electrical question here?

I am often shocked (no pun intended) when I see the amount of inexperienced people offering advice on subjects they know very little about. If you do not know a lot about electricity you shouldn't give advice about it, you could kill someone.

You definately do not have 3-phase power to your receptacle. However, the wires are definately the wrong colors. It appears that the last homeowner did not know anything about electricity. You need to test your wires to determine which two are hot, what one is the neutral and which is the ground. When you determine your neutral, put a wrap of white electrical tape around it to differentiate it; do the same for the ground, except use green tape.

I am going to assume that you are talking about your dryer or range receptacle. The 4-prong receptacle is better because you have a separate ground wire. If your electrical system is properly wired and grounded, this separate ground wire is supposed to provide a path of least resistance to ground.

With the old 3-prong receptacles the neutral was also used as a ground. This was bad because the neutral or grounded conductor is bonded to your dryer's or range's frame and you could get a shock from this. The neutral or grounded conductor has voltage and current on it; with an unbalanced load it sometimes has more current than the hot wire. By separating the ground and neutral you shouldn't have any voltage or current on the ground wire so, you shouldn't get shocked from the appliance's frame.

If you have a choice of a 3-prong or a 4-prong receptacle, I highly recommend the 4-prong. If you change to a 4-prong receptacle, when changing your appliance cord, be sure to remove the strap or green wire that connects the neutral terminal of the appliance to the frame. This step is extremely important when changing from a 3-wire cord to a 4-wire cord to prevent electrical shocks.

If you need further assistance, please visit -

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i would keep the outlet as is in the wall and get a cord to fit your dryer or welder or whatever it is your trying to hook up. newer homes have the 4 prong outlet to satisfy code requirements the extra prong is a ground on older homes you have a 3 prong in the wall which is basically 2 hots and a neutral grounds werent required then. it really doesnt matter because your neutral and ground are bonded together at your meter so you still have an effective ground ............HEY SPARKY do you have a meter so you can check those orange and brown wires out those might be neutral and a ground not the normal coloring but in 1954 they did stuff different. if this is a house its not 3 phase,,,dude call an electrician over to check it out dont try and get answers from all the 12 yr olds in here.

A 3 prong is normally single phase. A 4 prong plug or outlet is a 3 pase circuit

The old range was hardwired with 3 wires, a ground, two hot.

And the new wire will be hardwired with 4 wires, a neutral, two hot and a ground..

Either way you wire it up will depend upon your prefrence, just make sure each end match( the plug and the wall receptical) so that you do not have to cut any thing off promoting a risk of fire hazzard from a short.

convinced, you may want to do it. verify community electric powered code to work out if you're allowed to do it or if it calls for an approved professional. also verify on if you're required to get a allow and inspection by using city, county etc. the single section that would want to require a professional is even as the wires run from the crawl area up right into a wall. The wires are little doubt fixed to the wall stud and may want to't be actual pulled out. even with the certainty that you do, please study up on electric powered wiring so that you do not burn the position down. also, make confident you've each and every of the flexibility close off for the position earlier reducing into it. $3000 appears like it might want to be a extremely confusing pastime.

at risk of over-simplyfying things

put the 4 prong plug in 4 prong socket

put the 3 prong plug in 3 prong socket

I never heard of 4 prong on UK (you are on UK arent you?) domestic, but then, what would I know.

ps its been 220v since about '95

3 phase in a house?? no you dont have 3 phase. you have a 4 wire( 2 hots, neutral, ground)

Are you counting the ground wire?

If you are then red and black go to the red and black go to the +/-hot

pins, white goes to neutral the bare ground goes to the outlet box itself if its metal or to the chasis or ground wire of the appliance.

Yep 3 phase, better pay attention to what you are doing.

ask your father