Maytag Dryer not heating

Dryer Repair
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1

My electric Maytag model #LDE8420ACW (LD8420 according to the user’s guide) no longer gets hot - or even slightly warm.

It spins, and seems to know that the heater isn’t working - it kept
going for what seemed like a very long time in its usual Auto Dry setting so it seems like it KNOWS the clothes are not drying - so that must mean that at least some kind of sensor is working at least.

Switching it to manual mode where it usually gets superduper hot in mere minutes it stays ice cold so obviously there is something wrong there with the heating mechanism (?? element or some kind?? thermostat?? some kind of relay?? other part to check???).

All I’ve done so far is to start researching the problem online the past hour - on your forum for instance - from some of that reading I’ve done the simple stuff like cleaned the lint filter/intakes as best I could, no effect - I checked the outside vent and air is getting through.

I can’t get to the back of the unit tonight to take things apart and try to check things further, but will make that a project this weekend. Any advice as to what I should be looking at, and what tools/equipment are recommended to use, or even just directing me to other links discussing all of this, are greatly appreciated.

I am not an experienced repairman by any means but can usually muddle through things like this on my own and LEARN what needs to be done if someone tells/shows me. I’d like to give this my best shot first before I try calling in a repairman and spending hundreds of dollars (like I recently did for a burned out element on my hot water heater that after watching the repairman I saw that I could have replaced myself if I had known how & had the proper tools and saved over $300!!).

Also, if anyone knows of any useful diagrams or repair manuals or things like that that are on-line that correspond to this Maytag model please let me know.

3

Here is your parts breakdown
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=LDE8420ACW

Here is a service manual. It does not list your unit but has a LDE8424 which should be close
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=LDE8420ACW

You may want to open up the control console to look for the wiring diagram, if you do not have it. They like to hide it in there.

This may be unnecessary but always unplug/cut power when working on the unit. 240 volts is very dangerous.

First flip your breaker off/on slowly a couple times. Often you can loose half the line without actually tripping the breaker, depending on which side drops out the motor and timer will work (120 volts) and the heater will not (240 volts). Better yet measure it at the plug with a meter.

If the above is OK then odds are high that your heating element is open.
Remove it and check it visually OR measure it with a meter should be approximately 10 ohms.
In auto mode the timer motor gets its power from the Normally Open contacts of the Cycling Thermostat. If the heater is open the thermostat never opens so the timer motor does get any power and runs forever.
Could also be the high limit thermostat or a set of timer contacts but the heating coil is at the top of the list.

Here is a link with some good general dryer info
http://www.applianceaid.com/dryers.html

I do not know how ambitious you are but may want to give it an overhaul while you are at it. Check the following for wear and bearing slop rear support rollers, idler roller, belt, front glides and drum seals. Replace as necessary. Give the interior a good cleaning including the blower wheel.

Also clean and check your vent system.

I am off to the lake this weekend but there are many others on this forum who can help if you get stuck.

[COLOR=Blue]If you do not have a meter I would suggest you purchase one. You can get a decent digital multimeter for under $20.00. You do not need fancy though it is nice if the leads are a couple feet long.
If it saves ordering one unnecessary part it has paid for itself and you end up owning a useful tool.
Most places will not let you return electrical parts so if you order it, you own it.
A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity

  1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
  2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
  3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale’s dynamic range.

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it’s use.

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4

Fantastic Denman, THANKS for taking the time to reply.

I’m off to buy a new meter today - my old one isn’t working. Looking at the diagrams in more detail I think I am probably over my head as far as trying to get to/diagnose what part might be bad, but I want to at least give it a shot.

Your links above are the same thing though - the service manual one is the same as the parts one (?).

Guess I have to research how much repairmen charge for something like this vs. buying a new one as well (is it worth fixing a 15 yr old dryer or are the repair costs too high? i hope so but I have no idea at this point)…

5

THINK I FOUND THE PROBLEM!!! All thanks to you guys, this forum, various links with pictures etc.

After following many helpful hints on how to get to the guts of the dryer, I was able to do that fairly easily. Also I gave the whole thing a thorough vacuuming including the vent line and dryer output thingee. That had a lot of crap in it that I could not see before since I couldn’t get to the back of the unit until today.

Regarding the heating elements, I couldn’t figure out what exactly to test things with the voltmeter, or how to do it, since there are like 5 wires all connecting into it, but I could figure out how to remove the thing, so I decided to do that then have a closer look inside.

And in there, I can plainly see a coil which is completely BROKEN! I am assuming none of the other coils in this unit will work if one is broken - is that correct? I will post this question in a seperate thread in case this might get lost in here.

THANKS again!