Dryer won't start~ Help

margs · September 22, 2010, 9:16am

Dryer started like normal but shut down within a few minutes and won’t restart. Dryer is not functioning at all…even the light inside isn’t working.

Cleaned inside machine and ducts, and removed several large, compacted clumps of lint and debris, tripped circuit box, checked the outlet for power with a meter, was good, Still nothing…not even the light.
Timer advances when set to timed dry but does nothing if set on auto dry. Is the machine dead, or is it possible that a new thermostat and/or thermal fuse can bring it back to life?
I have an ohm meter but I don’t know exactly where to touch. Any reading that I get…I second guess the accuracy due to my lack of skill.

Any input or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Joe_APP_Team · September 22, 2010, 2:44pm

— Begin quote from margs;278757

Dryer started like normal but shut down within a few minutes and won’t restart. Dryer is not functioning at all…even the light inside isn’t working.

Cleaned inside machine and ducts, and removed several large, compacted clumps of lint and debris, tripped circuit box, checked the outlet for power with a meter, was good, Still nothing…not even the light.
Timer advances when set to timed dry but does nothing if set on auto dry. Is the machine dead, or is it possible that a new thermostat and/or thermal fuse can bring it back to life?
I have an ohm meter but I don’t know exactly where to touch. Any reading that I get…I second guess the accuracy due to my lack of skill.

Any input or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

— End quote

Margs,

At first,

I thought you had an open thermal fuse, which would stop all power to the unit.

Then you state that after you cleaned out the unit , it still wont run , but the timer will advance in the timed dry setting.

Now I’m thinking you may have a loose or burnt connector at the terminal block, or line cord problem, since you have 220 volts at the outlet.

*** Be careful with voltage checks you could hurt yourself ***

Check for voltage at the terminal block(on the back of the dryer) :

Across the two outside terminals,220 Volts AC.

From the center terminal to each outside terminal, 120 Volts AC.

Here’s the part number for the thermal fuse kit, just in case.

[part]AP4242472[/part]

And a basic "How to use a meter" from an associate on the APP Team, that should improve your knowledge and confidence in using your meter.

http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/oven-repair-including-ranges-cooktops/4810-how-check-continuity-ohmmeter.html

Good Luck,

margs · September 22, 2010, 8:23pm

— Begin quote from margs;278848

First, let me thank you for replying! I tested the lines in the terminal block and got nothing. I re-checked the outlet just to make sure that I was doing it right. The meter set to 250V, the two outside terminals gave a reading that shot all the way across. Then, middle to outside terminals gave a reading 1/2 across. Re-checked at terminal block…nothing, from either. Could this be the problem?
I can see the part pictured with the top open. Is that the terminal fuse, and can it be checked, too? It has two red wires connected to it, one on each side.

— End quote

I did follow the instruction page for using a meter. The page with what components you can check on an electric dryer, it states that…"with appropriate wiring disconnected"…which wires are supposed to be disconnected?

Joe_APP_Team · September 22, 2010, 9:06pm

— Begin quote from margs;278881

I did follow the instruction page for using a meter. The page with what components you can check on an electric dryer, it states that…"with appropriate wiring disconnected"…which wires are supposed to be disconnected?

— End quote

Margs,

That’s just a fancy way of saying "disconnect at least one wire off the component terminals, so you don’t get a false reading.

In your case remove one wire (or both,just remember where they were or mark them) and check from the empty terminal to the other terminal on the component for a closed circuit.

Hope that helps.

margs · September 22, 2010, 9:26pm

— Begin quote from Joe / APP Team;278905

Margs,

That’s just a fancy way of saying "disconnect at least one wire off the component terminals, so you don’t get a false reading.

In your case remove one wire (or both,just remember where they were or mark them) and check from the empty terminal to the other terminal on the component for a closed circuit.

Hope that helps.

— End quote

You’re talking about testing the thermal fuse, right? About the terminal block and the earlier post…do you think that it is the problem? Can it be fixed by replacing the part?

Joe_APP_Team · September 22, 2010, 10:06pm

— Begin quote from margs;278908

You’re talking about testing the thermal fuse, right? About the terminal block and the earlier post…do you think that it is the problem? Can it be fixed by replacing the part?

— End quote

Margs,

Yes,

I was discussing, explaining the tests for the thermal fuse and hi limit thermostat, or any component that has wires attached to it(timer contacts, switch contacts, motor contacts, etc.)

Yes, I’m 99.9% sure, you need a new line cord per my previous post.

With the cord plugged into the outlet and power is on.

From the middle terminal to either outside terminal you should read 120 Volts AC

From outside terminal to the other outside terminal, you should read 220 Volts AC.

If you have proper voltage at the outlet, but no voltage at the terminal block, you have a bad line cord and no power to the dryer, so it won’t start/run.

Is this a better explanation ?

margs · September 22, 2010, 11:46pm

— Begin quote from Joe / APP Team;278920

Margs,

Yes,

I was discussing, explaining the tests for the thermal fuse and hi limit thermostat, or any component that has wires attached to it(timer contacts, switch contacts, motor contacts, etc.)

Yes, I’m 99.9% sure, you need a new line cord per my previous post.

With the cord plugged into the outlet and power is on.

From the middle terminal to either outside terminal you should read 120 Volts AC

From outside terminal to the other outside terminal, you should read 220 Volts AC.

If you have proper voltage at the outlet, but no voltage at the terminal block, you have a bad line cord and no power to the dryer, so it won’t start/run.

Is this a better explanation ?

— End quote

Oh my God…I thought I was supposed to disconnect power before checking. I feel really stupid but please don’t give up on me.

Okay, while unit is plugged in the terminal block and the outlet are both fine, meter gives a good reading for both. Back to square one.

Next I’ll check the thermal fuse and other components. I set meter to RX1 and zero’d the mark all the way to the right using the ohm knob. Is dryer plugged or unplugged while testing? I must sound like an idiot but its better to be safe than sorry.

Joe_APP_Team · September 23, 2010, 1:36pm

— Begin quote from margs;278943

Oh my God…I thought I was supposed to disconnect power before checking. I feel really stupid but please don’t give up on me.

Okay, while unit is plugged in the terminal block and the outlet are both fine, meter gives a good reading for both. Back to square one.

Next I’ll check the thermal fuse and other components. I set meter to RX1 and zero’d the mark all the way to the right using the ohm knob. Is dryer plugged or unplugged while testing? I must sound like an idiot but its better to be safe than sorry.

— End quote

Margs,

OK,

So you’ve re checked the voltage at the terminal block and had 220 volts across the two outside terminals, and 120 volts from the center terminal to both outside terminals, Correct ?

OK,

Now the remainder of the circuit checks, will be made with NO voltage to the machine, UNPLUG the power cord from the outlet.

Remember to remove at least one wire off of the component you test, so you don’t get a false reading. and check the circuit.

If the component is good (closed circuit) your meter needle will go all the way to the right side of the scale, if it does not move(open circuit) you have a bad component and will need to replace that part.

Yes, it is best to be SAFE than SORRY,
So don’t worry about what things sound like, I don’t want to get you hurt either …

margs · September 23, 2010, 6:35pm

I checked the all the wiring in the control panel with my meter and everything seems okay.
The wires at the light switch…starts with 1 white wire that leads to the component, then white wire and a pink wire on other side. So, from the side with both the pink and the white wire…I took off the white wire and tested it and got a good reading, and put it back on. Took the pink wire off and tested it but got nothing.
I think the pink wire leads to the cylinder light, but the light bulb doesn’t work either. It failed along with the rest of the unit. So far, that was the only wire that gave no reading at all.

Did I do the test right? If so, could that pink wire cause this problem?

Joe_APP_Team · September 23, 2010, 8:01pm

— Begin quote from margs;279275

I checked the all the wiring in the control panel with my meter and everything seems okay.
The wires at the light switch…starts with 1 white wire that leads to the component, then white wire and a pink wire on other side. So, from the side with both the pink and the white wire…I took off the white wire and tested it and got a good reading, and put it back on. Took the pink wire off and tested it but got nothing.
I think the pink wire leads to the cylinder light, but the light bulb doesn’t work either. It failed along with the rest of the unit. So far, that was the only wire that gave no reading at all.

Did I do the test right? If so, could that pink wire cause this problem?

— End quote

Margs,

Did you activate and de-activate the door switch ?

With the door closed or the switch button pressed in, you should read a closed circuit from white to white, and an open circuit white to pink .

With the door open, or the switch button out, you should read a closed circuit between white and pink.and an open circuit white to white.

If you have a bad door switch, or open thermo fuse, that would keep the dryer from starting , and could explain why the drum light won’t work(unless you’re sure it burnt out before the start problem occurred).

From here , we start doing timer circuit and live voltage checks and jumps on components, until we get this thing to run.

Later,

margs · September 24, 2010, 1:07am

With the door closed, white on white gave a reading 3/4 the way across. White on red wire did nothing at all. The bulb was not burnt out prior to this problem. It went out when unit shut down, and I can’t tell by looking at the bulb if its burnt. Can I test the bulb or component?
One other thing, the thermal fuse has 2 red wire (1 per side), each lead to a white component (fuse??), Then looks like raw wires that lead to coils. My question is how do I test that? Do I need to unscrew it and take it out or just pull one side of the red wire out?

Joe_APP_Team · September 24, 2010, 2:06pm

— Begin quote from margs;279403

With the door closed, white on white gave a reading 3/4 the way across. White on red wire did nothing at all. The bulb was not burnt out prior to this problem. It went out when unit shut down, and I can’t tell by looking at the bulb if its burnt. Can I test the bulb or component?
One other thing, the thermal fuse has 2 red wire (1 per side), each lead to a white component (fuse??), Then looks like raw wires that lead to coils. My question is how do I test that? Do I need to unscrew it and take it out or just pull one side of the red wire out?

— End quote

Margs,

Sure sounds like a bad door switch,

[part]AP4242466[/part]

With the door closed the needle should have swung all the way over to the right on the white to white test.

And the same results(needle all the way to the right) white to red with the door open.

Yes, you can test the drum light filament,

Remove the light bulb(push down slightly and twist 1/2 way to the left and bulb tabs will release from bulb holder, and lift out.

On the bottom of the brass bulb fitting, you’ll see two gray colored dots,

Put your meter leads on the dots and you should get a closed circuit(needle all the way to the right) if the bulb is good.

Yes, you are correct in the way you want to test the fuse and thermostat(s), remove one wire from the component and check for a circuit across the two terminal, then re connect the wire and move on to the component.

The large white ceramic piece with the two bare wires, is NOT the fuse,

It is the insulator for the heater element, and you can also test that for a circuit as well.

Just like the other components, remove the red wire, test for a closed circuit across the two terminals, then each terminal to the metal case for an open circuit(needle should not move), if you read a circuit from the terminal the the metal case, you’ve got a shorted element,

But I don’t think you’ll find a shorted element, it has little or nothing to do with your no start problem.

Keep in touch,

margs · September 24, 2010, 11:31pm

— Begin quote from Joe / APP Team;279647