aleyba
Oct 24, 2008, 10:14 AM
My Kenmore electric dryer won't heat up, how do I fix it
Flying Blue Eagle
Oct 24, 2008, 09:57 PM
Aleyba - Lets start with the easy part first, Ok - make sure the breaker is not triped,
Ifg its OK make sure that the power cord is plugged into the dfryer receptical good, Ok so far , Does the dryer work any at all, You said that it won't heat up , Lets assume that the slector switch is OK and the turn on button is OK ( we may have top come back to these
Now go to where I think the problem is at , Dio you have and know how to use a ohm meter, If you do then proceed from here , if not then you need to get someone who does
> OK turn the breaker off, pull the dryer out from the wall ,Unplug the power cord, Now use either a phillips screw driver or a 1/4 nut driver or ratchet. Take the screws oput of the back panelAnd remove it and set it aside out of the way , on the right side about a foot ofgf the bopttom is a canster like metal object , inside of it there is some wire coils and look to see if you can see any of the coils broke or burnt into, #2- check the lint screen to majke sure it is clean,#3 Get the ohm meter so we can do some checking On the Canaster where the heating element is but on the outside of it , there is a couple of relays ( none is the high temp -it cuts the dryer off in case it gets to hot, the otheer is the low heat )- { Working on one at a time _ take one wire off the high temp and clip the two leads from the ohm meter to the TWO posts and if it ( DOES NOT READ ANY THING THEN IT IS OK but if it has a high reading on the ohm meter __ REPLACE THE LIMIT SWITCH IT IS BAD } Do the same with the other one. #4 To test the heating coil- Disconnect the leads{ WIRES } that go to it ,now thae the ohm meter and touch both the wire posts, if the reading on the meter is around (( 8 and 20 ohms ,it is OK , You don't have a open circuit, If the meter reading is a lot higher , then it is defective , # 5 - take the wires off the heating element AND PUT ONE OF THE METER PROBES ON ONE OF THE POSTS ANT TOUVCH THE OTHER PROBE TO THE HEATER HOUSEING, - IF READING IS HIGH TYHEN IT IS OK BUT IF THE NEEDLE SWINGS TOWARD THE LOW END THEN IT IS GROUNDED{ BAD} :: WHEN CHECKING THE HEATING ELEMENT IF YOU Don't GET ANY READING ON THE VMETER THEN IT IS BAD< NEEDS REPLACED{ COIL IS EITHER BROKEN OR BURNT INTO ), ;; NOTE - WHEN YOU GO TO GET YOUR PARTS YOU NEED <TAKE THE :: KIND OF DRYER< THE SERIAL NUMBER < THE Model NUMBER<> THE decal with this information on it is sometimes on the front of the dryer and siometimes it is on the back panel ::
If everything checks out OK then you will have to check the thermostate, Top check it _ Disconnect both wires and using any setting but " FLUFF DRY" ON THE SELECTOR SWITCH_ PUT A METER PROBE ON EACH OF THE POSTS AND SEE THE READING IS < { IF IT READS ZERO < THERMOSTATE IS GOOD :: TO CHECK THE START SWITCH< REMOVE THE WIRES -TOUCH EACH POST WITH METER PROBES HIT THE START BUTTON < { IF THE METER READS ZERO THE START SWITCH IS OK< IF IT IOS HIGH < THE START BUTTON IS DEFECTIVE}
Now the last straw>> L:ETS CHECK THE TIMER SWITCH> TO CHECK IT TAKE ONE OF THE WIRES Off IT AND Hook both probes to the wire posts and turn the timer switch to NORMAL DRY<: IF THE METER READS ZERO THE SWITCH IS OK IF IT READS HIGH< IT IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED
I hope that I have helped you And one of these will solve your peroblem, I still think you will find it in the heating coil :: HAVE A GOOD DAY AND GOD BLESS ::F.B.E.
Let us know it turns out