WiremanWireman · 240 V receptacle dead (dryer, range, welder): troubleshooting for electricians · 2023 NEC ·
240 V receptacle dead (dryer, range, welder)
Measure both legs at the receptacle to find a lost leg, a burned connection or an appliance fault.
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How it works
A 240 V receptacle gets two hot legs, one from each side of the panel, with 240 V between them. Dryer and range receptacles (NEMA 14-30 and 14-50) add a neutral for 120 V parts like timers, lights and the dryer’s drum motor; welder and shop receptacles (6-20, 6-30, 6-50) have no neutral. With one leg missing, the 120 V parts can still run while heating elements and 240 V motors don’t, which is why a dryer can tumble without heat.
Every question and answer in this guide. Tap “Step by step” to walk through it.
- What’s happening?
- Completely deadIs its 2-pole breaker tripped? Push it fully off, then on.
- It was tripped, works nowA tripped breaker
- It trips againA fault on the circuit or in the appliance
- Not trippedTest: Measure at the receptacleExpect: About 240 V across (208 V on a 208Y/120 V system) and about 120 V from each hot to neutral or ground.
- 240 V across, 120 V each sideThe receptacle is good; the appliance has the fault
- One hot reads 0 V to neutralTest: Measure at the breakerExpect: About 120, 120 and 240 V.
- Normal at the breakerA break between the breaker and the receptacle
- A leg missing at the breakerThe breaker isn’t passing one leg
- 0 V on everythingTest: Measure at the breakerExpect: About 120, 120 and 240 V.
- Normal at the breakerA break between the breaker and the receptacle
- A leg missing at the breakerThe breaker isn’t passing one leg
- About 208 V acrossA 208 V supply
- Runs but won’t heatTest: Measure at the receptacleExpect: About 240 V across (208 V on a 208Y/120 V system) and about 120 V from each hot to neutral or ground.
- 240 V across, 120 V each sideThe receptacle is good; the appliance has the fault
- One hot reads 0 V to neutralTest: Measure at the breakerExpect: About 120, 120 and 240 V.
- Normal at the breakerA break between the breaker and the receptacle
- A leg missing at the breakerThe breaker isn’t passing one leg
- 0 V on everythingTest: Measure at the breakerExpect: About 120, 120 and 240 V.
- Normal at the breakerA break between the breaker and the receptacle
- A leg missing at the breakerThe breaker isn’t passing one leg
- About 208 V acrossA 208 V supply
- Receptacle or plug is burned or meltedA burned receptacle or plug
- Completely deadIs its 2-pole breaker tripped? Push it fully off, then on.