I'm servicing a Kenmore gas dryer, model number 76912692. The non resettable
thermal fuse opened and needs to be replaced. When I disassembled the dryer,
there was a nice schematic (more of a block diagram) hiding under the
control panel. According to the diagram, the series of devices in line with
the heating circuit is as follows:

186ºF thermal fuse.
Operating thermostat, 150ºF or 155ºF.
High limit thermostat 205ºF.

Then from there, it goes to the gas burner assembly.

I have two questions. If the thermal fuse is set at 186º what's the point of
having a high limit switch at 205º?

The operating thermostat is a 4 terminal device. Two of the terminals make
up the single pole switch. The other two terminals have a resistance of 7k
ohms and from what I can figure out at the company's website that makes this
device, it uses some sort of biasing to alter the cutoff point. Is this
correct?

http://www.thermodisc.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=8

Thanks for your reply.
--
David Farber
David Farber's Service Center
L.A., CA

In article , "David Farber"
wrote:

186ºF thermal fuse.
Operating thermostat, 150ºF or 155ºF.
High limit thermostat 205ºF.

Then from there, it goes to the gas burner assembly.

I have two questions. If the thermal fuse is set at 186º what's the point of
having a high limit switch at 205º?

David-

I think the 205ºF applies to inside the dryer, while the thermal fuse
(also called a thermal cut-off) is located outside the dryer chamber.

If yours is open, there used to be two available from Radio Shack, and two
or three from NTE.

Be sure to crimp, not solder, the replacement. (Or else use a huge heat
sink clamped to the wire next to the body!)

Fred