I’ve got a Kenmore stacking Washer+Dryer Unit, and the Dryer stopped working the other night (washer still spins/ect).
I’ve tested checked the breaker. I’ve tested continuity on the Start button and door switches (and the 4? Thermostats/Thermal Fuse inside), and I get resistance on all of them.
Any suggestions on what to check next?
I’ve been using the following parts diagram to locate the components:
[quote=Gene;369919]Did you check the belt and belt switch (#4 on the diagram)?
Gene.[/quote]
The entire dryer doesn’t turn on. No motor, no noises, no nothing. But the washer works fine, and it only has 1 plug for both.
Would the belt switch cause that?
Btw, if it helps, it was running at the time it stopped working.
[quote=Gene;372751]The belt switch controls voltage to the motor, so if the belt breaks or the switch itself becomes bad then the motor would not run.
Gene.[/quote]
Ok, I think you may be onto something here. Its in a horrendously awkward position. I couldn’t get access to the bolts that hold it in, but got the multimeter leads to make contact, and didn’t show any contact at all between the leads (obviously need to get it out for verification).
Is there a special tool to take the blower wheel off? Looks square, larger than a standard socket wrench head. Can’t break the contact by hand.
Reach behind the blower housing and place a 7/8’’ open end wrench on the motor. Rotate the blower wheel clockwise to lock the motor shaft with the wrench. Allow wrench to lock against the motor bracket.
Using a 3/8’’ socket drive with a 3/8’’ -1/2’’ adapter or 1/2’’ drive, remove the blower wheel. The blower wheel has left-hand threads. Rotate the wheel clockwise to remove. Directional arrows are molded on the front edge of the wheel showing which way to turn to loosen and tighten.
[quote=Gene;373716]Using a 3/8’’ socket drive with a 3/8’’ -1/2’’ adapter or 1/2’’ drive, remove the blower wheel. The blower wheel has left-hand threads. Rotate the wheel clockwise to remove. Directional arrows are molded on the front edge of the wheel showing which way to turn to loosen and tighten.
Gene.[/quote]
Ok, got the fan wheel off, and its not the fan switch…
Anything else? Motor? How would i test it (now that i had to take the entire thing out, just to remove the belt switch…)
[quote=Gene;376280]Check all wires and wire harness plugs between the washer and the dryer.
Check the motor windings for continuity (4 to 6 ohms).
Gene.[/quote]
Turned out to be (from my limited understanding of repair guy), was an electrical overload on a wire coming off the Motor, that also blew out a fuse (was only getting 120v, so enough for washer…)
But.. now the dryer runs fine, but takes 2x as long to dry a load… vent’s not blocked, dryer does warmup (not super hot though).
[LEFT]Its possible a wire would be switched around on the thermostats/thermistors (but I marked 1 wire for each, so I ‘think’ i put them on right). A few are pretty much symetrical, with no distinctions between up/down (so they’d go on the same way rightside up or upside down, and may have been switched).[/LEFT]
[QUOTE=Sgat8516;390740].. now the dryer runs fine, but takes 2x as long to dry a load… vent’s not blocked, dryer does warmup…[/QUOTE]
Most common cause of such problem is insufficient air flow. A restriction can be outside the dryer as well as inside. Make sure the blower wheel is properly attached to the motor shaft and all ducts are properly connected with no air leakage. Disconnect the vent hose on the back of the dryer and run a load to see if there is any difference in time.
If the problem still exist, you may want to replace the high limit thermostat (#48 on the diagram).
The thermal limiter (#50) you mentioned, is actually a thermal fuse. If it’s open then the dryer would not work at all.
Its not air flow, as that was the first thought (just changed the duct under the house, as part of another project, while dryer wasn’t working). Dryer works operates the same with hose disconnected.
Oops, I meant part 42 (the one next to it). Diagram has it dissassembled in a different fashion than I’m used to looking at.
Part 42 is Internal Bias Operating Thermostat.
Could this part be wired incorrectly?
Picture on Sear’s site doesn’t show the backside, but here’s another: http://www.amazon.com/3387134-Whirlpool-Kenmore-Dryer-Thermostat/dp/B001CCK5HS
Found a video online about it, and the red/black connected to the outside 2 poles, and the violet/black (i think its black, smaller sized contact of same size as violet). Would either of these make a difference if they were backwards (on their respective sized poles).
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