Electric Whirlpool Dryer - no Heat!

Dryer Repair
1

Bought new heating element about 3 months ago. It worked great.
Now - no heat. It runs no problem, just doesn’t heat.
After the heat went out, it came back the next day (but not as hot as usual), and today there is nothing at all.

What do I check? what could be the culprit?

thanks

2

Here are your parts
Parts for Whirlpool LER8648PW0 Dryer - AppliancePartsPros.com

See the attachment for the wiring diagram.

I would start by checking the heating element with a meter.

Check the heating coil.
Unplug the unit and both wires to the coil.
Check it with a meter, should be around 8 to 12 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 touched the case. This could cause what you describe and now the element is burned out.

If you do not own a meter, I would suggest you purchase a one. You can get a decent digital multimeter for under $20.00. You do not need fancy though it is nice if the leads are a couple feet long.
If it saves ordering one unnecessary part it has paid for itself and you end up owning a useful tool.
Most places will not let you return electrical parts so if you order it, you own it.
A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity

  1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
  2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
  3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale’s dynamic range.
  4. When you start always short the meter leads together. This will tell you that the meter is working and if there is any 0 offset.

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it’s use.
Wiring Sheet - 3979703.pdf (249.3 KB)

3

Thank you so much,

I’ve determined that it is the timer. I even opened it up, and it is nicely burned out in one corner. Do you know why this happens? I mean it’s only copper connectors inside; why would it burn out all of a sudden?
Do you know if it would be possible to just replace the burned out metal parts on the inside?

Thanks

4

[COLOR=“Blue”] burned out in one corner. Do you know why this happens? I mean it’s only copper connectors inside; why would it burn out all of a sudden?[/COLOR]
It probably did not burnout all of a sudden, it probably took some time.
What can happen is that the contacts can get dirty/pit over time. This pitting causes there to be some resistance between the contacts. When current passes through the contacts, heat is generated. This further degrades the contacts and so on and so on till the contacts fail.

[COLOR=“Blue”]Do you know if it would be possible to just replace the burned out metal parts on the inside?[/COLOR]
I do not know of ant place that sell the timer’s inmternal parts.

5

HI.

Use the multimeter to check:
-If there is 240VAC to the dryer(best if you’ll check at the connector block).
-With timer set to dry the contacts BK-R should be closed.
-Check the the continuity of the - heater, thermal fuse, operating thermostat.

Here are the breakdown diagrams and Bulkhead parts for Whirlpool LER8648PW0 - AppliancePartsPros.com

Post the results.

Simon.

6

OK:
240VAC OK
Thermal fuse OK
Heater OK

Don’t know where the operating thermostat is - the charts number parts but don’t offer lists with names.

or how to check:
“With timer set to dry the contacts BK-R should be closed” :eek: :confused:

Could you give more detailed instructions or a different chart?

Thanks :slight_smile:

7

Hi.

The operating thermostat is called “cycling thermostat” on this chart

AP6008270

It’s next to the thermal fuse.

In regards of the testing the timer:

Unplug the dryer, turn the timer ON timed-regular.
Remove the Red wire from the R contact from the back of the timer.
Use the multimeter to check the continuity between contacts marked BK and R. Replace the timer if there is no continuity.

The timer AP6009056

On the right side of the diagram I’ve posted there is a vertical column of the rest of the diagrams, just scroll up or down.

Thank you.

Simon.

8

Simon,

Thank you so much for your detailed description - that really helped.
Well, the operating thermostat seems to be ok. However, mine has four wires attached to it, two red on the outside, which I can remove and test, and are ok. and two purple ones on the inside, but I cannot remove those, so don’t know if those are ok, or not.

Second, I tested from R to BK and I get nothing… what I don’t understand is that when turned on, the timer works just fine… so how is this causing the heat to not come on?
and this is a very expensive part, it might make more sense to just replace the dryer…:frowning: :frowning: :frowning: …
Is there a way to connect the wires together for the time being to make it run, until I can get a new dryer?

Thanks again

9

Hello.

The two purple wires are for the tiny thermostat heater, not important in your case.
The BK-R contacts are closed when the timer is on to provide 120VAC to the heater leg.
DO NOT bypass the timer. It’s NOT safe.

Simon.

10

Simon,

Thank you so much for your help.
I wish I knew as much as you do about this stuff.

Thanks,

11

It’s my pleasure.

Have a great day.

Simon.