Brand:Maytag
Model Number:LDE9804ACE
Main Symptom:Getting to hot
What happens & when:
Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:
Went to take clothes out of dryer and boy were they hot to the touch, almost to hot to hang onto! Checked the basics first, exhaust tube, lint filter not clogged including the water test on the lint filter to make sure it did not hold water. Checked the element to drum with no restrictions as well as the fan & output duct. Dryer was not over packed, drum is rotating as it fan with no abnormal noises. I retrieved the wire diagram from the back of the machine.
So then I went to the heater thermo cycling switch and hooked my meter to the purple wire on the output that goes to the hi limit switch, then on to the heater element and ran the dryer empty for 15 minutes.
The voltage stayed constant. Isn’t this switch suppose to open when the dryer reaches 175 degrees?(I tried to use my infrared temp gun on the exhaust hose but it would not read accurately I think because its a shiny metal but it indicated 115 degrees but yet I could not put my hand on it as it was to hot. That is why I think it was reading to low.) I was watching the glow from the heater element though a small hole in the back of the machine at the same time and did not see any difference in the brightness of the element. Am I testing the correct wire? Am I correct in expecting to see this voltage drop at some point then return once the temp gets low enough?
Yes sounds like you possibly have either a stuck high limit or cycling thermostat, the only other thing I would check is to make sure the element ( Whirlpool WPY308612 Dryer Heating Element Assembly | Genuine OEM Part ) itself isn’t grounded. You do that by unplugging the dryer and accessing the 2 connectors to the element. unplug them and check for continuity from each element terminal and ground and to the tube surrounding the element. If you get continuity you have a grounded element and it will need to be replaced.
If both terminals read as open I would replace both thermostats ( Whirlpool WP303396 Dryer High Limit Thermostat | Genuine OEM Part ) ( Whirlpool WP3387137 Dryer Internal-Bias Thermostat (Dryer) | Genuine OEM Part )
Thank you for your quick reply. I will follow your instructions for checking the element this evening when I get home from work.
Ok did your heating element test and all was good. Ordered the high limit switch and the cycling switch and installed them and dryer is now working again with the element cycling on and off. So that is all good.
But I retested it and this is where I am confused. I rehooked my meter to the purple wire and when the element goes off instead of seeing 0 volts like I was expecting the voltage went from 118 to 124 volts! I get the same readings on the red wire from the temp switch and the brown wire out of the high limit switch as the element cycles on/off. I did a volt drop test across the cycle switch and it go from 0 volts element on to 240 volts with element off so it is cycling. I removed the cycling switch & limit switch from the machine and heated them up a putting my ohm meter across the red and purple connect on the cycle switch and it went open as did the purple and brown connection on the high limit switch. Both making a click sound as they open and closed. So how exactly is the power or ground cut to the heating element to get it to cycle???
Your heating element is 220v it is cycled by cutting out one leg dropping the voltage to 110v
