"mm" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 16:29:28 -0600, "SRN" wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
. ..
I have a very old clothes dryer, a Kenmore that I'm pretty sure is

We have an old Kenmore elec. dryer (circa 1990), and several years ago
when
troubleshooting and replacing one of the thermostats, I measured the
temperatures on the various temp. ranges running the dryer empty.
The low temp. had a cut-in temp. of 105° and a cut-out of 157°
The med. temp had a cut-in of 107° and a cut-out of 166°
And the high temp. had a cut-in of 116° and a cut-out of 169°
As you can see, there is hardly a difference.

You're right. And an incredibly wide range for each.


Originally, I used a Fluke 52 digital thermometer with the thermocouple wire
stuck inside the dryer thru the door. But since you asked, I just went down
to the basement and drilled a tiny hole in the dryer duct and used my UEI
pocket digital thermometer to measure the temps. again. It's hard to get
consistency because the thermostat isn't very precise. On one cycle the
cut-in temp. might be 112° and the next time it might be 107°. But anyway
here is a summary

Hi cut-in 112° cut-out 163° (measured in dryer vent stack)
Med cut-in 110° cut-out 156°
Hi cut-in 91° cut-out 141°

When I used both methods to track temps. at the same time, this time I found
the dryer compartment temps peaking much higher than the exhaust vent temps.
I assume because the probe inside the dryer was receiving radiant heat
energy from the heat element. It peaked at 205° inside and corresponded to a
peak of 163° in the vent on high.


I've been measuring water temp lately with a meat thermometer with a
metal probe, but for some reason I didn't think it would work for air.

I would think that the meat thermometer would work ok. Drill a tiny hole in
the vent pipe and try it.