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Replacement parts for General Electric DJXR433EC1CC Electric dryer | AppliancePartsPros.comThe problem with GE is getting any tech info, they like to keep everything a secret.
The following is a wiring diagram that may be close to your unit but I am just guessing looking at what thermostats etc. are in the unit.
http://www.applianceaid.com/newimages/ge-newelec-diagram.JPG[COLOR="Blue"]
I think heating element either works or fails - it does not work at say 50%, does it?[/COLOR]
Yes it is either full on or full off. It is the cycle time that determines the heat output.
[COLOR="Blue"] Today I used m grass blower to blow out vent to roof - got about a cubic foot of lint out, and airflow improved noticeably. Also, I noted that after clearing out the vent the timer did advance on the Cotton setting - I thought I was home free, but then the timer went back to not advancing later.[/COLOR]
Could it be that the vent has clogged up again.
Undo the dryer from the exhaust
Run a load
If the load dries correctly then you have a vent problem.
Clean/check the vent system. Make sure the outside louvers open fully.
If you do not want lint in the house.
Take a pair of pantyhose, put one leg into the other and attach this to the dryer exhaust.
Leave enough room behind the dryer so it can blow out like a windsock.
Run a load.
Both the above will allow you to check the air flow and temp.
[COLOR="Blue"]I have ordered a new timer from you, but I still have doubts about the thermostats - given that the vent was blocked, would the timer or the thermostats have gone bad?[/COLOR]
Note: I do not work for AppliancePartsPros but do volunteer here to try and help a few people. I do think that it is great that APP sponsors this forum with very few restrictions.
No. A blocked vent can cause a thermal cut-off (fuse) to blow but would not effect the timer or control thermostats as far as cusing them to fail.
[COLOR="Blue"]Does the timer control the thermostat or does the thermostat, if faulty, cause the timer to stop advancing?[/COLOR]
In timed dry the timer motor gets power directly from the line, through the TT/TX timer contacts also TB/TC must be closed.
In auto modes it gets power through the heater when the heater is shut off by a thermostat. The 4500 resistor then drops the 240 volt heater voltage to 120 volts which is required by the timer motor.
[COLOR="Blue"]I see that there are 3 thermostats on the dryer - a bias thermostat near the control panel, and a safety thermostat plus a 4 wire thermostat on the drum of the heating element.[/COLOR]
You actually have 4, the main (bias) (drum outlet) thermostat is on the blower.
On the heater you have the Safety Thermostat Left this is the hi-limit thermostat, Thermo Hi Limit Right this is the thermal fuse and Control Inlet (4 wire) this controls the outer coil.
On the 4 wire, 2 wires are the contacts and 2 are for the internal heater (9.000 ohms). This heater is turned on for delicate cyckles, it adds heat to the thermostat so the thermostat cycles more often and reduces the heat output of that element.
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Which of these is the one I should worry about? [/COLOR]
There are other things to check before worrying about the thermostats.
The most common cause is a grounded element. One of the elements has broken or sagged and is touching the case/frame. It then never shuts off and therefore the timer never gets any voltage.
Check the heating coil.
Unplug the unit and both wires to the coil.
Check them with a meter, should be around 20 ohms.
Then check from each side of the coil to the case/frame, both should be infinite ohms (open). If not the coil may have sagged or broken and is touching the case.
Next I would check the 4,500 ohm resistor. Item 80 in Section 1 of the parts.
Sorry for the length of my reply but I hope I explained it OK.
