Kenmore Dryer - Fix It or Scrap It?

I'd check continuity across the element. If it's the element, they're pretty easy to replace.

Mike

Check both legs of your 220V. If one side is out, the drum will turn, but no heat.

It is likely the heating element. It could also be the thermister (thermal resistor).

I replaced the heating element in our drier (which is about 12 yrs old) about a year ago. It cost about $75, and a new thermister came with the new element.

It's an easy job - just remove the panel (lower front on mine), reach in and unscrew the plate that has the element on it, unhoop the electrical connections and remove.... do it all in reverse.

My philosophy is that cash flow is king - for such a cheap fix I could not justify replacing the drier only to buy a ndw one.

Oh - remember - unplug unplug unplug!

Travis

Been a residensial appliance repair tech. for a while .

The good news is , you have one of the best electric dryers out there .

Do the regular heating coil continuity checks as described previously by our good brothers , REMEMBER to cut off all power to the unit before you do this check !

You have said that the unit is about 10 years old so there will be " safety fuses " usually mounted on the back sheet metal area of the unit .

They will be in an area that is close to the motor or control pad and safe from movers as they manhandle it around .

They are approx. 1and 1/2" long and look like small elongated light bulbs and there could be one or two in you machine and are easy to see .

I have seen this occur many times and it is the most common type of failure and is very cheap and easy to fix.

You will see how they are easily snapped into and out of theyer mounts .

Be sure to check them for continuity as you checked the heater coils .

Good on you MOM ! My wife won't even reset breakers in a panel

I must get out my Vacuum To get rid of LENT also LOL!

I gave you a GA just because you followed up on your question.

Usually, people ask for help but never tell us if anything we suggested worked, of how the problem was finally solved.

Thank you.

Hey Mere ; very happy to hear you slayed the dryer dragon and also very happy to hear you are a woman who is not afraid of 1) asking technical questions 2) asking technical questions properly by including as much info. as possible 3) being able to get in there and do it to it !

Im sorry i didnt include the other info. that the other guys did such as explaining why a " fuse " or more properly described as ( thermistor ) would blow in the first place .

The part you changed is a thermistor that senses the heat level in the dryer . If the heat in the dryer reaches a higher than normal level the thermistors act as a safety device and blow or " open " the heater circuit to turn off the heat .

As descibed by other CR4 members ; there is usually a reason why the heat level in a dryer goes out of bounds and it most often is a clogged up exhaust system.

If there was a lot of lint at the back of the dryer , then there is probably a blockage in the exhaust . To fix this properly you should 1) pull out the dryer ( remember to disconnect the power ) and remove the rear panel , vacuum out the inside of the dryer as best as you can and check to see if the blower is still solidly connected to the motor shaft , if the blower has become loose on the shaft you must repair or replace it . 2) check and ensure that the 4" diameter exhaust hose is clear of any obstructions . 3) check the outside vent to ensure there arent any obstructions .

After all these checks and cleanings are done you will not have any more problems as long as you CLEAN THE LINT FILTER AFTER EVERY LOAD !

Again , i tip my hat to you girl , you just saved yourself a $ 150.00 service call and at worst the price of a new $ 600.00 dryer.

Kick ass technical type babes RULE !

congratulations on sticking with it. You will find that the next repair is much easier, having explored the machinery previously.

Fix it!

The repair is easy and the landfills have plenty of stuff already.

I had a whirlpool dryer for 27 years.Only repairs were a drive belt every 5 years or so, and 1 heater element.The dryer drum had worn all of the porcelain off of the inside, and was polished bare metal by this time.I usually found enough change in bottom of dryer to pay for belt every 5 years.I think Whirlpool made Sears dryers back then. I replaced it with a Maytag, and it gave trouble from first week...paddle screws were loose.I put locktite on all paddle screws,and no more problems for last 4 years.Still, the Whirlpool is a tough act to follow. Check your exhaust hose for blockage or kinks ,this can make the safety over-temp thermistors trip out.I once found a bird nest inside of my outlet flapper. I have found everything from squirrels to cats stuck in them. You have a good model dryer, it is a keeper.

The safety fuse that was mentioned earlier would more then likely be the problem. What happens is the air flow thru the dryer become restricted, for many different reasons and causes the heat to build up (build up in the exhaust line, bends in the line,). I have repaired electric and gas dryer for the same reason, the drum turns but no heat. This is a safety feature to keep your clothes from over heating. The fuse will be on the exhaust side of the dryer. Also clean the vent that goes to the out side.

Dryers are pretty simple and should run for a long time. I'd fix it. You can probably do it but there might be a trick to getting it apart (and back together).

My Kenmore washer and dryer are both 23 years old and still going strong. I wouldn't scrap them. After 23 years mine look a little beat but still run great. Fix it.

www.repairclinic.com

I've found this site very useful in researching parts for washers, dryers and other appliances. Like the rest, I encourage you to fix it!

For a dryer, 10 years old is like brand new. They are easy to fix. Definitely fix it.

I had a similar problem with my dryer. After checking several things I thought may be the problem and not finding any bad parts the final fix was squeezing the prongs on the plug to get a better contact in the outlet. My dryer worked good as new after that.

Those are rock solid machines - we've had ours going on about 18 years now. I have replaced the coupler on the washer twice. I had the "no-heat" problem on the dryer, and my favorite appliance repair web site advised to check the thermostat first (a $2.00 or $3.00 part), then on to the heating element (maybe $20.00 or $30.00?). Turns out it was the thermostat, which only took a few minutes to replace (the parts guy had it in stock), then a few more minutes to vacuum! We have a guy in town here that specializes in hauling off your old junk appliances for free. He does those really cheap repairs, sometimes throws a little fresh paint on them, and smiles all the way to the bank when he sells them at tremendous profit!