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    13ollocks's Avatar
    13ollocks Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 7, 2008, 02:04 PM
    Tripping dryer breaker - faulty dryer or breaker?
    Our electric dryer is connected to a dedicated 240 V circuit (two linked 30 A breakers). It has tripped a couple of times. The last time, every time I tried to restart the dryer, the breaker would trip. In an effort to isolate the problem, I tried starting the dryer with the heat off, and about 50% of the time it would go on and continue to run (other times, it would trip the breaker). Once the drum is rotating, I find that I can turn on the heat and the dryer runs normally. At first I thought the problem was the dryer, but I'm wondering if the problem isn't the breaker. I imagine that there is a spike in electrical load when the motor tries to get the drum started, and coupled with the big load of the heat coming on at the same time, this may be sufficient to trip the breaker. By getting the drum rolling first before turning on the heat, I may be keeping the peak load below what trips the breaker. However, this isn't what should be happening - the breaker should be able to stand me just switching the dryer on, regardless of whether the heat is on or not, no? Thanks in advance. DC.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #2

    Jul 7, 2008, 02:15 PM
    An Amprobe will tell the amount of Amps it is drawing. If the wires on the Dryer breaker are loose they will heat up the breaker and trip as well as a corroded or burnt buss, the breaker plugs onto. With no meters, A new breaker would be best(cheapest, fastest, safest).
    lmangileri's Avatar
    lmangileri Posts: 211, Reputation: 11
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    #3

    Jul 11, 2008, 05:29 AM
    What gauge wire do you have running behind the wall and how far is your dryer from the breaker?
    13ollocks's Avatar
    13ollocks Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #4

    Jul 11, 2008, 10:52 AM
    The 240 v outlet is ~25 ft from the breaker - I think it's 10 ga. Cable. I noticed when I pulled the plug that the "electrician" who installed the outlet had taken a pair of pliers to the "L" section earth pin, straightening it out so it would fit into the straight earth hole in the receptacle. The plug will need replacing. But anyway, the other thing was that when I got the dryer going (by starting it without heat and then turning on the heat when the drum was up and rolling) the machine got crazy hot - there was a brown scorch mark on the back of the cabinet - I touched it to see how hot it was, and I sizzled - hot plate hot. So, I shut it off and called a dryer tech. He replaced the control thermostat, but the other thing we noticed is that a piece of metal (a bra underwire) had escaped from the drum and managed to short out the temperature control - one end had welded itself to one of the contacts (connected directly to the power supply) and the other end was intermittantly touching the drum (charred spot in the felt between the drum and the rest of the machine). We think it's possible that the underwire was somehow bypassing the temperature adjustment/control and feeding current directly to the heating element - which may explain tripping the breaker and the uncontrolled heating. Anyway, removing the underwire and replacing the control thermostat appears to have fixed the problem - the dryer starts up without tripping the breaker and the heater cycles normally. Thanks everyone for the replies (and dry your bras in a bag!). DC.
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #5

    Jul 11, 2008, 01:48 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by 13ollocks
    (and dry your bras in a bag!).
    Excuse me?? How did you know?
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #6

    Jul 11, 2008, 01:56 PM
    Bras always seem to get in the way or cause problems. Glad you got it fixed.
    Washington1's Avatar
    Washington1 Posts: 798, Reputation: 36
    Senior Member
    		  
    #7

    Jul 11, 2008, 02:35 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Stratmando
    Bras always seem to get in the way or cause problems. Glad you got it fixed.
    No comment!:D :eek:
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