you have on your wall? 3-prong NEMA 10, or 4-prong NEMA 14? Are you super married to that?
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Aug 7, 2019 at 2:50
  • Are you saying the cable from the panel to the dryer has a ground wire?
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Aug 7, 2019 at 2:56
  • Can you post a photo of the inside of the receptacle box for the dryer?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Aug 7, 2019 at 2:57
  • 1
    By the way, I'm winding up to say "don't install it, you don't need it"... So don't yet.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Aug 7, 2019 at 3:20
  • @threephaseeel you can have the honor, I cannot write well at this time ..
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Aug 7, 2019 at 4:03

1 Answer 1

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Go for it

Since you have a full four-wire connection to a NEMA 14-30 receptacle, your plan to replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker is sound, as long as the dryer is properly configured for use with a 4-wire cord. Note that this will also let you know if your dryer has a ground fault, so you may wish to keep an appliance repairman's phone number on hand in case it turns out your dryer needs fixing.

While you have the outlet box open, it would be a good idea to take a couple lengths of bare 10AWG wire and a wirenut and use them to pigtail the box ground screw and the outlet properly, as well as changing what looks to be an improper ground screw to the correct screw, namely a 10-32 fine pitch machine or self-tapping screw (the latter is available as the Garvin GSST).

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  • Great, thanks for the answer! As for the second part, fixing the outlet box, I'm not sure what you mean here. Maybe its not clear from the picture but the bare copper doesn't terminate in the box it runs through that ground screw, then out the box on the right hand side and into the main panel. Is it better to have the ground terminate in the box in this case?
    – Tom
    Aug 8, 2019 at 3:12
  • @Mike -- it really should terminate in a wirenut that connects it to pigtails going to the box ground screw and receptacle ground terminal
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Aug 8, 2019 at 3:53
  • I agree the plan will work but where there are 2 white wires under 1 screw this is a code violation. You can have 1,2,3 grounds or bare copper under 1 screw if the panel is listed for more than 1 wire but the neutrals are not supposed to be under 1 screw.
    – Ed Beal
    Aug 11, 2019 at 19:15

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