26 replies to this topic

[mjpowers01606]

Hello,

I have a Kenmore MOD 110 60722990 Eelctric Dryer that will not heat up fully. The heating element is heating up but after one complete cycle the clothes are usually still damp. The other symptom is that there is much less lint in the trap then normal. The third symptom is that the dryer sometimnes actually shuts itself off before the end of the cycle!

I have taken the back off to check for lint and it is actually really clean.

I have read a lot of the past posts on this problem but this one seems to come and go. I have not checked anything with a meter because I don not have one yet. My friend has a digital meter that he was going to let me use but then he needed it for a business trip.

Any thoughts on what this could be..... Can the Thermal Fuse have an intermitant problem??

Thank you in advance!

Mike

 

 

 

[Pegi]

Sounds like problems with the dryer vent in the home, pull the dryer out and try it with the vent hose off...sounds like the hot air is not getting out of the dryer.

[mjpowers01606]

Sorry.... Forgot to say that in the original post. I replaced the vent hose because it came apart when I moved the dryer. There was not much lint in it either! And I have checked the vent on the outside of the house and there is a good amount of flow!

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[Pegi]

Hummm this looks to be a normal dryer.  I would start by checking the voltage to the dryer to make sure the motor is getting 120 volts and the element 240 volts.  You have two different problems here with two different circuits.  This dryer looks to be fairly new, is it still under warranty??/

[mjpowers01606]

Hi Pegi,

The warranty is gone!! We have had it for 3 years and were given it by my sister in-law (they bought a new house with a gas dryer in it).

I will try to get a meter sometime soon.... But if it wasn't getting the correct voltage wouldn't it not run a all?? Just a stupid question from someone who knows NOTHING about this stuff!

Thanks again!

Mike

 

 

[Pegi]

Probably, but the motor circuit and heat circuit are seperate , however, with the motor having to be running to get heat since it goes thru the motor switch.  You are going to see where you are losing voltage to the element and motor when they cut out.  The thermostats could be causing the eratic heat problem but would not cause the motor to cut out.  Are your sure the blower wheel is ok on the motor shaft and nothing is blocked inside of the dryer causing the air flow ???

[mjpowers01606]

There was nothing blocking the blower. I even opened up the lint venting inside the rear of the dryer and it was very clean.

But thinking about it again.... The problem still kind of comes and goes...... It has been running pretty good, other than not completely drying the clothes. Would it make any sense that it would stop running with a smaller load as opposed to a full load??

Just trying to think if there is anything I may have left out!

Mike

 

 

 

[Pegi]

Could go back to the motor switch, it starts the motor and controls the heat circuit also, check the motor switch for lint clogs??

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=4635]mjpowers01606[/user] wrote:

And I have checked the vent on the outside of the house and there is a good amount of flow!

How do you quantify "good?" Answer: you can't unless you have a calibrated palm, which is acquired from experience. I've been on lots of dryer calls for this problem where the owner swears he has adequate air flow out the dryer vent hood but a quick feel with my calibrated palm immediately revealed a deficiency.

Run the dryer with the vent completely disconnected and report the results. One load isn't going to make a mess in the house. May be uncomfortable but it's the only way to positively eliminate the vent as a problem.

[mjpowers01606]

Thanks for all the answers but what am I looking for if I run the dryer with out the hose on? A restriction in the vent system? I replaced the vent hose and checked the 6 inches of vent that lead to the outside of the house and it was all clear!

Also when I removed the old vent i was curious as to how much lint would be in it so I ripped it open to have a look and there was not too much at all. After peeling out most of what was there it was about the size of a baseball. Is this a lot of lint for a 6 8 foot hose?

The dryer as of the last few times it was run is not shutting off anymore but still does not have great heat! The clothes are still a little damp at the end of the cycle.

Still do not have a meter going on my 3rd 12 hour day at work! :(

Any ideas on what else to check??

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=4635]mjpowers01606[/user] wrote:

Thanks for all the answers but what am I looking for if I run the dryer with out the hose on?  

Normal drying times and heat cycle!

[Pegi]

Ok take the vent hose off and put a thermometer in the dryer vent opening and let us see what temperature the dryer is cycling at, should be around 150* or so on high heat.  If it is cutting off at say 125* something is cutting the heat off like a cycling thermostat or saftey thermostat.   Assuming the clothes are spinning out ok in the washer too??  You could also have a grounded heating element as this might cause the motor to cut out on the overload.

[mjpowers01606]

Thanks Pegi! I have laundry to do tonight. It seems with two sons under the age of 3 that we always have laundry to do! I will disconnect the hose and measure the temp!

I will post results tomorrow!

Drying is a full load at normal setting and timer set all the way up to 80 minutes.

Thanks again!

Mike

 

 

[mjpowers01606]

Ok.... so here are the results! I pulled it away from the wall and removed the hose. Then I started the dryer with nothing in it and within two minutes it was a smokin 150 degrees. Later when I put a full load of freshly washed clothes into it, with the heat setting on high, the temp barely got to 110 degrees within 10 minutes. And 30 minutes into the load it was 140 degrees.

The load actually was almost dry when the 80 minutes went by. I turned it back on for 20 more and it was all doen.

Does this tell you anything??

 

Thanks,

mike

 

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Temps sound normal. How does the drying time compare with that when the hose is connected-- longer or shorter?

[Pegi]

Tells me the problem goes back to the house venting blocking the air flow in some way....if it dries fine with the vent hose off but not with the vent hose on....well....:?...assuming these are normal sized loads with the washer spinning the load out properly...if your washer has a warm water rinse try that to see if they come out of the washer dryer than with cold water rinse....

[Brew Man]

Hey,

Check your operating thermostat and make sure it is opening at the right temperature as listed on it.As they get old they have a tendency to open up prematurely.This could cause a longer drying time.And as stated earlier,i would also check to see if your clothes are coming out a little damper than usual from your washer.

[mjpowers01606]

Sorry was away for Thanksgiving and I hope everyone had a great one!!

Mr. [user=1]Samurai Appliance Repair Man[/user], Pegi and Brew Man, This still seems like the problem comes and goes. The drying time is the same with the hose on or off. But they yesterday the problem came back. my wife came up stairs and told me that the dryer had stopped twice during a cycle. So I went down just to see what was going on and it was already stopped. So I pressed the on button and decided to wait a bit. Then all of a sudden it stopped! It seemed to make a crackiling sound just before it stopped. I pressed the on button and NOTHING HAPPENED!! I turned the dial and predded it again and still nothing! So I waited a couple minutes and then it started fine! All of this happened with the vent hose off!

Brew Man, How would I check the thermostat? I still do not have a meter I just haven't had the time with being away this weekend!

Anyone have any ideas now??

Thanks!

Mike

[mjpowers01606]

So I have new findings....... (Sorry still no meter, will try to go and get one at lunch time!)

We had a full load in the dryer and again it stopped and then it was dead (would not start when the button was pressed) for about 3 minutes! THE DRYER HOSE WAS OFF!I then decided to take a temp measurement while it was running and the temp got all the way up to 170 degrees and the it stopped again. Same thing as the last time, it wouldn't restart for about 3 minutes.

I am thinking this must be a thermostat??

Any ideas??

Thank you,

Mike

 

[Pegi]

170 ˚ hummmm....too hot....see if your heating element # 14 is grounded, this would cause overheating and could make the motor cut out...might want to check the cycling thermostat next # 42, this could be letting the dryer get too hot before it shuts off and can cause the dryer to not get hot enough also...BREAKDOWN LINK HERE.