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

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 e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 01:18:22 -0500, Rick wrote:

:Hi
:
:Our Sears electric dryer went completely dead about 2 seconds after
ressing 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
altry .5 ohm reading enough to indicate that a thermal fuse is bad?
:
:Thanks
:
:Rick


There is nothing wrong with the fuse then.

Just try shorting the test leads on your meter and you will probably read
something like 0.2 Ohms resistance anyway. Unless your meter has a "ZERO Ohms"
function you can't compensate for the lead resistance.

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.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

Have you tried turning on the dryer again? The fuse might very well read
close to zero simply because it's reset. If that's the case, then the
problem is a short further down the line.

--- the Lady from Philadelphia

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.


--
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

http://webpages.charter.net/jamie_5"

Your meter will not read 0 even if you cross the leads
unless you have an analog with cal on it.

Many digital meters have a "zero-cal" pushbutton.

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Your meter will not read 0 even if you cross the leads
unless you have an analog with cal on it.


Many digital meters have a "zero-cal" pushbutton.


REL mode is not accurate.
As it saids. It's relative and so is the
same with analog meters.

for a true accurate reading at low ohms, you
need a Kevin leaded meter.


--
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

http://webpages.charter.net/jamie_5"

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.

Rick

"Rick" wrote in message
...

I think I'm going to bypass it and reapply power to see what happens.

DO NOT DO THIS. You don't know what's wrong with the dryer. The fuse is
there to protect you and the equipment.

Start by turning it on and see if it runs briefly as it did before. If it
shuts off (as I think it will), you can check the fuse quickly to see if
it's opened. If it has, you know there is some other problem, and you can
use the schematic to start tracking it down.

Rick wrote:

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.

Rick

A corollary to Murphy's Law is that the component that's hardest to get
at (in this case the door switch) is the most likely to be defective.

Find where the wires from the switch go, and check _its_ continuity.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

"Rick" wrote in message
...
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.

Rick

The "Door Switch" - while you might be correct - do NOT overlook the
obvious. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that goes bad. AND not
always in the easiest of places to get to!

Sears - A neighbor of mine - asked me to take him to the store to buy a
"rototiller" to till some ground for planting. He got the Tiller - brought
it home - it worked for an hour - then quit. He called them - told them what
was going on. They told him bring it back. They tried to tell him - he was
not supposed to use it for the purpose he was - "Tilling". I'm like - what
the hell do you do with it then, stand it in a corner and stare at it? Any
"Farmer" would laugh you people out of town - to hear you say that. They
offered him a cheaper model for the same price - a joke! He told them
absolutely not. He got his money back - we went a mile out the road to a
Lowes - where he bought one - and no trouble with it at all. That store - is
out of business - having gone out about November of 07.

I have an older dryer my parents bought new ($80) in the mid to late 60s.
Since that time - the pulley had to be replaced twice - the belt 4 times -
once because the cross arm sort of shifted in time and cut it - prematurely.
The Pig Tail - once. It still works like a charm! "I" have repaired it all
but once - my brother in law repaired the first broken belt. That dryer has
definately paid for itself many times. It was made by G.E. That dryer is a
120 Volt - 15 Amp Dryer. It has like a 3 hour timer on it. It "does" get
hot - believe it or not. Unless you overload it severly, the clothes get dry
in one cycle. My electric bill is only about $40 tops per month - all other
uses included.

Rick wrote:


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!

One of the most common faults on tumble dryers over here in the UK is
the door switch or the method of operating same, sometimes a plastic peg
on the door which can get broken off, or a fitting on one of the hinges.

That`s where I would start looking

Ron(UK)

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.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

"radiosrfun" writes:

"Rick" wrote in message
...
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.

Rick

The "Door Switch" - while you might be correct - do NOT overlook the
obvious. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that goes bad. AND not
always in the easiest of places to get to!

Sears - A neighbor of mine - asked me to take him to the store to buy a
"rototiller" to till some ground for planting. He got the Tiller - brought
it home - it worked for an hour - then quit. He called them - told them what
was going on. They told him bring it back. They tried to tell him - he was
not supposed to use it for the purpose he was - "Tilling". I'm like - what
the hell do you do with it then, stand it in a corner and stare at it? Any
"Farmer" would laugh you people out of town - to hear you say that. They
offered him a cheaper model for the same price - a joke! He told them
absolutely not. He got his money back - we went a mile out the road to a
Lowes - where he bought one - and no trouble with it at all. That store - is
out of business - having gone out about November of 07.

I have an older dryer my parents bought new ($80) in the mid to late 60s.
Since that time - the pulley had to be replaced twice - the belt 4 times -
once because the cross arm sort of shifted in time and cut it - prematurely.
The Pig Tail - once. It still works like a charm! "I" have repaired it all
but once - my brother in law repaired the first broken belt. That dryer has
definately paid for itself many times. It was made by G.E. That dryer is a
120 Volt - 15 Amp Dryer. It has like a 3 hour timer on it. It "does" get
hot - believe it or not. Unless you overload it severly, the clothes get dry
in one cycle. My electric bill is only about $40 tops per month - all other
uses included.

We have a Sear Kenmore from at least 1970, possibly much earlier. (It was in
the house when we moved in in 1980). It (crossed fingers) has never needed
service.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

"Sam Goldwasser" wrote in message
...
"radiosrfun" writes:

"Rick" wrote in message
...
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.

Rick

The "Door Switch" - while you might be correct - do NOT overlook the
obvious. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that goes bad. AND not
always in the easiest of places to get to!

Sears - A neighbor of mine - asked me to take him to the store to
buy a
"rototiller" to till some ground for planting. He got the Tiller -
brought
it home - it worked for an hour - then quit. He called them - told them
what
was going on. They told him bring it back. They tried to tell him - he
was
not supposed to use it for the purpose he was - "Tilling". I'm like -
what
the hell do you do with it then, stand it in a corner and stare at it?
Any
"Farmer" would laugh you people out of town - to hear you say that. They
offered him a cheaper model for the same price - a joke! He told them
absolutely not. He got his money back - we went a mile out the road to a
Lowes - where he bought one - and no trouble with it at all. That store -
is
out of business - having gone out about November of 07.

I have an older dryer my parents bought new ($80) in the mid to late
60s.
Since that time - the pulley had to be replaced twice - the belt 4
times -
once because the cross arm sort of shifted in time and cut it -
prematurely.
The Pig Tail - once. It still works like a charm! "I" have repaired it
all
but once - my brother in law repaired the first broken belt. That dryer
has
definately paid for itself many times. It was made by G.E. That dryer is
a
120 Volt - 15 Amp Dryer. It has like a 3 hour timer on it. It "does" get
hot - believe it or not. Unless you overload it severly, the clothes get
dry
in one cycle. My electric bill is only about $40 tops per month - all
other
uses included.

We have a Sear Kenmore from at least 1970, possibly much earlier. (It was
in
the house when we moved in in 1980). It (crossed fingers) has never
needed
service.

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They had "quality" back then! Better quality, less stringent laws, rules,
etc... to oversee. I'll attempt a repair at an older item any time. So long
as the timer keeps working - the rest should be an easy fix for you if it
goes whacko.
My mother had a wringer washer - which I used up til about 1999. It finally
died. Parts were still available - but more than a new washer would cost.
So, I bought a new "modern" washer. It only lasted 6 years or so. The damned
transmission went bad in it - cost to replace - $300. Out the door it went.

TVs used to be good for at least 10-15 years - give or take some
maintenance. Today - if you get a year out of them, you're damned lucky.

We have a Big Screen tv at our Fire Department in the Lounge. It is only
about 3 years old and has been repaired at least that many times - already.
Not only that - but the damned thing - for being solid state - takes as long
as a "tube" type TV takes - to come on. That is ridiculous.

"Rick" wrote in message
...
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

I'll venture that what you are looking at is not a real thermal fuse, a
device with a metal link that melts (fuses) when it fails. Those will not
recover at all after failure.

More likely what you have is a thermostatic switch that opens a circuit by
the motion of a bimetal strip. These will recover when cool. Replace it and
you should be done.

That would be consistent with the symptoms you have.

Charlie

Sam Goldwasser wrote:


We have a Sear Kenmore from at least 1970, possibly much earlier. (It was in
the house when we moved in in 1980). It (crossed fingers) has never needed
service.


We had a Sears electric dryer, circa early 1980's. I replaced the heater
coil in it once. It then became unrepairable when the motor start/run
switch cracked in three pieces and Sears no longer stocked the part. The
only way we could get the switch replaced was to buy a new motor with a
start/run switch mounted on it. The cost for the motor was $130.00.
Hindsight being what it is, it would have been a better idea to buy the
motor than a new Sears appliance.

Caveat emptor...

Rick

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

Rick wrote:
snip

The 240v socket? No. How do you check it properly? 0-115 on both sides?
Or 115 to 115 for 240 volts?

Either way. The latter is probably more reliable. Of course, two 115's
only make 230, but you might have two 120's. :-)

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


--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

Sniped lots of stuff

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.

It is easy. Check it both ways. It should show 120v from hot to neutral on
one side and 120 from hot to neutral on the other side. This will let you
know that your hot and neutral is working. You can also measure hot to hot
and you should have 240v. A 240v circuit is really 2 120 circuits in 2
different phases so there is potential between them. Not sure if phase is
the correct term here, but gets the same idea.

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

The breaker can be tripped and appear to be closed. You should open and
close breakers to be sure.

Mike

"Charlie Bress" wrote in message
. ..

I'll venture that what you are looking at is not a real thermal fuse,
a device with a metal link that melts (fuses) when it fails. Those
will not recover at all after failure.

How could such a device provide protection? You don't want a fuse "fusing"
to a short!


More likely what you have is a thermostatic switch that opens a circuit
by the motion of a bimetal strip. These will recover when cool. Replace
it and you should be done.

Unless the thermostat is broken, how will this fix the problem? If the dryer
has such a thermostat, and it opened, it most likely opened BECAUSE THERE
WAS AN EXCESSIVE LOAD elsewhere in the circuit. And the OP has to find that,
and fix it.

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
"Charlie Bress" wrote in message
. ..

I'll venture that what you are looking at is not a real thermal fuse,
a device with a metal link that melts (fuses) when it fails. Those
will not recover at all after failure.

How could such a device provide protection? You don't want a fuse "fusing"
to a short!


More likely what you have is a thermostatic switch that opens a circuit
by the motion of a bimetal strip. These will recover when cool. Replace
it and you should be done.

Unless the thermostat is broken, how will this fix the problem? If the
dryer
has such a thermostat, and it opened, it most likely opened BECAUSE THERE
WAS AN EXCESSIVE LOAD elsewhere in the circuit. And the OP has to find
that,
and fix it.

If it is what I am thinking about it is not a fuse at all. It is a
thermostat inline with the motor and senses temperature to shut down if
there is an over temp condition. Dryers have several in various locations.
If the OP has one that is defective it may open prematurely. Take it out to
test it and it cools off and resets.

Of course, I could be all wet. I can't see the wiring diagram and have no
model info. It is unlikely that a real fuse would recover. Part of the
fuse rating indicates the highest voltage a fuse is supposed to successfully
open.


Charlie

Michael Kennedy wrote:
Sniped lots of stuff

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.


It is easy. Check it both ways. It should show 120v from hot to neutral on
one side and 120 from hot to neutral on the other side. This will let you
know that your hot and neutral is working. You can also measure hot to hot
and you should have 240v. A 240v circuit is really 2 120 circuits in 2
different phases so there is potential between them. Not sure if phase is
the correct term here, but gets the same idea.


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


The breaker can be tripped and appear to be closed. You should open and
close breakers to be sure.

Mike


Hi Mike

Opened and closed the breaker several times, of course. But what does
this mean?:

Set the meter to AC 750v range. Closed the breaker. Tested black to
neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split second "FFFZZZZ!"
and the wire inside the insulated test lead fried and shot out of the
test probe.

Needless to say I didn't get a chance to check 120 to 120. 8-)

Did all the safety stuff right, as far as I know: Insulated (rubber
sole) boots, still stood on a wooden frame instead of the concrete
floor, had someone else on hand tripping the breaker, insulated test
leads - of course. In other words, I came out of it uninjured.

Still, the circuit breaker didn't trip...

What does this mean? Ground fault problem somewhere in the 240v between
the panel and the outlet? Want to know before the electrician comes in
so we understand what he's checking and fixing.

Rick

Set the meter to AC 750v range. Closed the breaker. Tested black to
neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split second "FFFZZZZ!"
and the wire inside the insulated test lead fried and shot out of the test
probe.



Did you have the probe plugged into the Amps jack? I'm not sure how else the
wire would have burned up like that, you may well need a new meter now
though.

"Rick" wrote in message
...

Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.

Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.

William Sommerwerck wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.


Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.



Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.

Rick

"Rick" wrote in message ...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.

Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.


Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.


But black to neutral might be little or no voltage. Maybe.

Regardless, voltage ranges have extremely high impedances. It should be
"impossible" to pump enough current through them to blow up the wiring.

Rick wrote:

William Sommerwerck wrote:

"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.



Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.



Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Was it set to read voltage or current? Likely current.


Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.

Rick


--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

On Jan 21, 2:12*pm, "James Sweet" wrote:
Set the meter to AC 750v range. Closed the breaker. Tested black to
neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split second "FFFZZZZ!"
and the wire inside the insulated test lead fried and shot out of the test
probe.

Did you have the probe plugged into the Amps jack? I'm not sure how else the
wire would have burned up like that, you may well need a new meter now
though.

I think he needed a new meter before he started!

OP, is that the only meter you have? (Er, had?) Starting to sound
like the meter was defective!

"Mr. Land" wrote in
:

On Jan 21, 2:12*pm, "James Sweet" wrote:
Set the meter to AC 750v range. Closed the breaker. Tested black to
neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split second
"FFFZZZZ!"

and the wire inside the insulated test lead fried and shot out of
the te
st
probe.

Did you have the probe plugged into the Amps jack? I'm not sure how
else t
he
wire would have burned up like that, you may well need a new meter
now though.

I think he needed a new meter before he started!

OP, is that the only meter you have? (Er, had?) Starting to sound
like the meter was defective!



It's been sounding like the operator is defective....

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"William Sommerwerck" writes:

"Rick" wrote in message ...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.

Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.


Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.

But black to neutral might be little or no voltage. Maybe.

Huh?

Black-white should be 115 VAC
Red-white should be 115 VAC
Black-red should be 230 VAC

White-green or white to bare may be near 0 VAC

Assuming it wired with proper color code.

If white-black was 0 V, then there is a problem. But sounds more like
the meter was on the wrong range, connected wrong, or broken.

Regardless, voltage ranges have extremely high impedances. It should be
"impossible" to pump enough current through them to blow up the wiring.

Yep, something is fishy....

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

"Sam Goldwasser" wrote in message
...
"William Sommerwerck" writes:

"Rick" wrote in message
...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.

Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the
current
jacks.


Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.

But black to neutral might be little or no voltage. Maybe.

Huh?

Black-white should be 115 VAC
Red-white should be 115 VAC
Black-red should be 230 VAC

White-green or white to bare may be near 0 VAC

Assuming it wired with proper color code.

If white-black was 0 V, then there is a problem. But sounds more like
the meter was on the wrong range, connected wrong, or broken.

Regardless, voltage ranges have extremely high impedances. It should be
"impossible" to pump enough current through them to blow up the wiring.

Yep, something is fishy....

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above
is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included
in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.


I personally don't mind checking voltages and so on - "always" double
checking meter settings before hand - even if doing a "radio" or some other
appliance. Going with what Sam mentioned - "Assuming" the wiring is to
proper color code. There are a lot of wannabe Electricians out there - who
don't know their butt hole from a hole in the ground. I can also wonder
about some so-called "electricians". WHY? I've known of at least a dozen
so-called "electrical fires" - occurring not too long after the building was
"re-wired". Obviously - someone must have goofed.

This thread - due to "wiring issues" in the "box" - is starting to mirror
the one about someone's TV set damaged by "alleged" faulty wiring.

I knew a "Mill" Electrician at one time. He had a weird way of wiring
things - and most anyone who knew him would say that. I seen a sample of
"Switch box" wiring he did once for a PA system. Man, what a rats nest. How
it worked is beyond me - but it did. I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to
replace it all - when it was done. The best thing there - would have been to
take it all out and start fresh.

"Sam Goldwasser" wrote in message
...
"William Sommerwerck" writes:

"Rick" wrote in message ...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
...


Set the meter to AC 750V range. Closed the breaker. Tested
black to neutral: no reading. Tested red to neutral: In a split
second "FFFZZZZ!" and the wire inside the insulated test lead
fried and shot out of the test probe.

Non-sequitur. It sounds as if you had the probes inserted in the current
jacks.


Nope. I checked it twice before testing. And since it was brought up I
looked at the meter again - correct jacks.

Your reasoning wouldn't explain why it didn't 'zap' when testing the
first 120v side of the 240v receptacle. I got no reading at all on the
white and black side. (No fried test lead either.) It went 'zap' when I
tested the white and red side.

But black to neutral might be little or no voltage. Maybe.

Huh?

Black-white should be 115 VAC
Red-white should be 115 VAC
Black-red should be 230 VAC

White-green or white to bare may be near 0 VAC

Assuming it wired with proper color code.

If white-black was 0 V, then there is a problem. But sounds more like
the meter was on the wrong range, connected wrong, or broken.

Regardless, voltage ranges have extremely high impedances. It should be
"impossible" to pump enough current through them to blow up the wiring.

Yep, something is fishy....

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/


Yep, something is fishy, and I suspect the wiring in the receptacle. A few
years ago, I had a dryer that kept burning out heating elements, the temp inside
the dryer would get scorching hot, and if I didn't keep a close watch on it,
would burn the clothes.
Since the dryer was about 20 years old, I bought a new dryer. After a while,
the new dryer started acting the same as the old one. Digging into the problem,
what I found was that the 10ga wiring in the box was too short to fit properly
into the receptacle. One of the wires was barely touching the receptacle screw.
After a lot of tugging and cursing, I finally pulled enough of the wire into the
box to make proper connections. Been working like a champ since.

If the OP's probe got zapped just by inserting it into the receptacle, I can
only surmise that the receptacle was broken and the internal contacts were loose
inside. Plugging the probe into the socket moved the terminals enough that they
shorted.

At any rate, the solution is to replace the receptacle, taking lots of care for
safety's sake, and be sure it's wired correctly.

--
Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just substitute the appropriate characters in the
address)

"In theory, there isn't any difference between theory and practice. In
practice, there is." - Yogi Berra

Yep, something is fishy, and I suspect the wiring in the receptacle. A
few
years ago, I had a dryer that kept burning out heating elements, the temp
inside the dryer would get scorching hot, and if I didn't keep a close
watch on it, would burn the clothes.
Since the dryer was about 20 years old, I bought a new dryer. After a
while, the new dryer started acting the same as the old one. Digging into
the problem, what I found was that the 10ga wiring in the box was too
short to fit properly into the receptacle. One of the wires was barely
touching the receptacle screw. After a lot of tugging and cursing, I
finally pulled enough of the wire into the box to make proper connections.
Been working like a champ since.

If the OP's probe got zapped just by inserting it into the receptacle, I
can only surmise that the receptacle was broken and the internal contacts
were loose inside. Plugging the probe into the socket moved the terminals
enough that they shorted.

At any rate, the solution is to replace the receptacle, taking lots of
care for safety's sake, and be sure it's wired correctly.




He said the wires to the probes melted. The *only* way this can happen is a
short within the meter itself. Otherwise there's just no way to get enough
current to flow, most DMMs have an impedance of 20 megohms.

In article kQvlj.2161$NU6.104@trndny01, says...

Yep, something is fishy, and I suspect the wiring in the receptacle. A
few
years ago, I had a dryer that kept burning out heating elements, the temp
inside the dryer would get scorching hot, and if I didn't keep a close
watch on it, would burn the clothes.
Since the dryer was about 20 years old, I bought a new dryer. After a
while, the new dryer started acting the same as the old one. Digging into
the problem, what I found was that the 10ga wiring in the box was too
short to fit properly into the receptacle. One of the wires was barely
touching the receptacle screw. After a lot of tugging and cursing, I
finally pulled enough of the wire into the box to make proper connections.
Been working like a champ since.

If the OP's probe got zapped just by inserting it into the receptacle, I
can only surmise that the receptacle was broken and the internal contacts
were loose inside. Plugging the probe into the socket moved the terminals
enough that they shorted.

At any rate, the solution is to replace the receptacle, taking lots of
care for safety's sake, and be sure it's wired correctly.




He said the wires to the probes melted. The *only* way this can happen is a
short within the meter itself. Otherwise there's just no way to get enough
current to flow, most DMMs have an impedance of 20 megohms.



Unless it was on a high amps range, which would have been shunted.

- Tim -

He said the wires to the probes melted. The *only* way this can happen is
a
short within the meter itself. Otherwise there's just no way to get
enough
current to flow, most DMMs have an impedance of 20 megohms.



Unless it was on a high amps range, which would have been shunted.



Well he also said the probes were plugged into the volts jacks, so either
the meter is shorted, or he misread the labels.

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:21:06 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote:




He said the wires to the probes melted. The *only* way this can happen is
a
short within the meter itself. Otherwise there's just no way to get
enough
current to flow, most DMMs have an impedance of 20 megohms.



Unless it was on a high amps range, which would have been shunted.



Well he also said the probes were plugged into the volts jacks, so either
the meter is shorted, or he misread the labels.


Or he had it set to ohms... And the fuse was either bypassed, or never
existed (like in most *cheap* DVOMs)

James Sweet wrote:

He said the wires to the probes melted. The *only* way this can happen is
a
short within the meter itself. Otherwise there's just no way to get
enough
current to flow, most DMMs have an impedance of 20 megohms.




Unless it was on a high amps range, which would have been shunted.




Well he also said the probes were plugged into the volts jacks, so either
the meter is shorted, or he misread the labels.


Most meters have several current ranges that _don't_ use the separate
high amps jack.

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