The Dryer

My wife came up from the basement on Saturday to tell me the dryer had quit working. She'd taken a load out, put in another load and it wouldn't start. No motor, no heat. "I've checked the breaker," she said. I had to go check for myself. It was ok. It's a no frills dryer, couple of cycles, the door switch, and a "Push to Start" button that won't allow the dryer to start after the door is closed until you push it. It hadn't worked for years. (Close the door, the dryer's running.)
Pulled the dryer out from the wall, removed the panel on the back, read the electrical schematic on the back and started testing the circuits. I was having trouble reading the diagram because of the abbreviations they used for the components. It was written for an appliance repairman not an auto tech. My wife leaned in see what I was trying to decipher (like she knows what she's doing) and the first thing she saw on the paper was the symbol for the 'push to start' button. "Maybe that started working again," she said. "Can't happen," I responded. I reconnected the circuit I was testing, jumped up to plug the dryer in and pushed the button. It started!!! The switch that we never had to use fixed itself. A good laugh for us.
I reassembled the dryer and started to manoever it back into place. "Leave it out for now," she said. "I have to clean back there now." I saw that coming.

 

Just a note sibeer and to others if the belt that turns your Dryer drum breaks niether the motor or heaters will work (its a safety feature to prevent fires) from an ex Sears Service Tech

 

LOL... ours just kinda fell apart. Fortunately, we had an apartment sized dryer in storrage from when we were living downstairs without the hook ups. Works great, the old one is moved to the side and is a folding counter now....

Now I just have to go to Home Depot and get one of those doohickies that lets me use the heat from the dryer to heat my 'office' and I',ll be all good



~C

 

Bummer I wanted to help fix your dryer,break it so we can fix it

 

heheheheh...... nothing like a hoodie fresh out of the dryer to make the day better

Of course my... ermm... hmm... 6th or 7th cup of coffe (yeah, i don't remember how many i've had today) helps too


~C

 

This one will run without the belt. The belt is driven from one end of the motor, and the extractor fan is driven from the other end. As long as the fan is turning, the dryer shouldn't overheat.

 

That makes two of us!!

 

Reminds me of a repair I did to our dryer. The fail-safe switch in the door latch failed (lol!), and meant that we couldn't use the dryer. Took the front panel off, and it turns out it was just a faulty micro-switch.

Turns out it was the exact-same micro switch that was in my old C-64 joysticks. So I took an old, unused joystick apart and replaced the micro-switch in the dryer latch. That was back in '84. The dryer has worked ever since.

Now THAT'S what I call a typical geek solution, rofl!

 

Yea that is how most are but there should be a micro switch under the belt tensioner............if there isn't even with the fan going hot air is directed at on piece of clothing which can catch fire, as the clothes have to be tumbling in the "Hot Air" stream. Actually seen a "HandyMan" disable the switch and wonder why his Dryer caught on fire, naturally he blamed the DryerLOL Kinda like me always blaming MS when the :mad :mad computer acts up

 

But that is usually the reason is it not????



~C :wave

 

No switch on this one BC. I replaced the belt, the tensioner and the "bogey wheels" a few months back. However, the heat is directed out of the top of the heating chamber, not directly at the clothing. I googled dryer broken belt, and no one mentioned the switch.confused

 

I once bypassed the door switch on an electric dryer - a practice I DO NOT recommend, especially for those with small kids. It was only for a month or so, till I could find a replacement switch - I'd just gotten divorced, and didn't have two dimes to rub together till the next payday . . .

My kids at that time were teens, and not there all the time, so I wasn't worried about them getting into the dryer while it was running (or at all, for that matter . . . getting a teen to do laundry is like pulling teeth!).

Again . . . bypassing any safety switch is a very BAD IDEA !!!

 

This is a great site for anybody that wants to "Tinker" with you household Appliances link http://www.fixitnow.com/

Here is a screen shot from that site of the "Switch" I was talking about sibeer http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7999/screenhunter1sx1.jpg

Some of the "Newer" dryers use an "Air Flow" switch, but all that I have ever seen need something to turn off the heater when the drum stops turning.