Jesse wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:34:05 -0400, Paul Franklin
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:33:24 -0700, "** Frank **"
wrote:

I have a clothes dryer with a 120VAC push to start button. In measuring the
terminals, both sides are hot (120V) with respect to ground and zero volts
across the two terminals. Why is that?

I thought there was a short on one side of the push button but the dryer is
working properly. Normally it should be hot only on one side.


Any chance it's a normally closed pushbutton? If you press it when
measuring across it, does the voltage go from zero to 120?

Seems odd that they would use a NC switch, but that's the only thing
that explains what you measure...

Paul F.
Paul, you correct. There is a normal situation, no volts across switch
is a closed switch. With switch open there should be 120v measured
across contacts. jesse

If it were just a mechanical contacts switch...I think those buttons
control a relay, not a mechanical switch in on my GE I know there are
some other interlocks besides just two terminals. So, as noted before,
it's possible on at least some that he isn't measuring what he thinks he
is...

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