Hi.
This site was instrumental in helping me to get my Whirlpool dryer heating again. I wound up replacing the hi limit thermostat and thermal fuse. Since I had the dryer apart, I also replaced the drum belt and the drum gasket. Cleaned it out well and voila, the dryer heated perfectly.
The only thing that did not work after putting everything back together was the timer, which honestly wasn’t a big deal at all. That was about 6 months ago, and now the dryer isn’t heating again. Is it possible the parts I replaced went bad, or could it be the heating element?
I spent almost $60.00 on the last repair, and even though that’s probably more than the dryer is worth, it’s in very clean, excellent condition, so I wouldn’t mind having to spend an additional fifty bucks or so to get it heating again. Thanks.
One reason that a dryer will fail in a relatively short time is due to poor air flow. This can be caused by clogged vent ducting and/or roof vent cap. It could also be a result of a kinked, crimped transition hose (the hose between the back of your dryer and the wall).
Your dryer needs to move approximately 120 cubic feet of air per minute to remove excess heat and water vapor. Most vent ducting systems are designed to allow 150 CFM through a 4 inch line.
If the restriction is severe enough the air doesn’t flow from the heating element through the drum and out the exhaust causing the components to overheat.
Before you replace whatever has failed please check all of these items or you will be having failure after failure.
Manufacturers list in the owners manual frequency of dryer vent system cleaning, usually 1 to 2 years depending on usage.
Also be careful not to push the dryer to far back against the wall causing the transition hose to kink or crimp.
To answer your question it may be the thermal cut off, or the high limit thermostat, or the cycling thermostat or the heating element. You will need to perform a continuity check on each to see which is bad.
Thanks for your reply brobriffin.
When I did the last repair I purchased a new vent hose. There is sufficient room so as to not cause any kinks or bends. I have never done a continuity test, so if you wouldn’t mind, could you walk me through it like I was a ten year old.Lol.
Don’t get me wrong, I am confident in my ability to be able to fix this. It’s just that when I am in uncharted waters, I want to be precisely sure I am doing everything properly, and following suggestions and procedures. I guess my first move would be to purchase a continuity tester. How much does an entry level tester sufficient to get a proper reading, cost?
Thank you,
spelding
You can obtain an analog multimeter at one of the big box hardware stores for roughly 15 to 20 bucks.
Get back with us when you get one and we will guide you through a test.
Also I understand you have a new vent (transition) hose. Have you had the duct-work through the walls to the exterior of the home cleaned?
The dryer is located in a small laundry closet virtually against the exterior wall. As a result, the new ducting stretches about 2 get, from the back of the dryer to the connection on the exterior wall. The duct is metal ( think big metal slinky) and was recommended to use.
I actually went out today and purchased a dryer from Craigslist for 30.00 Although the ad said electric dryer, when I went to pick it up it had a gas connection and a 110 volt 3- prong plug. Trouble, I have a 220 volt outlet. What I’m looking for now I’d an adapter that I can plug the 110 volt plug into, with the other end a make sure 20 volt plug. That should work, correct. Reason I ask is that the dryer starts, the drum spins, but no heat. I assumed the gas connection provided the heat, while the 110 v provided the power to run the motor.
Don’t seem to be having much luck with dryers lately. First, my dryer quite, then a friend of my niece gave us a dryer which didn’t turn on at all, and now this.
Thinking about going back to the old standby; the clothesline!!! (Lol)
By the way, the dryer I bought was a Kenmore stackable unit. If I had a gas hookup in my laundry closet, I would just hook that up and be done with it.
Sorry but you can not convert a gas dryer into a 220 electric heat dryer. IMPOSSIBLE! I can help but please do not attempt to plug a 110 machine into a 220 outlet.
Again the problem with your dryer is likely easy and cheap to repair. However it doesn’t sound as if you have much experience with electronics. Please get a multimeter to locate the problem with your machine.
Try to sell that gas dryer it will do you no good.
Thanks. I did a few Google searches to that effect. Yeah, we’re going to sell the washer dryer stackable unit. I currently have a Southwire non- contact AC voltage detector, and surprise, I found a Southwire continuity tester. Don’t even remember buying it. The tester I have looks like a fat pen. One end has a metal point, the other end has a black wire ending in a rubber sheathed alligator clip. Will either of those suffice? Is a multimeter different from a continuity tester? Thanks.
I appreciate your input. Great thing about sites like this is I get more knowledge about how to fix stuff from helpful individuals like you.
Like I said before, I have the confidence and the desire to learn how to do things. I don’t know a heck of alot about electricity in detail, but I have rewired single gang boxes, installed GFCI outlets and the like. Over the years as a homeowner, I also have laid tile, done some plumbing work, sheet rock and plaster, furniture refinishing.
Gives you a good feeling knowing you did stuff by yourself and saving some money to boot.
Good for you! We all can gain experience when we DIY. The continuity tester is exactly what we need…
Ok Lets do some testing. First please unplug your dryer from the 220/240v outlet and move it out to where you can access the back.
Next you will need to remove the back cover consisting of 9 screws using a 1/4 inch nut driver. One of those screws hold the terminal block (incoming power) cover. After removing the back cover you will see two different sides. One is the heater can, it’s on the right as you look at it from behind. The other side is the exhaust. On the heater side you will find three things that need to be checked.
- The heating element, which will be the bottom most two connections. Place your continuity tester on one connection and the alligator clip on the other. This should have a positive result. If not the heating element is bad.
- The high limit thermostat, which is just above the heating element. Check for continuity across its two terminals. Again with a positive result it is good.
- There is a high limit thermal cutoff toward the top of the heating can. It is smaller in diameter than the thermostat you just checked. Check for continuity across its two terminals. Again with a positive result it is good.
Now if they are all good then we switch over to the exhaust side. Here you will see two items. We need to check both of these as well.
- Thermal fuse, which is the white plastic looking thing rectangular shaped. Test for continuity across it’s terminals. I Believe you will find it is good or else the unit would not start up at all.
- Cycling thermostat, This will be a four pronged thermostat with two large red wires and two smaller wires. We will only check for continuity across the two larger terminals with the red wires. If you get a positive result then it is ok.
Perform all of these checks and give us your findings.
Thanks brobriffin. I’ll be out visiting on Saturday, Sunday is church and football, lol, so I’ll probably get to it on Monday. I’ll let you know.
Hey brobriffin.
Okay, after checking everything you asked me to check, here is what I found. On the heater can side, the item you listed as 1, the heater element is bad. Just to be sure, the heating element is a white rectangular box with two connections, correct? The box itself looks somewhat charred. I’m hoping when I replaced the hi limit thermostat and the hi limit thermal cutoff, that I made the proper connections. To be certain, I’m going to explain where each of the connections are connected to.
The charred end of the heating element is connected to one of the connectors on the hi limit thermostat. The other end of the heating element is connected to a red wire that that goes through the opening on the bottom back of the dryer.
Although the high limit thermostat tested OK, the remaining red wire that connects to it broke off. This broken wire is red and connects to the top connector on the cycling thermostat. There was a green crust on about 3/4 inches of the wire from where it broke from the connector.
Everything else tests good. I sure hope I didn’t screw anything up. When I replaced those items, the dryer worked fine. The only thing that stopped working was the timer, but I wasn’t too concerned about that. Should I have been? It was working before, the dryer stopped heating the first time. If you text me your number, I can take a picture of the heating can. My number is 609 431-3539
Thanks.
If your heating element tests bad then by all means replace it. I also recommend replacing the cycling thermostat and obtaining a new wire between the two. I’m sure you did make the proper connections. It is all daisy chained in line.
The L1 hot wire comes from the timer to side 1 of the hi limit thermal cut off then it travels down to the Cycling thermostat, then it goes over to the hi limit thermostat which connect to side 1 of the heating element. The other side of the heating element (the red wire that goes thru an opening on the bottom of the dryer) which runs to a centrifugal switch on the motor L2.
Here is the part you need which will replace that charred connection on the heating element.
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/whirlpool-whirlpool-dryer-heating-279838-ap3094254.html
As for that burnt wire between the cycling therm and heater you will need to search for one maybe at a local repair shop or electric shop. Make sure to obtain the correct gauge wire and terminal ends. Take the old burnt one with you.
I was looking at the repair video that dealt with changing the thermal fuse. In the video, the package of parts also included a newer version of the hi limit thermostat. It didn’t have the connector arm that connected to the left connector on the heating element. It talks about cutting an orange wire and crimping a brass two part terminal on. The red wire connector that came in the package had to have one end cut and a silver terminal was crimped. The orange wire was then connected to the bottom connector on the thermostat, with the silver end of the red wire connected to it as well. The other end of that red wire was then connected to the left side of the heating element.
The hi limit thermostat that I have that tested good is the older type. It has that arm at the bottom that directly connected to the left side of the heating element. Then there is a red wire that goes from the cycling thermostat to the top of the hi limit thermostat. The other red wire goes from the centrifugal switch to the right connection on the heating element.
Reason why I’m going into this detail is that the video identified a total of three wires, 2 red and one orange. My dryer only has the two red wires and no orange one. I’m assuming that’s because of the newer type of hi limit thermostat. Am I correct in assuming that since I have the older type hi limit thermostat, that the arm on the thermostat goes into the left side of the heating element with the red wire from the centrifugal switch connecting to the right side, and the red wire from the cycling thermostat to the top connection on the hi limit thermostat?
As far as the broken wire, I just twisted the exposed wires and crimped them to a silver terminal (which I found in my basement). I checked that the terminal fit on the top connection on the hi limit thermostat. I’m going to purchase the heating element tomorrow. I’m hoping that should do the trick. I’ll get back to you either way. Thank you for your help and patience.
The orange wire is not used in all machines depending on model. That wire is used for the timer motor in some models. Apparently your machines wiring schematic is different, no worries.
Just make sure the terminal end you placed on the wire is connecting firmly. The typical reason wires burn or char is due to poor connections causing arcing.
I believe with a good connection and a new heating element you will be back in business.
Thanks. Just ordered the part from this website. Turns out that not only is this an excellent site for the professional help and guidance, but their prices are far cheaper than the quotes I received from several local sources. Should arrive Thursday or Friday. I’ll let you know how it went.
Hey bro.
Getting a bit frustrated. Received the heating element in the mail today. Installed it, made the proper connections, and plugged it in. No heat. I proceeded to test the heating element with the continuity tester. Just to be sure I did it right, I connected the alligator clip to one of the connectors on the element and the other end on the other one. The bulb didn’t light, so I’m assuming the new heating element is defective. I also checked the other areas you mentioned to check in a previous post. Everything else tested fine.
Not sure if you know but are the heating elements continuity tested before shipping?
Anything else that might be wrong? I really thought that would do the trick. Looking forward to any other insights you might have. Just to be sure, the connection on the charred wire was made using a silver terminal lead. It’s supposed to be silver, correct?
Mr. S,
Sorry to hear your having problems. Please try to run a continuity test on the heating element alone. In other words unplug the two connected terminals and test just the element itself with nothing attached.
We will address the issue of terminal ends after we determine if the element is good or not.
You may choose to uninstall the heating element then test it while looking at the element. If you get no continuity you can inspect it to see if it is broken somewhere.
Get back to me with your results.
Heating element is out of the dryer, nothing connected to it. I tested both the inside and outside connectors, and the light didn’t go on. All other items treated fine.
Based on that can you see any obvious breaks in the element?
Test also the wires you repaired to make sure they have continuity.
I’m not to confident about your style tester, it may not work on this element due to the amount of resistance through it. If there are no obvious breaks in the element the issue may be somewhere else.
Any chance you could post some pictures of what you have?
- the wiring
- the heating element
- the back side showing the thermostats
You can post pics by clicking on "Go Advanced" next to the post quick reply.
Then scroll down to the Attach files and click on manage attachments.
There are no breaks in the heating element. The red wire that I repaired runs from the top connection on the cycling thermostat. That also tested fine. I’m assuming since the only part that failed continuity was the new heating element that it is the culprit. Going to call Customer Service tomorrow and see if they can send out a replacement immediately instead of them waiting for me to return the element.