Brand: Whirlpool Model Number: GEW9250PL1 Main Symptom: Overheating and blowing fuses What happens & when: Noticed the clothes smelled like they were overheated at end of cycle. New load put in, press start, dryer clicks and does not run. Lights are on but it only clicks when the start button is pressed. Found blown Dryer Thermal fuse (3392519) and Thermistor (8577274). Replace and it worked fine, 2 loads later and it overheated again and fuses are blown. Air flow is good ,no lint build up, hose isn’t kinked. Blower wheel is clean and rotates with the drum.
Error Code (if any): Didn’t check after I had replaced the fuses the first time.
Parts or tests already tried: High Limit Thermostat and Thermal Cutoff both shown continuity at room temp and break continuity when heated. Element show continuity and is not grounded.
Photos / video link:
Either the motor 279787 is getting weak and overheating or the external venting the dryer connects to has a blockage. The only way to test this is to jump out that thermal fuse, disconnect the dryer from the venting, and run it to see if it cycles off on the motor thermal protector or the high limit thermostat.
If it doesn’t and seems to be running fine then the external venting is likely clogged.
If it still trips or if the venting can be verified as clean and clear with good airflow then the motor will need to be replaced.
Take a small length of wire and bypass the thermal fuse. If the wires are long enough and the connectors are bare spade type you can even just tape them together with electrical tape. Make sure the dryer is disconnected from power when you do this part, plug it back in or turn on the breaker after you’ve got those 2 wires connected to each other.
Can I do the same thing and tape the Thermistor connectors together, plug in the dryer, and run to see if the element cycles? Is there a way to test the motor before ordering?
No, the thermistor sends a constant low DC voltage load through to read temperature and would not be the cause of the issue, especially since it has been replaced. You can test the windings on the motor for resistance value, each winding should be about 2-4Ωs, you’ll have to access the motor to do that testing, but that’s not a great test for what you’ve got going on. The test I described in my previous post is what most techs would do when testing in the field.
Can I test the motor if the thermistor is blown? (Sorry, that question may be like asking which letter of the alphabet is between the letters C & D.) The dryer ran fine and I saw that the element cycled on and off after replacing the fuses. But, it’s out again after one load of clothes and hot, hot, hot. I’m guessing it’s the motor is not turning the blower fan fast enough during the cycle. Is there a way to go into diagnostic mode and determine what’s going on?