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How To Test A Dryer Cycling Thermostat

How do I know if my dryer thermostat is bad?

After removing the cover from the dryer, perform a simple test on each thermostat, using an ohmmeter. Touch one meter lead to one terminal of the thermostat and the other lead to the other terminal. A reading of infinite resistance means that the circuit is broken — in other words, the thermostat is bad.

What does a cycling thermostat do in a dryer?

What Does a Dryer Cycling Thermostat Do? A dryer cycling thermostat monitors and controls the temperature inside your dryer while it’s operating. This thermostat has an electrical circuit that is usually closed, allowing electricity to flow through it freely and deliver power to the heating element.

Where is the cycling thermostat on a dryer?

The cycling thermostat can be found somewhere in the path of air that is leaving the drum. So, it could be found on the blower wheel housing or inside the venting/exhaust system. Dryer thermostats are usually oval shaped and about an inch and a half in length. Also, there should be two wires leading to each thermostat.

How many ohms should a dryer thermostat have?

At room temperature, the thermostat should give you a resistance reading of 0 or close to 0. This indicates that there is good continuity within the thermostat. If you warm the thermostat, you may see the ohms reading jump up to around 10. How can you tell if a thermal fuse is bad?.

How many ohms should a dryer heating element read?

The ideal reading for a tumble dryer element is between 20 and 50 ohms – so any reading significantly outside of this range means the element is faulty and needs to be replaced, in this case this element in this video is fine.

Why is my dryer hot to the touch?

If your dryer is hot to the touch, it means heat isn’t being exhausted out of the dryer properly due to a blockage. A clogged dryer vent can cause the dryer’s heating element to overheat, leading to a fire. The dryer keeps shutting off before the end of the cycle.

Why are my clothes so hot after drying?

The single most common reason why clothes dryer overheat is restricted airflow. When there’s a blockage in the internal duct work, the hot air will become trapped inside the drum where it creates potential fire hazard. You should also check the duct work to determine whether or not your dryer has appropriate airflow.

Why is my dryer not getting hot?

Common reasons for an electric or gas dryer not heating are a tripped circuit breaker, clogged vent, and no gas flow. Other potential reasons include a faulty thermal fuse and broken heating element.

What causes dryer thermostat failure?

Blown Thermal Fuse A frayed wire can cause a thermostat to keep going bad. A dryer will blow a thermal fuse if it’s close to overheating. Each time the thermal fuse blows it can interfere with a thermostat’s function and cause it to go bad, too.

Will a dryer shut off if it gets too hot?

Once a dryer gets too hot, this component reacts to the increased temperature and shuts the appliance off automatically. However, if a cycling thermostat isn’t functioning, it may be why a clothing dryer is overheating and shuts off.

Can a dryer thermostat be bypassed?

The thermal fuse will look like a thin strip of white plastic with a wire coming out of each end. In order to bypass the thermal fuse, use electrical tape to tape the two ends together. The thermal fuse will then be bypassed. Turn the dryer on to a heat cycle for no more than 90 seconds.

Should a dryer heating element glow red?

Occasionally, a red glow may be seen inside the dryer drum. This is normal. The glow is from the heating element and is most noticeable if the cycle has been interrupted to remove or add an article of clothing. As the cycle nears the end, the element goes off.

How many ohms should a heating element have?

Check the resistance of the upper heating element using a multimeter. Measure the resistance between the two screw terminals on the upper heating element. A good element will have a resistance between 5 and 25 Ohms.

Do heating elements have high resistance?

Heating elements don’t have a high resistance: for example a 1kW 220v heating element will have a resistance around 50 Ohms and a 2kW one will be about 25Ohms. If you’re in a country using 110V then a 2kW element will have a resistance of only 6.05 Ohms.

How do I know if my thermal fuse is blown?

How to Tell if a Thermal Fuse is Blown Unplug your dryer and ensure it is no longer connected to the gas or electric. Locate the thermal fuse, as above. Disconnect the thermal fuse from the wires. Test the fuse with a multimeter. If the needle on your multimeter does not move, your thermal fuse is blow.