[ReagaNoah]

I need help clarifiying the wiring instructions for a 279816 Thermal Cutoff Kit that I just purchased with a new heating element for my Whirlpool Dryer. Just a little background: The dryer stopped heating, after investigating, the heater element was baked! in fact the entire element was black and had broken into. I purchased a new element with a Thermal Cutoff Kit. My problem:
The old tstate (near the element connectors) had the old style that had a tab which connected to one connector of the element. The other end of the old tstat was connected to the wiring harness. However, the new instructions show that I will now use a jumper (with a combination male/female connetor) to connect one end of the tstat to the wiring harness and also to one connector of the heating element. However, this leaves the other end of the tstat disconnected (as shown on the installation diagram). Doesn't make sense to me. Seems that the lead from the dryer (for the tstat) should go onto one connector lead of the tstat and the other lead should be connected via jumper to the heating element. That would put it in series?
I appreciate any help.

thank you,
tom

[richappy]

The two wires from the dryer are routed in series with the thermal fuse, high limit thermostat and heating element.
When the dryer gets poor venting, the thermal limit is supposed to open up first
protecting the thermal fuse and heater from burning up, thermal limit opens at 350 degrees, fuse at 250 degrees.Also, the thermal limit is designed to stay open for a long enough period to let things cool down before it closes again. This didn't happen in your case ,but you should be ok now with new parts.

[ReagaNoah]

RICHAPPY,
thank you for your quick reply. Does that mean that the tstat? (nearest the heating element contacts) should have one end jumpered to the element and the other contact of the tstat connected to the wiring harness? If so, this seems different than that shown on the instruction sheet. But it makes sense, for this would be the only way it could be in parallel.
thanks again,

[richappy]

Everything must be in series, not parallel.

[ubersky]

Not sure if it will help, but I just posted a picture guide on how to replace this TCO kit in another thread.

Replacing 279816 thermal cutoff kit