Clothes dryer stopped

[Charles Wiggins]

I have a Kenmore Type 80 moisture sensing clothes dryer that is 10-12 years old that we bought from Sears as a scratch/dent/refurb. Earlier this week I had two instances where the dryer just stopped in the middle of the cycle. The first time I assumed the load threw the door open for a second and tripped the door switch, even though the load was not very big. The dryer started right back up and finished the cycle. When it happened the second though I was just touching up a couple of polo shirts and I knew that there was no way they opened the door.

My research on the web was inconclusive. Some suggested that the motor was going, others has other ideas, but I did see some things about making sure that the airflow was good. I decided to approach the airflow issue and take a look at the motor at the same time. There was lint everywhere. I used a leaf blower to clean out the air exhaust and got piles of dust bunnies out of both the dryer and the hose. I know it was not completely clogged before that because I went outside to check before I started. The motor had a lot of lint on, around and under it as well.

After I cleaned out all of the lint and put it back together it made it through a full cycle, but that's all I've had time to test so far. Was it more likely airflow of heat buildup in the motor? Did I likely solve my problem? If I didn't any suggestions for a next move?

[David Weaver]

I would guess it's the moisture sensor, if it's a moisture sensor and not a heat sensor.

I am by no means an appliance expert but I remember buying my current dryer, which also has a moisture sensor and several people warned me that they had trouble with their moisture sensors in relatively simple dryers.

My dryer behaved like yours for a short period two years ago, but it has stopped. We clean the lint trap every load and make sure the rest of the dryer is lint free.

[Harry Hagan]

A note about clothes dryers:

One of the local fire chiefs was being interviewed on TV the other day and he said that one third of fire-related calls in the metro were caused by faulty clothes dryers and/or clogged vents. Inspect your dryer and clean the exhaust vent components on a regular basis.

[Jim Koepke]

+1 on what David said.

The moisture sensor in my dryer is two rods that test the clothes for conductivity due to moisture. If this isn't working, it can stop the dryer.

Our dryer is currently having a similar problem. The real answer may be in the mode of failure. Our dryer normally beeps when a cycle is finished. Lately it has been failing as if the power went out. My #1 suspect is the thermal disk safety switch. This will shut off our dryer if it detects too high of a temperature. They are a common failure in dryers. Before paying the price on this part it is my plan to give it a bit more trouble shooting to make sure.

jtk

[ray hampton]

A note about clothes dryers:

One of the local fire chiefs was being interviewed on TV the other day and he said that one third of fire-related calls in the metro were caused by faulty clothes dryers and/or clogged vents. Inspect your dryer and clean the exhaust vent components on a regular basis.

but you can delay cleaning the dryer if your dryer are not use to dry towels since towels product much of the lint, can you shine a light thru. your vent pipe to see if it are block with lint or a small animal

[Kevin Bourque]

You're dryer has become self aware.

[phil harold]

Door switch

I had to tape cardboard onto the door to help hold the button in till I replaced my switch

[ray hampton]

Door switch

I had to tape cardboard onto the door to help hold the button in till I replaced my switch

are the switch easy to replace ?
glad that you found the answer

[Jim Koepke]

You're dryer has become self aware.

Or joined a labor movement.

jtk

[phil harold]

Yup
piece of cake
remove the front panel, pull wires off pop switch out assemble in reverse order

there could be som thermal cut oofs that are bad too
you best bet is to type your model into google and then the problem
keep your search simple
there are people who will help you diagnose for free on line
then find the part at the lowest price
parts direct seems high some days

here are some generic parts for kenmores
http://www.repairclinic.com/Kenmore-Dryer-Parts






are the switch easy to replace ?
glad that you found the answer

[Doug Swanson]

I was having similar issues...but more of it was just taking a long time to dry items...so I cleaned ours out the other day and was surprised at how much had accumulated on the fan and in the unit itself. In the squirrel cage type fan it was probably 50% blocked by a big ball of lint. We always clean the lint trap and I've had the dryer vent tube cleaned a few times in the past but this was the first time in 8 years I've popped the lower panel off the dryer and cleaned the inside of the dryer...now it dries much better and is a lot quieter...I think I need to put a thorough cleaning of the dryer on my annual list of maintenance items.

Repair clinic is good and it has some videos on assembly/disassembly...I'd dig into yours a little bit deeper to see if the sensor clean.

[ray hampton]

I was having similar issues...but more of it was just taking a long time to dry items...so I cleaned ours out the other day and was surprised at how much had accumulated on the fan and in the unit itself. In the squirrel cage type fan it was probably 50% blocked by a big ball of lint. We always clean the lint trap and I've had the dryer vent tube cleaned a few times in the past but this was the first time in 8 years I've popped the lower panel off the dryer and cleaned the inside of the dryer...now it dries much better and is a lot quieter...I think I need to put a thorough cleaning of the dryer on my annual list of maintenance items.

Repair clinic is good and it has some videos on assembly/disassembly...I'd dig into yours a little bit deeper to see if the sensor clean.


You make it sound so easy, to remove the lint from my dryer REQUIRE me to pull the dryer out and lay it over on the front so that I can remove the screws which hold the back on, then remove the lint and try to replace the back panel, then muscle the dryer back into its spot so the vent can be install properly, can we say 24/7

[Jason Roehl]

I have a stacked washer/electric dryer unit that is about 10-11 years old. I have had to take it apart way too many times (kind of a PITA, but I'm getting good at it) for fairly simple things--a new belt, new drum bearing and grease, new drum seal--and two different thermostatic safeties. When I removed the old safeties, they pretty much crumbled in my hands.