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View Full Version : Clothes dryer repair help needed



Shawn Walker
07-18-2008, 2:18 AM
Problem... NoHeat... The heating element isn't heating. I've got 120 to both legs of the element when the machine is running, and I've checked continuity on the element. I get 10ohms.
I've checked both of these things numerous time to be sure, with plugs on and off. What am I missing?
The Dryer is about a 15 year old Kenmore.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Tom Veatch
07-18-2008, 2:50 AM
Problem... NoHeat... The heating element isn't heating. I've got 120 to both legs of the element when the machine is running, and I've checked continuity on the element. I get 10ohms. ...

What is the voltage between the legs at the element - and the voltage between the two hot legs at the outlet. Both readings should be 240 (+/-) leg to leg and 120 for each leg to neutral/ground.

If the element is continuous at 10 ohms, you should have about 24 amps flowing through the element (240volts across the element/10 ohm resistance of the element = 24 amps through the element) or about 5800 watts. You certainly ought to be seeing some heating from that.

It almost sounds like the same hot leg is going to both connections of the element. That would give you the 120 reading to ground/neutral from each element leg but 0 volts from leg to leg on the element and 0 amps through the element. Anybody done any rewiring in the dryer or dryer circuit lately? Replaced/relocated the dryer circuit breaker? Etc.? What's changed since the last time it worked?

Paul Downes
07-18-2008, 10:50 PM
I vagely remember that there is an even heat sensor that your dryer probably has. I would guess at any rate that you probably have 2 sensors in the dryer. One is about 5/8 dia. on a mounting bracket and the other one is plastic with a small raised area about 1/2-3/4" long. It has a small exposed element kind of thing in it. You can remove them and take them to a parts supplier. They can test them to see if one or the other is blown. I think you have to replace them as a set.

There is also often a sensor(moisture sensor) (2 metal stirps?) in the dryer drum. I would check to see if ther is something caught in it. You can also check the element to see if it is grounded or burnt by looking through it with a flashlight. Sometimes there is enough contact at the burnt out site to still show continuity. Again, my memory is a bit vague.......

Shawn Walker
07-19-2008, 12:48 PM
I vagely remember that there is an even heat sensor that your dryer probably has. I would guess at any rate that you probably have 2 sensors in the dryer. One is about 5/8 dia. on a mounting bracket and the other one is plastic with a small raised area about 1/2-3/4" long. It has a small exposed element kind of thing in it. You can remove them and take them to a parts supplier. They can test them to see if one or the other is blown. I think you have to replace them as a set.

There is also often a sensor(moisture sensor) (2 metal stirps?) in the dryer drum. I would check to see if ther is something caught in it. You can also check the element to see if it is grounded or burnt by looking through it with a flashlight. Sometimes there is enough contact at the burnt out site to still show continuity. Again, my memory is a bit vague.......

Thanks Paul and Tom;
I got it working about an 2hrs. ago. Yup... It was a thermal cutoff switch just like you said. $35.00 and were rolling.... Sweet....:D