Ok, I think I have it mostly nailed, but I want to make sure. I've never done this before and want to make sure I don't mess something up, leave something out or start a fire later.
The model is a Whirlpool LER4634EQ2 Heavy Duty Electric Dryer. Its about 12 years old and has survived 4 moves, 3 kids and my wife who doesn't care to ever clean the lint trap it seems.
The other day, she was drying some things and I noticed when I checked on them that they were VERY VERY hot. The lint trap was mostly clean (cleaner than usual) and so I started it again and let it go. The clothes dried fine.
The NEXT time I went to use the dryer, it wouldn't start. When you turn the cycle timer, the heating element lit up but when you pressed the start button, there was nothing. No click, no start, no anything.
So... after a bunch of shadetree appliance repair reading on the internet, I decided to do some testing to see if I could repair it. I don't want to buy a new dryer right now. It's so low on my list of priorities that I'd just as soon hang clothes on my spoiler to blow dry while driving down 169. Anyway, I followed the troubleshooting guides. The outlet is good and reads like it should, so I removed the back panel after deciding that the thermal componants sounded like the culprit.
I located the one time thermal fuse that is in the exhaust tube, removed it and tested it for continuity. None... nada, zip, zilch. Ok so that's bad right?
I decided to tempt fate and just tape the two leads to the fuse together and test the dryer and voila... it started fine and the timer functioned correctly so that pretty much rules out any switch or timer issues.
My question is this dryer has two thermostats on the heater tube, an upper and a lower. I haven't tested them yet, but I have read a little bit that says you should replace those as well.
I also noticed there is a "cycling thermostat" on the exhaust tube near the thermal fuse. Is this something I need to check and replace as well?
So... my questions:
1.) Does it sound like I'm taking the right course of action?
2.) Do I need to replace both of the thermostats in the heater tube?
3.) If no on item 2, do I simply check them for continuity to determine good?
4.) Do I need to replace the "cyclig thermostat" in the exhaust tube?
5.) If no, do I simply check it for continuity to determine good as well?
6.) Anything else?
Thanks in advance to all of you who know what they are doing... cause I don't!
The model is a Whirlpool LER4634EQ2 Heavy Duty Electric Dryer. Its about 12 years old and has survived 4 moves, 3 kids and my wife who doesn't care to ever clean the lint trap it seems.
The other day, she was drying some things and I noticed when I checked on them that they were VERY VERY hot. The lint trap was mostly clean (cleaner than usual) and so I started it again and let it go. The clothes dried fine.
The NEXT time I went to use the dryer, it wouldn't start. When you turn the cycle timer, the heating element lit up but when you pressed the start button, there was nothing. No click, no start, no anything.
So... after a bunch of shadetree appliance repair reading on the internet, I decided to do some testing to see if I could repair it. I don't want to buy a new dryer right now. It's so low on my list of priorities that I'd just as soon hang clothes on my spoiler to blow dry while driving down 169. Anyway, I followed the troubleshooting guides. The outlet is good and reads like it should, so I removed the back panel after deciding that the thermal componants sounded like the culprit.
I located the one time thermal fuse that is in the exhaust tube, removed it and tested it for continuity. None... nada, zip, zilch. Ok so that's bad right?
I decided to tempt fate and just tape the two leads to the fuse together and test the dryer and voila... it started fine and the timer functioned correctly so that pretty much rules out any switch or timer issues.
My question is this dryer has two thermostats on the heater tube, an upper and a lower. I haven't tested them yet, but I have read a little bit that says you should replace those as well.
I also noticed there is a "cycling thermostat" on the exhaust tube near the thermal fuse. Is this something I need to check and replace as well?
So... my questions:
1.) Does it sound like I'm taking the right course of action?
2.) Do I need to replace both of the thermostats in the heater tube?
3.) If no on item 2, do I simply check them for continuity to determine good?
4.) Do I need to replace the "cyclig thermostat" in the exhaust tube?
5.) If no, do I simply check it for continuity to determine good as well?
6.) Anything else?
Thanks in advance to all of you who know what they are doing... cause I don't!
