30 replies to this topic

[RegUS_PatOff]

... could it be one of the following?
- Cycle Thermostat
- Thermal Cut-Off
- High Limit Thermostat

... Can each of these be tested?
... I can get an ohm meter tomorrow if that would work.

1) yes
2) yes
3) yes
if you have a Harbor Freight Store near you,
they have these Meters
sometimes on sale for $ 1.99 w/ battery

[Husker71]

UPDATE. Thanks, kdog. Yes, for these latest tests, I removed the vent from the dryer and airflow is really good but no heat at all.

I think I am almost there, and if you can hang with me I would appreciate the help! This may be long and I apologize.

Ok, I picked up a continuity tester tonight as I really want to get the part tomorrow if it is a part I need. First off, get this. Like I explained earlier, being a newb, the first thing I thought of when the dryer was taking forever to dry things was the heating coil so I ordered a new coil without even knowing I could test it to see if it was bad, I installed it and while it worked we still had the same long drying times problem. I kept the old one just in case it was ok. Tonight, as part of the troubleshooting, I swapped out the coil for the old one and still no heat. Then after getting the tester I was testing the new coil for continuity and could not get positive continuity. I then noticed that a portion of the coil wire from one of the terminals going to the coil was missing!! I noticed black on the metal near where the coil was gone, so the wire just disintegrated! So the incident today where I had heat in the dryer but hadn't been using it I am assume is related to this somehow. Here is my suspicion. When I installed the new coil last week I noticed that the leg of the Hight Limit Thermostat (High Limit Thermostat) that goes over the one terminal on the coil was kind of loose and I tried like hell to crimp the damn thing on with a needle nose but it never felt tight. I wonder if that loose connection caused a short?

Anyhow, I then tested the old coil for continuity and it tested fine so I put it back in the dryer. I also crimped that connector on the High Limit Thermostat before putting in on the terminal and it is rock solid tight now.

I then test for continuity for the following:

Thermal Fuse: tested fine.

Hight-Limit Thermostat: tested fine.

Thermal Cut-off: Failed, could not get continuity.

Cycle Thermostat: I did get continuity on two legs but not the other two, however I do not know if I am testing correctly. Here is a link to the Cycle Thermostat: Cycling Thermostat Now, I got continuity on the two larger terminals which in that picture is the two terminals on the top and bottom (harder to see because they are pointing toward the viewer), but the other two, smaller brass colored terminals on the left and right toward the center, I did not get continuity but I don't really understand what those terminals are and if they should even give you positive continuity. Anybody know?

All that said, the Thermal Cut-Off failed to give me continuity. Could that be the problem here? Any chance that part was damaged when the short on the coil happened? Can a failing Thermal Cut-Off cause longer drying times?

Thanks so much!!

Edited by Samurai Appliance Repair Man, 26 September 2011 - 07:58 AM.
Removed competitor part links.

[kdog]

Good Work! yes. the TCO was opened by the grounded element and that's why you got heat with the dryer off - Normally the TCO replacement comes with a new hi-limit stat as it should have opened first, also the replacement hi-limit does away with that cheesy connection that gave you grief and is replaced with a good old piece of wire. Improper air flow is often at the root of these issues so I would still recommend a test drive sans exhaust vent before you pack everything away

http://www.repaircli...mber=LEQ9858LW0

 

[RegUS_PatOff]

... the one terminal on the coil was kind of loose
... Cycle Thermostat: I did get continuity on two legs but not the other two

1) loose or dirty connections will cause heat and may damage the Connector or Wires
2) normal, but will show a certain resistance usng an OHM meter

[Husker71]

Thanks kdog and RegUS_PatOff, I really appreciate the help and sticking with me. I just picked up a Thermal Cut Off kit locally (really need to get some laundry done and willing to pay $10 more to have it NOW) and am going to install it in a couple hours. I've figured out exactly how to do the install (thankfully I do NOT have the configuration requiring the modification of the jumper wire to accommodate a third wire). I will report back how it goes after that.

There is a chance I am still not out of the woods yet, as you both elude to. I believe the element short, which caused the thermal cut off to fail, could be a separate issue created since installing the new, but now destroyed, heating element (thankfully I only paid $25 delivered for it) but may still have an issue with longer drying times due to yet another undiscovered problem. QUESTION for you guys on measuring the resistance of the Cycle Thermostat with an OHM meter. I have an OHM meter with me right now and can measure that when I install the cut off kit in a couple hours, can you guys tell me how to measure that? What terminals do I measure and what setting do I use on my meter? I have an older Micronta analog meter kind of like the one at this link, what setting do I set the meter to? http://www.radiomuse...eter_22_21.html Thanks!!!

[RegUS_PatOff]

don't worry about the resistance reading of the other terminals.. for now
rarely fail, and Dryer would still work

[Husker71]

Hey, guys. I got the Thermal Cut Off Kit installed, very easy to do. Fired up the dryer and got great air flow and high heat. I do not have a meat thermometer but intend to get one and check the actual temperature. I just wanted to get the laundry rolling, we've had a wet load in the dryer and the washer sitting there for about 24 hours. It will be interesting to see if the laundry dries quicker, we'll see. Thanks for the help and I will post again with progress (or a conclusion!). Thanks!

[Husker71]

Sorry to have taken so long to report back. I'm happy to report that drying times are completely back to normal now! I have not got a thermostat yet to check temp at vent but like I said drying times are back to normal and take less than half the time it has been taking recently.

Question, can a high-limit thermostat become faulty and cause or contribute to longer drying times? Through all the trial and error I had with this I am trying to figure out just what it was that was causing the longer drying times. I did get a lot of lint out of my vents when I cleaned them but not enough to be shocked. I had that faulty terminal on the high-limit thermostat leg that shorted the new element I bought (a newbie move) that caused the high cutoff to go and after reinstalling the old element and the new thermal cut off kit (that included a new high-limit thermostat) everything seemed to start working then. It would make most sense that it was simply the vents needed cleaning and that was all it was, but I still wonder, can a high-limit thermostat operate faulty and cause or contribute to longer drying times?

Many thanks to kdog and RegUS_PatOff for the help!!!

[kdog]

Yee-Haw - good Job on the repair, my take on the Hi-Limit is that it isn't really intended to be cycling all the time as it is a safety device and not control - probably made a little weaker and the sequence of events is reversed as the build up of lint causes the air to backup and begin "cycling" on the Hi-limit

[Husker71]

Thanks, kdog! So, essentially, it might be safe to say all it was the lint build up! Man, I really learned a lesson here. Cost me about $60 and a lot of headache when all I needed to do was thoroughly clean the entire vents! Live and learn. Learned a lot through this though. Thanks again for your help!!

[kdog]

Try to remember to do it every year - then you'll probably actually do it about every 3