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The Kenmore Elite gas dryer comes with a sophisticated electronic cycle control that you can modify in several ways according to your drying needs. At its core, however, its operation is similar to that of other gas dryers, and barring control panel malfunctions, it can fail to produce heat for the same reasons. Some of these are easy to troubleshoot, but you may need the help of an ohmmeter to diagnose others.
Kenmore He2 Dryer Troubleshooting Pf. Manuals and user guide free PDF downloads for Kenmore 9757 - 6.7 cu. HE2 Gas Dryer. Hi there, I have a 6 year old Kenmore HE2 dryer that works fine but I don't have any heat! Where do I start. I was told most likely heat element.
Preliminary Checklist
The first thing you should do when a gas dryer fails to heat is make sure the gas valve is on. Once you've verified that, check the meter on the supply tank, if yours is a propane model. It's also worth your while to turn off the gas valve, disconnect the gas hose and turn the valve on momentarily to make sure gas is flowing, because the pipe might have an obstruction. You could also be overloading the dryer; try removing some of the load and restarting it.
'Check Vent' Indicator Flashing
The Kenmore Elite dryer has a sensor that detects poor exhaust venting, and when it does, a light flashes on the control panel. This warning light does not include a mechanism to stop gas flow, but if it is allowed to flash for an extended period, poor venting may cause the dryer to overheat. As a result, a fuse might blow and disable the gas valve or ignitor. You can prevent this by diagnosing the reason for the flashing indicator light as soon as possible. In many cases, lint has built up somewhere in the exhaust pipes.
Checking the Ignitor and Solenoid
To check the operation of the gas ignition and burning system, you have to open the bottom front panel. Work a putty knife between the top of the panel and the dryer casing and press on the two clips located there. The panel door will swing open on its bottom hinges. Start the dryer and watch the heating chamber. If the ignitor glows but no gas flows, the gas valve solenoids may be bad. If the ignitor doesn't glow, on the other hand, it may be bad, or a fuse may be blown.
Checking Continuity
You can verify whether the solenoid, ignitor or fuse are defective with a multimeter set to measure ohms of resistance. With the dryer unplugged, touch the meter leads to the terminals of the element you're measuring; you'll need the dryer manual to help you identify them. If the meter needle jumps to the far right, or the meter beeps, that means that current is flowing and the part is still good. If the needle moves very little, however, or you don't hear a beep on a meter with an audible signal, that signifies an electrical discontinuity in the part, and you should replace it.
References (2)
About the Author
Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.
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Deziel, Chris. 'How to Troubleshoot a Kenmore Elite Gas Dryer That Won't Heat.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-kenmore-elite-gas-dryer-wont-heat-77443.html. Accessed 17 January 2020.
Deziel, Chris. (n.d.). How to Troubleshoot a Kenmore Elite Gas Dryer That Won't Heat. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-kenmore-elite-gas-dryer-wont-heat-77443.html
Deziel, Chris. 'How to Troubleshoot a Kenmore Elite Gas Dryer That Won't Heat' accessed January 17, 2020. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-kenmore-elite-gas-dryer-wont-heat-77443.html
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If your Kenmore dryer runs but does not heat, the problem may be a blown thermal fuse in the heating-element circuit. The thermal fuse is designed to open if the high-limit thermostat fails to open the heater circuit when the drum temperature reaches unsafe temperatures. Some Kenmore dryers -- those with solid state controllers -- will also have a small fuse on the printed circuit board to protect the solid state components against current surges and short circuits. If the machine does not run at all, the problem may be a blown control fuse. Both the thermal fuse and control fuses are easy to check.
Accessing the Thermal Fuse
When troubleshooting any appliance, always begin by disconnecting the appliance from its power source. In the case of a clothes dryer, move it away from the wall and disconnect its power whip or cord from the dryer receptacle. To access the thermal fuse, disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer's outlet and remove the rear panel. The thermal fuse is a rectangular component near the heating element with wiring terminals on each end.
Testing the Thermal Fuse
To test any fuse, set the function switch on your digital multimeter to the 'R X 1' scale or to its continuity function, if it has one. With a digital multimeter, continuity is indicated by “0.000” being displayed on its LCD. No continuity or an open circuit, as in the case of a blown fuse, is indicated by “O.L.” being displayed on the meter's LCD. To test the thermal fuse, remove the wire or wires from one end of the fuse, then touch one of the meter probes to each of the terminals.
Testing Control Board Fuses
Testing the small, glass-bodied fuse protecting the solid state components on the controller's circuit board is easy once you have gained access to the board. Depending on the make of Kenmore dryer, you may have to remove from two to 12 screws from the control panel to gain access to the board. The controller fuse clips into a fuse holder on the board, so pull the fuse from its clips. Alternatively, some fuses may be soldered into place, in which case it's necessary to unsolder one of the fuse ends before testing the fuse to prevent a false reading through other board components.
Replacing Fuses
When replacing fuses, ensure to replace them with an exact replacement. In the case of a thermal fuse, replace the defective fuse with one of the same temperature rating. When replacing a thermal fuse, also replace the high-limit thermostat because odds are that the high-limit thermostat failed to open and caused the thermal fuse to blow. When replacing a control board fuse, replace it with one of the same amperage rating.
References (3)
About the Author
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jerry Walch has been writing articles for the DIY market since 1974. His work has appeared in “Family Handyman” magazine, “Popular Science,” 'Popular Mechanics,' “Handy” and other publications. Walch spent 40 years working in the electrical trades and holds an Associate of Applied Science in applied electrical engineering technology from Alvin Junior College.
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Walch, Jerry. 'How to Troubleshoot Fuses on a Kenmore Front Loading Dryer.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-fuses-kenmore-front-loading-dryer-80147.html. Accessed 17 January 2020.
Walch, Jerry. (n.d.). How to Troubleshoot Fuses on a Kenmore Front Loading Dryer. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-fuses-kenmore-front-loading-dryer-80147.html
Walch, Jerry. 'How to Troubleshoot Fuses on a Kenmore Front Loading Dryer' accessed January 17, 2020. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/troubleshoot-fuses-kenmore-front-loading-dryer-80147.html
Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.