clothes dryer not hot

[badgolferman]

My electric GE dryer doesn't seem to be using heat. It is around 17 years old as is the washer. What should I look for when I open up the back?

[RBM]

First, check that you have 240 volts on the terminals of the machine. If you do, any number of possibilities exist,including a bad element. At 17 years, you may want to put repair $$ toward a new machine

[Lawrence]

You might look for the cash you hid back there cause you need a new machine after that many years.

[Bob F]

Probably a bad heater element or thermoswitch. Or it could just be dirty. Try taking it outside and blowing all the air passages out with compressed air or a leaf blower.

Bob

[Steve Barker]

there's nothing to a dryer. So no real reason to replace it (at a cost of $300 - $1000) just because it needs a $79 element. As mentioned before, make sure you have proper electric service to the machine. Then unplug it and start taking it apart from the back. You'll find there's about a half a dozen parts that make up the entire machine, and you'll probably find the element burned out. COULD be a thermostat switch, but they are easy to check with an ohm meter.

[lp13-30]

Probably the elements, but first check that you have 240 volts to them. Obviously if you do, and they are not heating, they are bad. I doubt new elements are terribly expensive, and replacing them can be a DIY project. Dunno about your machine, but I worked on a GE dryer that was a lot older than yours. The elements were behind the drum so the drum had to be pulled out to get to them. This particular one was a major PITA because the w&d were in a little storeroom with NO room to work,(I swear i looked like the room was built around the machines), and it was during the middle of summer in S.Tx. If your machine is in a place where there is ample room to work, it shouldn't be that hard. I don't think there is anything really tricky about the job. Go for it--worse case, you screw it up and have to buy a new one anyway. Larry

[badgolferman]

There are three single post connections on the back of the drum with only one wire going to them. When not running they each have 15 VAC on them and when running they each have 120 VAC. With the wires off they all have some resistance between each other but not the same ohm value. If the element was bad wouldn't there be an open between those three connections?

There are also two other sensor type items with two wires each. One is black and has numbers on it. It has a short between the posts with the wires off. The other also has a short between the posts with the wires off.

[RBM]

On the three posts , if you connect a volt meter across the two outer posts, do you get 240 volts?

[HeyBub]

It's set on "Air" instead of "Heat?"

[Bill_Moore]

Except some machines come apart from the front...:)

[tekIQ]

Two of the dryers I have repaired have the same problem. The dryer runs but no heat. It turned out one phase of the 220v to the dryer has broken. The connector was corroded. So go buy a part ~ $1 and reconnect the phase. Kent

[tmclone]

First, make sure the vent isn't clogged with lint. A clogged vent will still allow the dryer run, but it won't heat up.

[Bill_Moore]

Actually there are several wires in a dryer that can burn off and create this condition. Check all the wires and their connections looking for loose or burnt wires. One of the 220 leads burning off is pretty common. Then the element.

[dpb]

...

Specifically, for GE, there are two clips at front to raise the top, then the front comes off w/ two screws at the top so can pull the drum to get access to the heating elements, etc...

[badgolferman]

No, there is not. But there is 120 VAC to chassis ground from each post when running and 15 VAC when not. What does that tell you?

[badgolferman]

Also the heat type selector switch toggles between 0 ohms, 33 ohms, and infinity.

[Mark Lloyd]

I had that trouble with a new dryer, and so called the store. They told me to check the electric supply. Check for 240V between the hot wires as well as 120V between either and neutral. Also, check that the exhaust isn't blocked.

[Mark Lloyd]

The problem with mine turned out to be a bad switch, which was built in to the motor (which was running).

[badgolferman]

I messed around with all the wires on the switch panel. I took them off and put them back on again. The dryer HAS started to work again. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope it was just corroded contacts. Thanks for the help you all gave.

[Bill_Moore]

Yep, if you're not sure what to do it never hurts to play with your wire...:)