Anything wrong with this picture.

So how many things are wrong with this picture lol. Lesson learned never allow a sloppy electrician to do ANYTHING.

Cleaned it up restripped clamped connectors properly and my dryer is now getting a steady good 220 volts and drying like a champ.

 

Is that arcing?Yikes!

 

No, this is arcing.

 

Thats OVERLOAD

 

Never heard or smelled the familiar wire smoke/arc far as I can tell and remember it never popped the breaker. I cleaned up the wiring made sure I didn't have excess copper and terminal blocks were screwed down securely and have run it at least 4 times since with no issue. Took cover off and all looks good inside now. Thinking at some point either the terminal block was clamped down on jacket wire slipped or red had a nick in jacket and it got a little to close and friendly with the terminal for the white wire.

 

That has the look of a loose connection. I don't think the screw was tightened securely, or the wire wasn't in the right place when tightened down. If the red wire touched the white wire, there would have been a big bang, sparks flying ,black smoke and the breaker would most likely be tripped.

 

Yeah well that's no longer an issue. Tight and clean. Just how I like my women.

 

Wire looks too small for a dryer, but probably just the photo perspective. #10 copper is the minimum size for a 30A circuit. When outlet connections heat up, they loose their plug clamping ability. You can see the change between blade clamps in the photo. Right clamp is slightly sprung, won't have the correct tension any more. I would change the outlet and maybe the cord to the dryer, especially if it has a molded-on plug, where you can't see the connections. At least one plug blade was overheated for sure. Check everything in the circuit, with the dryer running, with an IR gun, to see if anything else is heating up. Drywall screws would be flagged by an inspector.
I found a defective dryer plug/cord assembly with my IR gun just a few weeks ago. Chinese junk, not uncommon. Replaced the plug with a quality Hubbell 4-wire. Their residential grade isn't expensive, same as their commercial grade inside, serviceable.

 

Thanks invaluable tips and info there. And yeah I have concerns and may end up running a new line and outlet. I've checked multiple times over the course of the last week or two since I fixed the immediate issues and no signs of any issues heat connection or otherwise.

I kinda inherited the place and a lot of the work on the "guts" were fixed and updated prior to my getting the place. Me I'd have gutted and built but the fiance grew up in the house.