My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

On Nov 14, 10:12*pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Oh, I would easily believe one of those 'auto sensor' things acting
up.The dryer came with this house, and when I saw that setting, I of
course tried it. Damn drier never shut off, and on mine, didn't turn the
heat down either. One of these days I need to field-strip that thing, or
pay somebody to do it, and fix the squeaky rollers and remove the 20
pounds of lint probably stuck inside, but until then, I just set it for
40 minutes or so, and keep restarting it as needed. (cleaning the lint
catcher each time, of course.)

--
aem sends...

On Nov 14, 9:44*pm, aemeijers wrote:
Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.


I have tried it on all cycles and I cant get any heat from it now. It
still wont turn off either. I wonder if staying on too long burnt the
element out.

On Nov 14, 10:08*pm, Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Did the clothes dry at all?

When this happened to me I had to replace the heat element which is a
spring like wire that goes around the outside of the dryer tub. Not a
real hard job if you can pull the dryer out from the wall enough to
easily get to the back to remove the back panel.

David

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:44:15 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Oh, I would easily believe one of those 'auto sensor' things acting
up.The dryer came with this house, and when I saw that setting, I of
course tried it. Damn drier never shut off,

My dryness sensor always works, always turns off the dryer, and it's
always about as dry as the last time, or less or more depending on
whether I started at a different setting. A Kenmore, probalby
Whirlpool, 30 years old. 26 of them with me.

It's the only setting I use.

I think there are two curved metal pieces about 1/2 to 1 inch apart
that the wet clothes are supposed to brush against, and I guess it
measures the resistance of the clothes, which increases as they dry.

I would like it a lot better if there were two dials, one that stayed
put showing where I had set it, and the other that moved closer to
dry. Instead there is only the second one. But I've memorized where
I start, usually half-way more damp than the do they have that I think
most people use, or a little damper. I mix stay press with towels,
and I want to take out the sta-press which gets dry early, and then
finish the towels, sweat shirt etc. I hang up the towels when
they're a little wet because they don't have to look that nice and I
don't want to pay to dry them.

I also use the coolest temp it has, other than no heat at all, because
I think high heat, or dry clothes in moderate heat, make stapress so
hot it stays wrinkled, forever or that one time, I don't know which.

and on mine, didn't turn the
heat down either. One of these days I need to field-strip that thing, or
pay somebody to do it, and fix the squeaky rollers and remove the 20
pounds of lint probably stuck inside, but until then, I just set it for
40 minutes or so, and keep restarting it as needed. (cleaning the lint
catcher each time, of course.)

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:08:33 -0800 (PST), Joe
wrote:

On Nov 14, 9:44*pm, aemeijers wrote:
Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.


I have tried it on all cycles and I cant get any heat from it now. It
still wont turn off either. I wonder if staying on too long burnt the
element out.

Can you use a volt-ohmmeter to check out the element, etc.

On Nov 14, 8:08*pm, Joe wrote:
On Nov 14, 9:44*pm, aemeijers wrote:



Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

I have tried it on all cycles and I cant get any heat from it now. It
still wont turn off either. I wonder if staying on too long burnt the
element out.

a few questions..........

have you tried it with another load of wet clothes?
does turning the timer to "off" stop the drum?
does opening the door stop the drum?

cheers
Bob

On Nov 15, 12:21*am, Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12*pm, dpb wrote:

Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Agree. Even though the OP mentions it's an electric dryer. We NEVER go
to sleep with dryer running.

There is just a remote chance that there could be some old lint in the
vent, or that the built in overheat devices (in addition to the
thermostat) fail to cut out and something scorches and/or catches
fire). See P.S.

We fortunately have never had a dryer fire. Despite that even when our
original and seven times self repaired dryer, dating from 1962,
failed we have had a number of used ones. For example our current
dryer cost a dozen beer and "Pick it up within an hour"! Because the
'seller' had brand new washer-dryer duo coming later that day.

He even helped me load it onto the pickup! . Getting a full size dryer
down the basement in my mid 70s was interesting but didn't break
anything or myself in the process. That was about four or five years
ago and it's worked fine ever since

But have seen the results of a dryer fire; not pretty. Certain amount
of smoke damage too! It also IIRC damaged some of the outside vinyl
house siding and the owner had difficulty getting replacement siding
that would match. That dryer was a write off; wasn't even worth while
taking parts off it!

Also IIRC one relative had a something get stuck/caught in their
dryer. Somehow they noticed a 'scorched' smell and tracked it down. It
was during the day and they were home. Nothing serious but I believe a
garment or a bed sheet was damaged.

The worst damage have seen was in a dryer with the the air circulating/
exhaust fan mounted low down. Loose coins (quite a few of them) had
got into the plastic fan blades and they had smashed up; it was
necessary to take out the broken blades by the handful! With
virtually no air circulating 'It was not drying the clothes'!

Nails and other items left in pants pockets can be the
same.Consequently have always preferred dryer with the air exhaust fan
mounted high up e.g. many older Kenmores etc.

P.S. And there is also just a remote chance that some lazy repairman
or previous owner disabled or removed an overheat switch when it
previously failed and never 'got back' to fixing it properly. Our use
of used machines also alerts one to that!

Twice with microwaves ovens have found situations where a previous
'fixer' or owner had 'jimmied' something to make the m.wave continue
working. In at least one case it was an over-heat safety switch. The
other was IIRC a door micro-switch that had been by-passed! Very
dangerous.

The common problem is lint clogging the vent tube. Then,
either the heater element or a thermal safety burns out.
Call and talk with some local appliance repair places.
Heater, or thermal protector, neither is a major repair. I
know; I've done that type of repair.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Joe" wrote in message
...

I have tried it on all cycles and I cant get any heat from
it now. It
still wont turn off either. I wonder if staying on too long
burnt the
element out.

On Nov 15, 1:31*am, DD_BobK wrote:
On Nov 14, 8:08*pm, Joe wrote:



On Nov 14, 9:44*pm, aemeijers wrote:

Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

I have tried it on all cycles and I cant get any heat from it now. It
still wont turn off either. I wonder if staying on too long burnt the
element out.

a few questions..........

have you tried it with another load of wet clothes?
does turning the timer to "off" *stop the drum?
does opening the door stop the drum?

cheers
Bob

yes, yes, and yes.

On Nov 15, 7:21*am, terry wrote:
On Nov 15, 12:21*am, Mikepier wrote:



On Nov 14, 10:12*pm, dpb wrote:

Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Agree. Even though the OP mentions it's an electric dryer. We NEVER go
to sleep with dryer running.

There is just a remote chance that there could be some old lint in the
vent, or that the built in overheat devices (in addition to the
thermostat) fail to cut out and something scorches and/or catches
fire). See P.S.

We fortunately have never had a dryer fire. Despite that even when our
original and seven times self repaired dryer, dating from 1962,
failed we have had a number of used ones. For example our *current
dryer cost a dozen beer and "Pick it up within an hour"! Because the
'seller' had brand new washer-dryer duo coming later that day.

He even helped me load it onto the pickup! . Getting a full size dryer
down the basement in my mid 70s was interesting but didn't break
anything or myself in the process. That was about four or five years
ago and it's worked fine ever since

But have seen the results of a dryer fire; not pretty. Certain amount
of smoke damage too! It also IIRC damaged some of the outside vinyl
house siding and the owner had difficulty getting replacement siding
that would match. That dryer was a write off; wasn't even worth while
taking parts off it!

Also IIRC one relative had a something get stuck/caught in their
dryer. Somehow they noticed a 'scorched' smell and tracked it down. It
was during the day and they were home. Nothing serious but I believe a
garment or a bed sheet was damaged.

The worst damage have seen was in a dryer with the the air circulating/
exhaust fan mounted low down. Loose coins (quite a few of them) had
got into the plastic fan blades and they had smashed up; it was
necessary to take out the broken blades by the handful! *With
virtually no air circulating 'It was not drying the clothes'!

Nails and other items left in pants pockets can be the
same.Consequently have always preferred dryer with the air exhaust fan
mounted high up e.g. many older Kenmores etc.

P.S. And there is also just a remote *chance that some lazy repairman
or previous owner disabled or removed an overheat switch when it
previously failed and never 'got back' to fixing it properly. Our use
of used machines also alerts one to that!

Twice with microwaves ovens have found situations where a previous
'fixer' or owner had 'jimmied' something to make the m.wave continue
working. In at least one case it was an over-heat safety switch. The
other was IIRC a door micro-switch that had been by-passed! Very
dangerous.



The dryer was set to turn off long before I actually got to bed, it
just never did and I failed to notice. I'm well aware of the risk of
dryer fires, we had one when I was a kid.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:08:06 -0800 (PST), Joe
wrote:

My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. Do I have one problem to fix, or two?

I had that problem with my dryer (Estate brand), when it was only a
few weeks old. The problem was in the motor (the part that was still
working, but it apparently contains contacts that switch the other
stuff).

BTW, it would be a good idea to post some other way than through
Google. It's a common source of spam and a lot of newsgroup users
block such posts.
--
40 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"How could you ask me to believe in God when there's
absolutely no evidence that I can see?" -- Jodie Foster

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:21:17 -0800, terry wrote:
The worst damage have seen was in a dryer with the the air circulating/
exhaust fan mounted low down. Loose coins (quite a few of them) had
got into the plastic fan blades and they had smashed up; it was
necessary to take out the broken blades by the handful! With
virtually no air circulating 'It was not drying the clothes'!

Ouch.

I dismantled ours and cleaned it all out last year - amazing how much
stuff (coins, nails etc. like you say) ends up trapped within the machine.
It worked a heck of a lot better with all that stuff gone (and previous
owners had obviously been drying dog blankets or whatever in it - choked
up with dog hair in there)

Ours sometimes does the same thing that the OP mentions - it'll sit there
on cold cycle, never turning off. I traced out the schematic on ours, and
there's no way it can be anything other than the timer at fault (once in
a while the timer sits there making a constant ticking sound too, even in
the off position). I've not taken the timer apart to see if I can fix it,
but I suspect it's just wear / damaged switch contacts, and the only
thing that'll cure it is a replacement timer...

cheers

Jules

On Nov 15, 11:59*am, wrote:
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:25:42 -0500, mm
wrote:



On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:44:15 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 14, 10:12 pm, dpb wrote:
Joe wrote:
My old Kenmore electric dryer stopped turning off and stopped emitting
heat, all at once. I put a load in before bed and woke up with it
still spinning, cold. *Do I have one problem to fix, or two?
Probably one if had set on auto cycle.

--

Sounds like the timer. When it reaches the end, the heat stops and is
suppose to air dry for like a minute or so. You notice the dial *is at
the end, but the contacts inside don't quite disconnect. Try on a
different cycle than the one you have a problem with.
Oh by the way, just some friendly advice, not a good idea to go to bed
with the dryer on.

Oh, I would easily believe one of those 'auto sensor' things acting
up.The dryer came with this house, and when I saw that setting, I of
course tried it. Damn drier never shut off,

My dryness sensor always works, always turns off the dryer, and it's
always about as dry as the last time, or less or more depending on
whether I started at a different setting. *A Kenmore, probalby
Whirlpool, 30 years old. *26 of them with me.

It's the only setting I use.

I think there are two curved metal pieces about 1/2 to 1 inch apart
that the wet clothes are supposed to brush against, and I guess it
measures the resistance of the clothes, which increases as they dry.

I would like it a lot better if there were two dials, one that stayed
put showing where I had set it, and the other that moved closer to
dry. *Instead there is only the second one. *But I've memorized where
I start, usually half-way more damp than the do they have that I think
most people use, or a little damper. *I mix stay press with towels,
and I want to take out the sta-press which gets dry early, and then
finish the towels, sweat shirt etc. * I hang up the towels when
they're a little wet because they don't have to look that nice and I
don't want to pay to dry them.

I also use the coolest temp it has, other than no heat at all, because
I think high heat, or dry clothes in moderate heat, make stapress so
hot it stays wrinkled, forever or that one time, I don't know which.

and on mine, didn't turn the
heat down either. One of these days I need to field-strip that thing, or
pay somebody to do it, and fix the squeaky rollers and remove the 20
pounds of lint probably stuck inside, but until then, I just set it for
40 minutes or so, and keep restarting it as needed. (cleaning the lint
catcher each time, of course.)

The sensor is just a lower set point thermal set in the exhaust air
that looks for it to warm up. That indicates the clothes are getting
drier. When it warms to the set point it allows the time to advance
past the "econo dry" point.. Above that point is strictly "time".

At least that is the way every one I have seen works, including my new
Whirlpool, the Maytag it replaced and an old GE I work on for a
neighbor.

I agree with the poster who suggested a heating element, or it could
be a thermal overload or the interlock Mark alluded to being open.

Unplug the dryer and start probing with your meter on ohms

Yup, I found the heating element was fried. I suspect a timer issue
too.

Joe wrote:

Yup, I found the heating element was fried. I suspect a timer issue
too.

Maybe not. In the "auto Dry" cycle, the timer motor runs only when the
dryer isn't calling for heat. When the thermostat opens with the dryer
at operating temperature, the timer motor gets power in series with the
heating element. It it's open, the timer never runs and the dryer
tumbles cold perpetually.