Dryer electrical issue

[evercl92]

My daughter alerted me that the (electric) dryer wasnt working right. I went to investigate, got a faint smell of electrical.
I took the outlet out and found one of the hot lines melted into the outlet. See the pictures.
It has been hooked up for 4+ years without issue. Thoughts on what would cause this?
Dryer itself is 5 years old.

Side question - how does the 220v get split up within the dryer? Or does it? As in, does 110 to to the fan / electronics, 110 to the heater?

 

[Brandon_oma#692]

WOW The wires are not supposed to be wrapped around the screw, They go in a hole in the side and the end of the screw tightens down on them.

 

[PCustoms]

WOW The wires are not supposed to be wrapped around the screw, They go in a hole in the side and the end of the screw tightens down on them.

This.

Bad connection=high amp draw=heat.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My daughter alerted me that the (electric) dryer wasnt working right. I went to investigate, got a faint smell of electrical.
I took the outlet out and found one of the hot lines melted into the outlet. See the pictures.
It has been hooked up for 4+ years without issue. Thoughts on what would cause this?
Dryer itself is 5 years old.

Wow someone didnt know what they were doing.

As said above, wires are suppose to go inside the lug holes, then the screw lug tightens doen on them.

Thats a tell-tale sign of a loose connection. The wire did not allow the screw to completely tighten and probably vibrated loose...

Do you have an electric range in this house? If so i would check the outlet there as well.

Side question - how does the 220v get split up within the dryer? Or does it? As in, does 110 to to the fan / electronics, 110 to the heater?

There is a terminal block in the back of the dryer. The heater is 240v. everything else is 120v.

One hot leg powers the motor, timer and controls.

Both hot legs usually go to a contactor or switch that controls power to the heating element.

BTW its 240v not 220v

 

[exranger06]

Side question - how does the 220v get split up within the dryer? Or does it? As in, does 110 to to the fan / electronics, 110 to the heater?

The heater is 240V. The electronics, fan, and the motor that spins the drum run on 120V.

 

[evercl92]

Thanks all
I went ahead and replaced the outlet tonight.

 

[Terry D]

Just when you thought you have seen everything, you see this. Who the hell would wrap that wire around a screw when there is a lug there. Stuff like this causes fires. You were lucky

Sent from my SM-G960U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Just when you thought you have seen everything, you see this. Who the hell would wrap that wire around a screw when there is a lug there. Stuff like this causes fires. You were lucky

Sent from my SM-G960U using The Garage Journal mobile app

yeah in my all years of service calls, this is a first for me as well