Sam Goldwasser wrote:

Rick writes:


Jamie wrote:

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

The protection in your motor is fine, look else where.
Your meter will not read 0 even if you cross the leads
unless you have an analog with cal on it.


Thank you to everyone who replied.

Regarding the meter situation: If it matters it *does* read zero ohms
with the leads crossed. It's an inexpensive, $20.00 LCD display type
meter. I had checked the thermal fuse a few times and it consistently
gives a reading that hovers back and forth from .5 ohms to .6 ohms
each time it's tested. (Yes - both leads to the fuse have been removed
for testing.)

I think I'm going to bypass it and reapply power to see what
happens. I'm not looking to start or run the dryer with the thermal
fuse bypassed. I just want to either rule it in or out - see if the 10
watt light inside the drum will come back on (or not.)

The way I'm reading the wiring diagram for this model - a Sears
Ken"less these days" - it does not use a drop resistor to supply 120v
to the timer & motor etc. It uses 1/2 the 240v feed to supply 120v to
the motor and electronics. And it's also the first time I've seen a
dryer put a thermal fuse in-line with the motor. (Of course, there is
a second thermal fuse in the 240v supplied to the heater.)

The only other thing I can see in the wiring diagram that would kill
all power to the 120 volt stuff - and make the drum light inoperable
as well - would be a defective dryer door switch. More
disassembly... I'm not as inclined to suspect the door switch because,
hell, this dryer is barely two years old! But with the "quality" of
Kenmore appliances these days... Exasperating. First the dehumidifier
that crapped twice in 15 months. Now a dryer that went bust in two
years. Kenmore? I don't know what the hell is going on with Sears, and
I thought I'd never say this, but Never Again.


I assume you did check the AC outlet or power wiring!

Also, older installations may have a pair of fuses, on one each leg
of the 115-0-115 V service. Sometimes, only one of these fuses blows
(possibly for no good reason) killing power to the 120 V stuff.

Thanks Sam

The AC cord (3 wire setup) and wiring block for continuity? Yes.

The 240v socket? No. How do you check it properly? 0-115 on both sides?
Or 115 to 115 for 240 volts? All of the "how to" books avoid the testing
procedure for 240v outlets and I don't want to do it until I know how to
do it.

FWIW it's a dual circuit breaker on the panel. It didn't trip when the
dryer went dead.

Rick