Tumble dryer conked out

Are you missing a cat?

Er, no. BTW, I've just discovered it's a condensing 1997 model if that makes any difference...

Sounds to me like the belt has broken, ten years is about the right life if it gets a reasonable amount of use. Normally fairly easy to find spares, replacement a bit fiddly but not too difficult.

Cursitor Doom explained :

Most likely failed capacitors on the main PCB, if the deterioration has been gradual.

When you've had a look you can tell us.

NT

I've got most of the casing off now so can have a much better gander at the innards. The belt's fine and the motor and drum turn freely. Well they do now since I removed about two and a half carrier bag fulls of fluff from the workings!

Could certainly be. Once I'd got the top lid off I was able to see that a component across the mains input had failed spectacularly with a lot of charring around it in the immediate area. It appears to be a high pass filter from its markings, although I'm not sure wtf one of those would be doing in a tumble dryer. Whatever it is it failed open, btw. I've cut it out and remade the surrounding charred connections and now there's a ticking noise in addition to the purring and a relay somewhere is clicking reasurringly. Still no joy on seeing any action from the heater or motor, though, so I'm wondering if the failure of the device across the input may have damaged something further down the line...

Ta for that, F. I'll take a butcher's later.

That is a mains filter.

I was thinking failed electrolytics, on the main PCB.

Sussed it! The purring noise was the clue. After all the fluff was out of the way I could see a tiny nylon cog vibrating. I guessed it was not making sufficient contact with another which was concealed, so pressed it back into mesh. The drum fired up immediately, covering me with yet more fluff, given the thing is now so exposed. So, I'm guessing it's not worth messing about trying to repair this part so I'll have to order a new one. Seems to be some kind of timer judging by the ticking noise, but it's right on the floor of the machine, whereas the timer knob itself is right up on the top face panel. Can anyone tell me what this clock-like device is? cheers, cd.

There is normally a thermal cutout to kill the heater if the motor and fan stop, there is often also a thermal fuse hidden in the wiring somewhere. So if there is still no power to the heater when you get the motor going, look for the thermal fuse. (Also, thermal cutouts seem to fail after five or ten years).

Some heaters also have a thermal trip, many of which are designed so you cannot reset them. However if a tiny hole is drilled where the reset button ought to be, you can reset them with a suitable implement.

That'll be the warranty timer - usually well hidden...

Oh it's well hidden alright. Buried beneath the motor and the drum. Never heard of a warranty timer, though, and a quick search throws up no hits...

It's the widget that's designed to cause the dryer to break down a week after the warranty runs out...

Why on earth would they do that? If I find any old nonsense like that in this machine I'll just bypass it/ them.

Sometimes brushes as well

Brian

Obviously, to attempt to force you to buy a replacement trip. The OEM part cost £35. The same part from other sources £10, but with a reset hole in the centre. Inside is just a bi-metal disk, which pops the wrong way when it overheats. In between the terminals of the OEM item is tiny mark, where the hole would normally be. Carefully drill a 2 or