Topic: any electric dryer repairmen out there?

[MoMo]

I have a relatively new Sears Kenmore Elite dryer that was in the house when I moved in.  The other day I dried a load, put in the next and when I checked a half hour later clothes were wet     I pulled the heating element and found continuity across the two terminals plus it visually looks perfect.  I then checked for voltage at the two feed wires, nothing.  I pulled two devices off the top of the blower chamber(one looks like it could be a fuse and the other some sort of thermocouple).  Fuse looking thing read continuity and the other thing read 16.0 on the 20k scale.  I took the latter device to an appliance repair shop and he said it is not my problem.   Any thoughts?

I have the opportuniity to buy a $700 Samsung from work(Home Depot) for 330.

thanks for looking...Larry

[goldarrow]

330 sounds like a great deal.

Never had issues with dryer, but had circuits board in the washer panel died on me, hella expensive.  Must have been over $400 after repaired, parts and labor.  Could have been way much cheaper if I knew what the problem was to begin with

[faux fiddy]

A friend was talking about helping a true idiot out the other day. His wiring was set to where he was using 110 to tun a 220 dryer (not sure of these potentially dangerous details) but one half of the circuit blew out/or failed and left just one 110 half that powered the motor but wouldn't power the element.

(Now you say okay, I won't do what idiots do until I check.)

The guy goes for a purchasing  different  one, and get it back to the house and it does the same thing, but he still doesn't get it. 

Oh yeah, to answer no, 'm not usually a dryer repair man, but I would bust one apart before I got a new one.

[fmctm1sw]

You probably know this but sometimes there's a schematic diagram folded up behind there somewhere. 

[demon78]

Simple checks, with out clothes turn it on high for 1-2 minutes  open door put your hand in and feel the drum if there is heat then it's really rare to have heating side components be flaky, check then to see if the vent outlet is passing air it could be lint build up, it could be a kink in the flex line. Those are the first things to check before you take anything to pieces, occasionally  you'll get a thermo-disc that is weak and and an element that goes to ground half way along it's length but that's rare and you can get a wire that's short to ground with just the right resistance that it doesn't pop a fuse or breaker and also after the first checks take a multi meter and check that you've got 220 to the terminal block but be damm careful  220 is not much fun.
Bill the demon.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Been a while but there are temperature sensors involved. High temp, etc not sure of what. Controller? Sensors? Motor is working, heating element has continuity. It's a very simple machine. Don't give up (unless you just want to get that bargain).

Fiddy brings up a good point too. If your dryer is in fact 220V then it is running off 2 X 110V circuits. One side tripped/bad breaker? Check your outlet for 110 from both legs.

[MoMo]

A friend was talking about helping a true idiot out the other day. His wiring was set to where he was using 110 to tun a 220 dryer (not sure of these potentially dangerous details) but one half of the circuit blew out/or failed and left just one 110 half that powered the motor but wouldn't power the element.

(Now you say okay, I won't do what idiots do until I check.)

The guy goes for a purchasing  different  one, and get it back to the house and it does the same thing, but he still doesn't get it. 

Oh yeah, to answer no, 'm not usually a dryer repair man, but I would bust one apart before I got a new one.

That is a thought.  I did not mention that the motor spins fine and the dryer has worked well for over two years....Larry

[MoMo]

330 sounds like a great deal.

Never had issues with dryer, but had circuits board in the washer panel died on me, hella expensive.  Must have been over $400 after repaired, parts and labor.  Could have been way much cheaper if I knew what the problem was to begin with

I know if I cannot fix it cheaply it would probably cost close to 330 to get someone out, repair and install whatever is wrong.

[MoMo]

You probably know this but sometimes there's a schematic diagram folded up behind there somewhere. 

Haven't seen one unfortunately...

[Steve F]

Just finished up repairing a Kenmore GAS dryer, not familiar really with the all Electric version, but there are sensors that sense the heat output that are critical to the proper operation.  Quite a while ago, the sensors on the my gas dryer got coated with a film that was the result of using dryer sheets.  This coating was enough to trigger an over heating of the sensors and it would shut down the burner.  Make sure these sensors are clean and free of contaminants.  Be sure the exhaust is clean and not obstructed too.  Dryer fires are all too common.
oh, and don't use dryer sheets. 

[MoMo]

Simple checks, with out clothes turn it on high for 1-2 minutes  open door put your hand in and feel the drum if there is heat then it's really rare to have heating side components be flaky, check then to see if the vent outlet is passing air it could be lint build up, it could be a kink in the flex line. Those are the first things to check before you take anything to pieces, occasionally  you'll get a thermo-disc that is weak and and an element that goes to ground half way along it's length but that's rare and you can get a wire that's short to ground with just the right resistance that it doesn't pop a fuse or breaker and also after the first checks take a multi meter and check that you've got 220 to the terminal block but be damm careful  220 is not much fun.
Bill the demon.

Thanks Bill, the motor does spin the drum just no voltage on the two wires that feed the heating element.

[MoMo]

Been a while but there are temperature sensors involved. High temp, etc not sure of what. Controller? Sensors? Motor is working, heating element has continuity. It's a very simple machine. Don't give up (unless you just want to get that bargain).

Fiddy brings up a good point too. If your dryer is in fact 220V then it is running off 2 X 110V circuits. One side tripped/bad breaker? Check your outlet for 110 from both legs.

I'll go down and check breaker and then voltage feed. 

[MoMo]

Just finished up repairing a Kenmore GAS dryer, not familiar really with the all Electric version, but there are sensors that sense the heat output that are critical to the proper operation.  Quite a while ago, the sensors on the my gas dryer got coated with a film that was the result of using dryer sheets.  This coating was enough to trigger an over heating of the sensors and it would shut down the burner.  Make sure these sensors are clean and free of contaminants.  Be sure the exhaust is clean and not obstructed too.  Dryer fires are all too common.
oh, and don't use dryer sheets. 

Are those the sensors that are in the blower housing that I mentioned?

[eigenvector]

I have one of those dryers.  Mine broke a while back, wouldn't start when you pushed the button.  Learned the hard way how to take it all apart, what controlled what, and how it worked on a basic level.  Helps that I'm a mechanical engineer.

Can you confirm that the heater element actually works?  As in, when you start the dryer is it heating up?  Should be immediately obvious - mine got red hot after about 10 seconds.

Any number of reasons why it wouldn't be drying, but before you start replacing stuff, Google it - I found that there are tons of people who have asked every conceivable question about those dryers.  If you do decide the fix it, the refurbish kit is reasonably cheap (like 30 bucks) and quick and easy to install - includes rollers, drive belt.

[MoMo]

I have one of those dryers.  Mine broke a while back, wouldn't start when you pushed the button.  Learned the hard way how to take it all apart, what controlled what, and how it worked on a basic level.  Helps that I'm a mechanical engineer.

Can you confirm that the heater element actually works?  As in, when you start the dryer is it heating up?  Should be immediately obvious - mine got red hot after about 10 seconds.

Any number of reasons why it wouldn't be drying, but before you start replacing stuff, Google it - I found that there are tons of people who have asked every conceivable question about those dryers.  If you do decide the fix it, the refurbish kit is reasonably cheap (like 30 bucks) and quick and easy to install - includes rollers, drive belt.

I can confirm via a voltmeter that there is not any voltage at the two wires to the heating element, motor spins fine







these are the two items I referred to earlier , first looks like a fuse to me and the second seems like a thermocouple....Larry

[eigenvector]

First one is indeed a fuse and does fail.  Don't recall what the test condition is, but again - Google is your friend here.  They're pretty cheap if I recall.  If it isn't getting power at the heater, then it might be that fuse.  At least start there.  May not be the fuse or the thermocouple but I doubt it.  The electronics inside the dryer are probably unchanged since the early 1980's.

[1080]

Troubleshoot tip.
If you use ground as reference for your AC volt meter you could see which side of the 220 VAC is at fault ( you will be measuring only 120VAC, half of the circuit ), and trace it back thru your sensors and fuse.
Be careful when measuring AC.
Beware of safety panel switches that may be there for the untrained safety.
Good luck.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Here, this guy says he doesn't give a #$%* but he's a real person and goes over all the things you should check.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZY9CQ_CqvY

[70CB750]

First one is indeed a fuse and does fail.  Don't recall what the test condition is, but again - Google is your friend here.  They're pretty cheap if I recall.  If it isn't getting power at the heater, then it might be that fuse.  At least start there.  May not be the fuse or the thermocouple but I doubt it.  The electronics inside the dryer are probably unchanged since the early 1980's.

That^^^

I had an old Sears drier stop drying too and it was the one time only overheat fuse.  Git new one for under 10 backs, it was harder to find place that sells them than to replace it.

[demon78]

MoMO the one that looks like a fuse I don't know but other looks like a thermo-disc you if you get to the right spot can buy them in steps of 5 degrees F from about 95 to say 200+ F I used to pack them by the most common temps, the one you show looks like it lost it's protective dome/cap I think the last time I bought one it cost me $2.50 any how let me know what you find or send me a model # and I'll look up a diagram as a thought with the power off check for continuity between the wires that feed the temp discs and then to ground the secound most common thing I would find is a burned wire.
Bill the demon.

[City Boy]

Hi.I have experienced the no heat but drum turns issue.I cleaned all the connections at the timer assembly and fixed the issue.Machne is a 1965 Kenmore.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Just finished up repairing a Kenmore GAS dryer, not familiar really with the all Electric version, but there are sensors that sense the heat output that are critical to the proper operation.  Quite a while ago, the sensors on the my gas dryer got coated with a film that was the result of using dryer sheets.  This coating was enough to trigger an over heating of the sensors and it would shut down the burner.  Make sure these sensors are clean and free of contaminants.  Be sure the exhaust is clean and not obstructed too.  Dryer fires are all too common.
oh, and don't use dryer sheets. 

Yep, dryer sheets (make the temp sensors go bad) and clogged exhaust are common failures.

[faux fiddy]

check then to see if the vent outlet is passing air it could be lint build up, it could be a kink in the flex line.

+1  I Just heard of that happening last night talking about this.

[MoMo]

Hi.I have experienced the no heat but drum turns issue.I cleaned all the connections at the timer assembly and fixed the issue.Machne is a 1965 Kenmore.

You mean the control in the upper panel? 

[Don R]

 While I was reading this my dryer dinged I got up to get my wifes work clothes out and sure as he77 the clothes are cold and damp. LOL jinxed again.