CJT writes:

Rick wrote:
Hi
Our Sears electric dryer went completely dead about 2 seconds after
pressing the "push to start" button. Completely dead - as in no
power even to the 10 watt light inside the drum.
I've located a 196 degree thermal fuse in-line to the motor that
could be responsible for complete power loss to everything 120v if
it's gone bad. With both leads disconnected I'm getting a reading on
that thermal fuse that flips between .5 and .6 ohms. (Lowest scale
on the meter I have on hand is 200 ohms.)
To my knowledge I should be reading zero ohms if the fuse is
good. Is a paltry .5 ohm reading enough to indicate that a thermal
fuse is bad?
Thanks
Rick

Look elsewhere.

The 0.5 or 0.6 ohms is probably the same reading you get with the probes
shorted. The fuse should read so close to 0 ohms that your meter won't
see the difference.

If the resistance of the fuse really is 0.5 or 0.6 ohms, then there
is a problem with it. But fuses almost always fail open.

Or, measure the AC voltage across it when the dryer is supposed to be on.

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