Dryer Outlet Testing?

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Do you guys test dryer outlets? If so, what method to you use?

[tneumann]

Turn dryer on..if it spins and heats...outlet works

Actually, I never thought of this....what if they move in and the outlet doesn't work?

[Jay Moge]

try turning on the dryer. i just use the "as the homeowner would do" method. if no dryer present, i use my multimeter and test both legs for 120vac. and state that power is present, unsure of dependiblilty.

[Jay Moge]

Originally Posted by tneumann

Turn dryer on..if it spins and heats...outlet works

Actually, I never thought of this....what if they move in and the outlet doesn't work?

damn Tony, you beat me by about 5 seconds.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by tneumann

Actually, I never thought of this....what if they move in and the outlet doesn't work?

Yep...that's what I'm wondering. I've never checked them. Starting to question my practices.

[tneumann]

you would think that would be disclosed by the seller....pretty sure they would know eh?

And if not disclosed..you would think they would go after them....what do the SOPs say?

[Jay Moge]

as far as i know (and in my report) it states that a "represented" number of outlets, switches and windows and doors are tested. not EVERY SINGLE ONE. i'd guess that would cover my butt if the outlet wasn't tested, and tunded out to be dead.....i hope.

[tneumann]

I choose the representative receptacles to be the ones my tester fits into...and not the ones that hurt really really bad when it hits you

[Bruce A. King]

As Joe Ferry would say, the reasonable typical inspector only uses a regular outlet tester....

Many meter leads will not reach into these outlets reliably and could lead you to believe that no power exists.
I might start stating in the report that 220V receptacles are not tested.

[tneumann]

220 is an owie too.....

[Greg Fretwell]

Originally Posted by Jay Moge

try turning on the dryer. i just use the "as the homeowner would do" method. if no dryer present, i use my multimeter and test both legs for 120vac. and state that power is present, unsure of dependiblilty.

A more definititive test would be to check across the hots for 240v. It could be wired wrong and get 120v to ground from both sides.

[Russel Ray]

We test outlets if there is nothing plugged into them.

Since we have a lot of gas around here (!), the 220V outlet usually doesn't have anything plugged into it, so we test it.

[nbhi]

Ray, what method do you use to test 220v?

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

Do you guys test dryer outlets? If so, what method to you use?

Joe,

I use the FLUKE testers. They're very easy to use in testing for continuity at ANY receptacle.

[Russel Ray]

I use the same things David does.