Finally found the root cause of the Samsung heating issues

I had a similar headache with my LG dryer last winter. It started losing heat sporadically, and the temperature just wouldn't stay steady like it used to. After checking the element itself and seeing no signs of a crack, I suspected the relay that controls the power flow. The manufacturer's manual suggested swapping the entire control board, which would have cost me way too much. I decided to pull the panel and inspect the relay connection points directly. I noticed some slight scorching on the pins, which told me exactly where the problem was coming from. I bought a replacement relay assembly off a parts site and swapped it out. It took a little fiddling to get the wires seated correctly, but the whole dryer started running hot again on the first try. It wasn't the resistance reading that was off, but the relay itself had finally failed internally, causing intermittent power cuts to the heater. It was a much cheaper fix than the board replacement.

Sometimes those small contact failures can mimic much larger electrical problems if you don't check the individual components. It’s good to be able to replace one small part instead of the entire control unit.

I had a wierd issue with my Whirlpool dryer last fall. It was running, but it would just stop completley mid-cycle, even if the drum was still spinning. The heating felt intermittent and weak, wich was frustrating because the cycle time would just keep running after the failure. After reading up on the safety cutoff switches, I decided to check the terminal connections near the back of the dryer. Turns out, the spade connector leading to the power supply had corroded severely. It was a bit of a mess behind the back panel.

I ended up using a small screwdriver to gently scrape off all that green oxidation and then tightened the connection down with a wrench. It looked much cleaner and the metal was shiny again. I ran a load of towels, and it held heat and completed the whole thing without stopping. It seemed like a simple connection issue caused all the headache. It was totally unexpected that something so small could cause that kind of a massive failure in the entire unit. Next time I'll make sure to inspect the terminal blocks when I see a heating problem.

Good on ya for chasing it down to the sensor instead of just throwing parts at it. Back in the day we'd test these things with an ohmmeter and a hair dryer on low, warm the sensor up a bit and watch the needle move. If it didn't budge, you had your answer right there. Saved a lot of folks from buying elements they didn't need. Only thing I'd keep an eye on is that thermal fuse. If it ever trips again, don't just pop a new one in, find out why it went. Those things blow for a reason, usally airflow. Pull the vent hose and check for lint packed up in there. I've seen dryers run hot for years just becuase somebody never cleaned the duct out proper.

Funny how many dryer mysteries come down to one small part. Mine turned out to be airflow, the exhaust duct was packed with lint so the heat kept building up and shutting things down. A vent brush kit on a drill attachment was the thing that saved me, pulled out clumps from around the first bend I coud never reach by hand. Ran a load right after and it dried normal again for the first time in months. Worth checking the duct too if the thermistor swap ever acts up down the road, since a choked vent will cook sensors and fuses alike.