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replaced faulty heating element, now dryer gets too hot. Help please!
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Joined: 11/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 16
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After testing several parts for continuity and finally determining that the heating element wasn't working, we bought a new heating element and installed it tonight. We also replaced the thermistor before replacing the heating element. The dryer heats up now, but after running it for five minutes, we noticed that the back of the dryer was getting hot, which never happened before. What could be causing this? :confused: I really appreciate any advice, there's nothing like thinking we've got it fixed and realizing something else is going wrong!
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Rank: Member
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Joined: 11/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 957
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The most common cause of overheating is lack of air flow. Have you checked the vent line to the outside of your home? Is the lint filter screen clean?
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 16
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He checked the vent line and cleaned it out, lint filter screen is clean. He disconnected the vent and turned dryer on, it still gets way too hot within minutes and I can smell burning. Does that mean it isn't an airflow problem and is possibly one of the thermostats?
Thank you!
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 957
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If the vent line is totally clear and the filter and housing is clean, you could have a thermostat issue. However, there are a couple thermostats and a thermal fuse that are designed to prevent overheating. What makes you believe the dryer is getting too hot? Do you have a way to measure the exhaust air temperature, like placing a thermometer in the exhaust right at the back of the dryer vent?
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 16
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We haven't tried measuring the exhaust air temp, but we can get a thermometer and do that. Since we replaced the heating element, the dryer gets extremely hot on the back panel within just a few minutes of turning it on, too hot to touch. That's why I thought it was overheating. Does that sound like one of the thermostats isn't working? Thank you for your help.
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 957
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Number 16 in the picture below is the air duct that carries the heat into the drum. I suspect that there is not enough air moving through the dryer, causing the overheat. I don't think it is a thermostat issue. Is there ample space around the dryer, especially in the back, that air can move? Is the lint filter and the area in front of it at the front of the drum clear of lint? Appliance Ninja attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 16
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Thank you! He found a piece of lint in that air duct, not a big piece but kind of a thick chunk. He removed that and is checking for more lint, then he'll put it back together and try it again. It doesn't seem like that piece of lint could cause this, but I hope that was the problem. I'll let you know if it works!
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 957
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I really suspect an air flow issue, so make sure it gets cleaned out real well and let me know how it goes, thank you!
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 16
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He cleaned everything out of that duct, cleaned out the vent again and the lint filter, even though it really looked like everything was clean. We can't think of anything else that might be causing an air flow problem, so he put everything back together and turned it on. Within 3 minutes the back of the dryer got too hot to touch again, hottest part is towards to the top of the dryer. The clothes were also hotter than normal. We did notice that the duct part had a burn mark on it, so we were hoping that cleaning it would solve the problem but it didn't.
I can't say thank you enough for all your help, do you have any other things we could check?
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 957
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Is the area behind the dryer clean and allowing air to be brought into the cabinet? The intake air comes in from the back panel.
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replaced faulty heating element, now dryer gets too hot. Help please!
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