Billccm wrote

My Amana Electric dryer (model LE8327W) is
taking longer and longer to dry the clothes. It
seems to heat, yet even on the non automatic
timed cycle it takes about three hours to dry
a full load.

The most common cause of poor drying is a plugged, partially plugged
and/or poorly installed dryer vent. You can read about that at the
following link:

How long can my dryer vent be?
http://ng.appliance411.com/links/jump.cgi?ID=778

I have read that a heating element may partially
burn out; any thoughts on this? Could I use an
ohm meter to determine the elements?

The only way most dryer elements could give only partial heat is if it
was shorted to ground. Once disconnected from it wiring, the element
should be able to be tested for a short to ground using an ohm meter.
In some cases however, it is only when the element heats that it
expands and sags touching a ground so such a short may not be able to
be accurately tested for. A visible inspection for signs of a short
may be necessary to confirm such a failure.

Would a cycle thermostat be the best first bet?

A thermostat failure is a *slim* possibility for your symptom however
most times a dryer thermostat will either open causing NO heat at all
or be shorted closed making the dryer too hot. It would be fairly
unusually for one to just be inaccurate IMO.

I'd look elsewhere first (and second and third and forth...).

JMO

Dan O.
-
Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=Amana+dryer

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