Whirlpool Elec Dryer Overheating

Dryer Repair
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1

Okay… Before I get started let me say this overheating issue is NOT due to a clogged vent or anything to do with airflow as I have completely dissaembled this POS and it’s spotless, so is the duct. Airflow out the back of the dryer is very high.

With that said, wife informed me dryer will not start… hit the start switch…zippo. Check voltage at termnial block = 244, all is good there. Find the thermal fuse is blown so I replace it with a equally rated thermistor just in case the problem is deeper, this way once it cools off it will be okay as opposed to dealing a blown fuse again.

Get the dryer started and all is well for about 4 minutes. I can feel the front door of the dryer getting unusually hot and then the thermistor opens and the dryer shuts off. Take er back apart and check:

[LIST]
*]Operating thermostat, across reds = 0 ohms, across purples = 7K ohms
*]Thermal Cutoff = 0 ohms
*]Thermostat = 0 ohms
*]Across terminals on the heating element = 9.6 Ohms. Also check to see if the heating element is grounded and its not, terminal to case = OL. Take apart element housing to inspect and it all looks fine.
*]Note all ohm readings I have posted are with dryer cooled to room temp.

Reassemble everything and it will run for ever on the air fluff mode, however when on timed drying it gets hot and dies in about 4 minutes with the exterior of the dryer getting way warmer than normal. It seems that the heating element is staying on longer than it should which would leads me to think the operating thermostat is bad but it checks out okay. Guy at local part store is knowledable and he suggests motor is faulty. This does not seem logical to me because it will run on air fluff mode without a hitch and the fact the dryer exterior gets hot suggests that the issue is with the heating element.

I have run out of ideas here so any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Gary

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2

I would love to know if you ever solved this problem! We have been battling the same type of issues since early February. Everything you said is similar to our experience but we have actually replaced over 5 parts and it still overheating! Sorry just saw the final outcome. We are replacing the thermostat again to see if that helps… I have hope!

3

I’m stuck. I just ordered the 4th thermal fuse. I replaced the heating element, both "thermostats" on the element housing, and the "thermostat" next to the thermal fuse. Today, just after the dryer stopped for the last time (as in won’t start), I used an IR heat gun to read the temperature of my clothes- over 200°F right after the dryer stopped. That’s over 80°F too high. The thermal fuse did what it was supposed to but none of the thermostats did.

Is there a chance that the wiring was messed up and the element is always on when the dryer is turned on? Idk… it’s getting frustrating changing fuses out every 2nd or third load (not counting changing the other parts).

4

You sure sound like you know what you’re doing, great work! Did you buy the thermal fuses new or used?

5

Danbury Appliance Pro said:
You sure sound like you know what you’re doing, great work! Did you buy the thermal fuses new or used?

Let’s just call me a work in progress. But add moisture sensor to the replaced parts because I accidentally ordered it. Not sure how.

I’ve had more practice than I would have liked lol I work on my older cars, like my 2000 Landcruiser. Program PLC’s for a living. And besides that, you can learn to operate the Large Hadron Collider if you just watch YouTube :smiley: I’ve got a Yaesu FTDX-560 (Ham radio) on my bench right now. Someone really made a mess of the power supply section. So electronics don’t bother me much, even if it has tubes in it.

I bought new fuses every time. Ohm’d them out prior to replacing them. I checked the other components too, and they checked good. I replaced them and the element out of desperation last week. Went on a road trip for work, washed a load, stuck them in the dryer, and checked the temp when it stopped. I knew it was broken when I saw 200°F. The dryer wouldn’t start after that. So I ordered another fuse and read the tech sheet.

So, I finally read the tech sheet. After all this time… I finally read thru it and entered diagnostic mode on the dryer about 20m ago. Code 70, 30, and 1 (I think it was 1) :confused: Checked the control box and :cool: at some time I managed to unplug P8. I think it was unplugged from the very first time I tried to repair the dryer.

I’m hopeful that plugging it in and replacing the thermal fuse will finally fix the dryer. But I’m skeptical.

Based on what I see on the schematic P8 connects:

[LIST=1]
*]Drum Lamp
*]GND
*]Neutral
*]Door Switch
*]Motor CS (whatever that is)
[/LIST]

Surely none of that would have caused a Code 70, which, by the way, is No communication between electronic assemblies?

30 is low dryer air flow, but that could’ve happened when the fuse blew

1 is Primary control failure but that’s probably been the case for a while if P8 could cause it.

6

When I work on this type of problem in a dryer I almost always find a problem of air flow restriction somewhere when it overheats and the the thermal fuse opens.

7

I installed the control board and all is well.

I had confirmed air flow earlier with the diagnostics system. Air flow is very good due to the extremely short connection to the vent.

It wasn’t the cheapest fix there is but it’s a lot better than buying a new dryer…