Our ten year old electric dryer isn't working. The light inside comes on, but nothing happens when we push the button to start drying.
A month or two ago, one of the two power fuses blew. Replacing the fuse got the dryer working again. This time, neither fuse is blown, and 240 volts is being supplied to the cable going to the dryer.
What is the most like culprit? The heating element?
Thanks, Art Harris
Does it have a fluff setting? Will the drum turn on that setting?
Likely not the heating element. Even if it's bad, drum should turn.
If you hear no noise at all when you push the button, I would suspect either the loading door switch is bad or the units start relay behind the button. There is a possibility that a 240v. incoming power wire burnt off of the junction block inside the Dryer and/or it is not making good contact. If youre going to start pulling your Dryer apart to troubleshoot it, be sure and unplug it first. Give us an update in this thread, once its fixed.
Quite recently my Whirlpool oldish dryer did the same thing (would NOT start). I disassembled the console and took the timer apart. The contacts in the timer assembly were both dirty and not tensioned. So I used circuit/contact cleaner on them and tweaked them with pliers. Then a test and all worked well again. Of course, the unit was unplugged during this repair.
A replacement timer was listed at $189 and at the age of the dryer the part wouldn't be worth it. But I got it going for zero cost.
Try wiggling the timer shaft to see if that makes a different. If that starts it, then try my method.
Good luck.
Door safety switch comes to mind. Also, there are a couple thermal cut outs inside, on top of the drum and along the air flow. Not sure if they would cut out the drum motor, also. Or just the heat.
Drum motor runs on 120V in most cases, have you put a voltmeter on the drum motor leads???
At ten years I'd bet on the belt having broken. With no tension on the belt the dafety switch shuts everything down except the light.
About a $17 part and a half hour of work.
Art Harris wrote in news:30a15bbf-b58b-4686-a563- snipped-for-privacy@v23g2000pro.googlegroups.com:
Unplug the dryer before doing anything. There's 220v there.
Poke around Google for Thermal Fuse. They are very often the culpret. Can be tested with a continuity tester. Also, once you remove it you can MOMENTARILY tie the two leads that go to the thermal fuse together and try the dryer. Just momentarily though! A few seconds. If there is a fault that caused it to blow (vs just a worn out fuse), you could do more damage to the dryer including fire.
Of course, another common cause is the door switch.
A month or two ago, one of the two power fuses blew. Replacing the fuse got the dryer working again. This time, neither fuse is blown, and 240 volts is being supplied to the cable going to the dryer.
_________________
You got it! My son and I got the dryer open enough to see that the belt was broken. Then I ordered the belt and a "Do It Yourself" manual from Sears.
It was more than a half hour of work for us (a lot of disassembly), but we got it working again. Don't think we could have done it without the manual. If it happens again in another ten years I'll be ready!
Thanks to all who helped.
Art Harris
Thanks for telling us the result:-))
The first one took me a bit longer than a half hour too - but the second and third time considerably less.
Hi, How nice of you, giving us feedback. Thanks.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.