My dryer won’t heat. I have been trying to repair my Whirlpool dryer and it’s a bit frustrating. I thought I had it fixed on Sunday but by Tuesday it stopped heating again. The frustrating part is that all of the fuses/thermostats show continuity both before I replaced them and after. I changed the cycling thermostat, thermal fuse, thermal cut off and the high limit themostat. I changed the first 3 on Sunday before I received the high limit thermostat. I thought I fixed it because it was heating again but by last night it had stopped heating again . I then replaced the high limit themostat but still no heat. Is it possible that the high limit themostat was making the thermal cut off or one of the others blow? Again it’s hard to know which ones because the all show continuity. Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED! !!!
Have you tested the heating element for continuity. Also check to see if the heating element has shorted out again the wall of the heating can/chamber.
Check for continuity from both sides of the heating element and the metal can.
Find results and report back to us.
I have checked the heating element for continuity. It was 10.6 I believe. I checked it while it was connected and I took it out and checked it. This is why I am wondering if the element or one of the other fuses/thermostats can show continuity while they are cool but lose continuity when it gets hot.
Did you check to see if the element was shorted out against the wall of the heating chamber?
Have you rechecked the thermostats and fuses?
No one doesn’t cause the other to blow, each thermostat monitors the space where its located.
First let me say thank you so much for your help! When you ask if I’ve checked against the wall of the heating chamber, do you just mean on the inside where the wires are? Also, after pulling it out again I see some "burnt marks" on the metal by the coils…is this a bad sign? My dryer gradually stopped heating, it wasn’t all at once. And after I changed the thermal cut off, cycling thermostat, and thermal fuse (on Sunday) it worked for a few loads. Could a element going bad do all of this and still show continuity? I am attaching several pics…please let me know if I am doing anything wrong. Thanks again!!!
Here are the pics…Thanks!
First of all great pictures and good job so far.
Now as for checking to see if there is a short, in the third and fifth pictures where you are checking the element, take one of the leads and touch the metal case that houses the element while still holding the other lead against one of the two element posts. Then do the same for the other other post. If you get a reading then this means your element is touching the metal case.
Secondly I notice in the pictures you are missing the high limit thermostat that should be next to the element posts. Is that just not installed or is it burnt out?
Finally you said something that caught my attention, when you said it gradually stopped heating. Do you mean that you actually noticed the temperature reducing over a period of days / weeks or was it just that it was taking longer and longer to dry your clothes, until one day it wouldn’t heat at all?
Thanks! I’m trying:)
I forgot to take a picture of the high limit thermostat before I removed the element. I did bring all of the parts and multi meter to work with me so I will send you a pic of it (which is brand new) and try what you suggested with the element.
The dryer started taking longer to dry. At first I thought maybe the washer didn’t spin out enough) but then it would be ok. It was over a period of a couple months that it got worse and then it wouldn’t heat at all. I had cleaned out the vents (inside and out) and cleaned out the inside of the dryer. After that I purchased the multi meter and started testing parts and outlets. They all seem to have continuity and power to the dryer was good. After a couple months I went ahead and started buying new fuses/thermostats. Sunday I replaced everything but the high limit and the element. Worked for 2 loads and then on Tuesday wouldn’t dry again. I replaced the high limit on Tuesday but still no heat.
Sorry…I know I’m repeating myself.
more pics:)
Ok so all looks good.
No short in the element and it has continuity.
All of the thermostats, fuses and cut offs have continuity.
Based on that putting it back together it should heat up.
Having said that lets go over whats happening now. You said Tuesday after replacing the high limit therm you had no heat. So I imagine you turned the unit on any high heat cycle and felt the air coming from the exhaust to find it was cold?
Secondly when you say you cleaned the vents inside and out does that include the entire run of duct-work from the wall to outside the house as well as the louver on the outside wall or roof wherever it exits?
I replaced the cut off, thermal fuse and cycling on sunday. I hadn’t received the hi limit in the mail yet so I just tried it with the old one. Dryer heated. Dryer stopped heating 2 loads later. That was on Tuesday and I had the high limit by then so I replaced it but still no heat. All of the parts are brand new besides the element.
I took the back off and cleaned all of that out.I Went Outside and made sure that was clear and I completely replaced the foil "hose" with a metal one.
How far is your exhaust on the outside of the house from the laundry room?
Is the vent on an outside wall where it simply goes thru the wall or is it a longer distance to the outside using ducting to get there?
The point I’m getting at is your symptoms lead me to believe there is a clog in the vent system somewhere.
There is a hose(duct) that goes from the dryer and then to the outside wall and straight out.
Is there any other place in the dryer I should be looking? I took off the back and cleaned all around in that area
Ok when you cleaned it was there a lot of lint build up?
After you reassemble the machine leave the slinky tube (transition hose) off the exhaust of the machine and run an air only cycle. Then see is the exhaust is blowing good and strong. if so reattach the transition hose and go outside to compare is you have about the same amount of air moving. If it seems that there may be a lack of air moving two things might still be an issue.
- there is a significant lint build up on the fan blades and needs to be cleaned
- people who use fabric softener sheets may find a couple covering the air outlet located inside the back right area of the drum. I’ve seen them almost melted over the air outlet preventing air flow.
Now if the air does seem to be moving very strong, test for heat and then for cycling heat.
A homeowner can do this by simply taking a meat thermometer sticking it into the transition hose about 6 to 12 inches past the exhaust and watching for temp increase. The temperature should increase to around 165º but no higher than 180º. It should then cool down to around 130º before cycling back up.
Ok so…now it’s looking like it might be the timer…if I’m testing it correctly. Looking online there are several combinations of wires/prongs to test depending on the dryer model. Do I take the wires off and test them or the prongs that the wires were on? Example: red and black wires connect to A and C prongs.
Thanks
Ps…prongs=terminals 
It appears that it was the timer. I took it to someone to fix it. When he opened it up he said it didn’t look bad and that might not be the problem. He did show me a part that was a bit burnt.
I took it home and put it back on (along with all of the new fuses/thermostats) and it’s been working for over a week!