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I have a Kenmore Elite gas dryer. I can give the model number upon request, but it flags the message as spam if I insert it in this question. The dryer turns on, the drum spins, the blower for the dust vent works, but the heat does not work. I have replaced the thermal fuse and the igniter, but the igniter still does not ignite. Any ideas for what to check / replace next? Thanks.
Okay, I found the problem, after replacing the thermal fuse, the igniter, and the high limit thermostat, and testing the flame sensor and solenoids. All those were fine. The problem was the heater relay. Wish I had checked that first, but I didn’t find any reference anywhere to that being a potential problem. It’s the easiest thing to replace and only cost $8. Well at least my dryer is working again!
Cause 1 Gas Valve Solenoid Gas dryers have two or more gas valve solenoid coils. The gas valve solenoids open the gas valve ports to allow gas to flow into the burner assembly. If a gas valve solenoid fails, the dryer won’t heat. To determine if one or more of the gas valve solenoids has failed, check the igniter. If the igniter glows and goes out but does not ignite the gas, the gas valve solenoid is defective. If one or more of the gas valve coils are defective, I recommend that you replace them as a set.
I had a similar issue. I replaced the gas valve that checked bad and thermal fuse as well. I reassembled the dryer and found the igniter would light and cut out after a few seconds. Long story short all components checked ok. Except I noticed a squeal when I started the dryer & the belt was fine. The motor centrifugal switch would not kick out due to a drum roller binding. I found of a bunch of hair caught behind the . So make sure that the drum rollers are spinning freely. A telltale sign is the drum will have rubber roller residue on the drum track or the dryer belt is glazed or breaks often. Needless to say I am going to shave every female’s head in my household.
For my dryer it turned out to be the thermal fuse and the high limit thermostat (temperature regulator). For the novice I cannot stress this enough… DO NOT JUMP THE FUSE except for testing. The purpose of this thermal fuse is to melt (on the inside) if the high limit thermostat sticks in the closed position. If the thermostat stick in the open position the heat will never turn on. If the thermostat sticks in the closed position the heat will never turn off. Therein lies the danger. the thermostat is supposed to heat the fryer to around 150 deg F… the fuse will blow at about 190 deg F, thereby saving your clothes, laundry room and house. Many places sell these as a set. My set cost $14. Please do not operate the dryer with this fuse jumped. This $10 part, when bypassed, could cost thousands of dollars and even someone’s life. I just wanted to put this warning out there. The manuals that I read didn’t mention it.
When you first turn on the dryer it will ignite (light) and you can hear the propane and the timer counts down. But it doesn’t keep heating (lighting) up. The repairman said the ignitor was going, therefore it was only working sporadically, then he said it wasn’t the ignitor, it was the timer. He didnt use a tester to check the timer. He never even took the back off the dryer. I was under the understanding that if the timer button worked (moved) that it WASN’T the timer. Can you please give me your input? I don’t want to get nickel and dimed by a repairman. Thank you.
