Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Whirlpool Dryer Heating Element
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mgobluester
08-08-08, 01:46 PM
Electric Whirlpool dryer (LER4434AQ0).
Last week our Whirlpool dryer stopped heating. I removed the heating box, including the thermal cut-off, High-limit thermostat and heating element and took it to the local parts dealer. They tested the unit and said that the thermal cut-off was bad.
After purchasing and installing a new thermostat and thermal cut-off another problem occurred, possibly related... The heating element continuously heats up on the dryer even when the knob is in the off position. The drum turns normally when the dryer is on, and shuts off properly, however the heating element continuously heats. I can tell because I had the back of the dryer off and watched it glow. Any thoughts on this? The parts dealer swore up and down that the new thermostat and thermal cut-off are good when I tried to take them back.
Last week our Whirlpool dryer stopped heating. I removed the heating box, including the thermal cut-off, High-limit thermostat and heating element and took it to the local parts dealer. They tested the unit and said that the thermal cut-off was bad.
After purchasing and installing a new thermostat and thermal cut-off another problem occurred, possibly related... The heating element continuously heats up on the dryer even when the knob is in the off position. The drum turns normally when the dryer is on, and shuts off properly, however the heating element continuously heats. I can tell because I had the back of the dryer off and watched it glow. Any thoughts on this? The parts dealer swore up and down that the new thermostat and thermal cut-off are good when I tried to take them back.
pugsl
08-08-08, 04:07 PM
The only thing I can think of is the timer points welded together. need a volt meter, Ohm meter to check. Thermostat or high limit will not cause your problem. The proabanl reason the high limit went out is that it did not quit heating when it should.
himeros
08-08-08, 04:26 PM
If it is the older style of dryer, the motor had the contacts that turn on the heater, so if the motor shuts off, the heater should also. What you replaced would not have caused the problem you have now, but the problem you have now, could have caused those two parts to burn out.
Himeros
Himeros
ecman51`
08-08-08, 06:42 PM
I'm suspicious of a shorted element to ground on one leg. Seen it several times. A dryer can be OFF and the dryer will get so hot you can fry an egg on the top of it, almost! Not just theory.
What happens is one 120volt leg of current continously feeds the element that is touching the metal of the element housing and grounds into the dryer. The safeties do not shut off because they are on one leg in series (at least inthe models I have excperienced this, and the engineers should have thought of this!.) Hence my theory that since the safety switches are not shutting your element off on high limit - The appliance guy who tested it maybe wasn't on the ball enough that day to recognize low ohms and 100% continuity. In an element you need SOME resitance. If you have no resistance, that indicates a dead short. I'd recheck the element to make sure it is not directly shorted to ground.
What happens is one 120volt leg of current continously feeds the element that is touching the metal of the element housing and grounds into the dryer. The safeties do not shut off because they are on one leg in series (at least inthe models I have excperienced this, and the engineers should have thought of this!.) Hence my theory that since the safety switches are not shutting your element off on high limit - The appliance guy who tested it maybe wasn't on the ball enough that day to recognize low ohms and 100% continuity. In an element you need SOME resitance. If you have no resistance, that indicates a dead short. I'd recheck the element to make sure it is not directly shorted to ground.