Dryer Won't Start

[lmcfarlane]

I have kind of a weird situation...bought a used dryer from a guy who repairs and resells. I turned it on and it made a clank sound then just buzzed. Of course my husband kept trying it and eventually there was nothing at all. The guy came out and replaced it with a different one (still used) and the same thing, only without the clank/buzzing. He said it had to be our circuit breaker putting too much power out and blowing the dryers. The maintenance man came out and tested it...problem wasn't too much power, but not enough...one side showed a normal reading, the other, 0. He replaced it, but the dryer still won't come on.

I called the dryer guy (30-day warranty) but he basically said that it wasn't his problem, our breaker blew both dryers. He told me that the switch relay (?) was blown, and that they're very expensive to replace.

So....2 questions, actually....is this true? And provided that we can find the parts & manual would we be able to repair it ourselves, or should we just cut our losses and purchase a new dryer?

I apologize for the length....thanks for reading!
Laura

Model DBXR453ET0WW

[Repair-man]

These "Used appliance" guys are creeping out of the woodwork lately.

Here's my take on this...


The first dryer  blew the breaker. Now that it has been swapped out and the electrical system in your house has been confirmed to show 240 volts at the dryer cord. We can assume that the safety thermostat in the current dryer may have blown. I would also take a look at how the power cord was installed on back, since it must be on the terminals in a certain order or a short can occur. The thermostat can be checked for continuity using the OHM meter.  A simple solution may be right here, even a miswired cord.


Most used stuff does not come with the Owner/User Guide, but I have provided your model's manual here. Just a general  guide, not the repair  manual.

[lmcfarlane]

Wow! Thanks for the speedy response! I'll check all that out...

[RegUS_PatOff]

.... He said it had to be our circuit breaker putting too much power out and blowing the dryers...

...I called the dryer guy (30-day warranty) but he basically said that it wasn't his problem, our breaker blew both dryers. He told me that the switch relay (?) was blown, and that they're very expensive to replace...

Breakers can't put out too much power (he doesn't know what he's talking about)

Breakers can't blow out a dryer.... (30-day warranty) then have him fix it (FREE) or get your money back and SHOP SOMEWHERE ELSE

[JWWebster]

What about yer dryer you had? If the power was an issue then it should maybe be working?

[lmcfarlane]

No, it won't come on...that's what the dryer 'said' the relay switch is blown - he said that he replaced all that and that it worked fine for him, brought it here but same problem. That's where he's coming from as far as how it's not his problem - said that he already lost money on the deal. Which doesn't make sense to me...as far as I know, when dealing with warranties they can't just at some point decide that it's too much trouble and say that he's done with it!

We just moved to Greenville, SC 2 weeks ago from Maryland....so far pretty much everything that we've had to do has been a major hassle...whenever I demand that someone (this includes the school my son is attending) actually do their job and do it right I get accused of 'bringing my northeast attitude' down here! Very frustrating.

[Repair-man]

Is this not  one more example of how you can get taken when you  buy used stuff?  The risks are many, and you'll find that very few people throw out an appliance if it can be fixed reasonably. By the time the junk dealers get hold of it and jerry-rig it long enough to run for 30 days, you are just another sucker. None of these people have real experience as technicians, much less professional ones.

I get accused of 'bringing my northeast attitude' down here! Very frustrating.

Don't feel bad...I was forced to spend 2 years in Ohio as a lad, and  I got the same attitude there as you did in SC, only in reverse. They assumed anyone with a Southern drawl was a hillbilly  and treated us in a similar manner. You never forget how that feels.

[lmcfarlane]

Is this not  one more example of how you can get taken when you  buy used stuff?  The risks are many, and you'll find that very few people throw out an appliance if it can be fixed reasonably.

I certanily know that now! My husband and I argued over it...I wanted to save money...he kept saying that in the long run it would wind up costing us more...I just can't admit he's right! Terrible, isn't it? Don't have alot of money to spend....can you recommend a brand? Better to buy from a Best Buy/Circuit City, Sears or wholesale appliances?

[Repair-man]

he kept saying that in the long run it would wind up costing us more...I just can't admit he's right!

A bargain is not always as it seems, but us husbands deserve to be right once in a blue moon 

If you are shopping for new stuff, steer clear of GE if you can. For one thing, their repair parts are overpriced compared to other brands, and unfortunately these days you have to consider repairs down the road rather than dependability.  A Whirlpool or Maytag product might be a more sound investment from that standpoint.

[lmcfarlane]

Thank you so much for all of your help!

[RegUS_PatOff]

Sears Outlet Stores has some scratch and dent stuff that is a good price (and on sale even more, sometimes)

But also watch out, Kenmore is made by various manufacturers.

here's a link to Who Makes Sears

[JWWebster]

I sometimes sell used appliances. I once sold a dryer to a lady and she told me it would not heat up. She brought it back and I gave her another one even nicer, she brought that one back too and said it would not even run. I went to her house and found a bad breaker. Both dryers worked perfect. I don't sell bad junk. My warranty is 100% happiness no matter what even if nothing was wrong they just wanted to use it for a while. My motto is happy happy.