The other day I heard a popping noise that sounded a lot like an electrical circuit arcing. I had checked out all the outlets and found it to be the outlet for my dryer (it's a 3 wire plug). I turned off the breaker and inspected both the outlet and the cord. The cord had some scorching and partially melted the plug. I had replaced the plug and tried again. The outlet poped again. I'm not sure if this is being caused by the plug or a problem with the dryer. I have turned the breaker on with nothing plugged into the outlet and there is no popping. I live in a rental and will have to pay a maintenance fee if they come out and it's not the plug. Could my dryer be going out or is it diffently a problem with the plug?

With a multimeter check for continuity between the ground and each hot leg of the plug. If you find that you have continuity between the hot and a hot, remove the cord from the dryer. Check for continuity again. If you have still continuity you have a defective cord. If you do not have continuity do the same check at the dryer terminal screws. If you have continuity there, you have something grounding out in the dryer. Remove the back of the dryer and disconnect the heating element. Check for continuity again. Check heating element for continuity between each terminal and the frame of the heating element. You could have a heating element that has burned into and one side is touching the frame.

Also check for continuity between the terminals of the heating element. You should have continuity between the two terminals.