70 series Kenmore electric dryer spins but does not heat

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[llew_x]

Hi,

I have a 70 series electric Kenmore dryer that I've been using for about 4 years. It's worked great up until tonight when I went to take my clothes out and they were still very damp. I reset the timer and checked it again about 40 minutes later and the clothes felt the same.

I bought this dryer from a Sears outlet store that sells appliances at slightly (supposedly) reduced price because of cosmetic flaws and I don't have a user manual or any exploded views of the inside of the dryer. I have a gut feeling from reading some other posts that It's probably my coils? I'm not sure but I do need some help and was hoping someone here could please give me some assistance.

Thanks,
llew

[JWWebster]

check the vent. If it looks stopped up then the high limit is blown. Mounted on top of the heating element.

[jumptrout51]

Are the clothes hot and damp or cold and damp?

[llew_x]

The clothes are cold and damp.

I did take the vent hose off and ran the dryer...all that came out of the vent was cold air.

-Llew

[jumptrout51]

With your volt ohm meter (VOM) check for 220 volts at the terminal block the cord attaches to.
If 220 is present, unplug the dryer and remove the rear panel.
With meter set to continuity check the thermostats and fuses on the heater as well as the heater coil. Remember to unplug the wires to each component to check them correctly.

[llew_x]

I finally got home from work and had time to fiddle with this thing a little bit.

It seems like I have continuity on everything I put my leads to.

Just to clarify what I'm looking at... The thermostat is located in the vent just upstream from where the vent hose connects?

The fuse is located near the bottom of the heating element?

I took some pictures but I can't post them because they're too big.

-Llew

[Repair-man]

[jumptrout51]

Where Repairman said "cord goes here". Did you read 220 volts?

[llew_x]

Repair-man, thank you for the pic that points everything out!

There are 4 wires from my plug, a black on the left, white in the middle and red on the right and of coarse the ground in upper left. While plugged in my volt meter reads 247V with the leads on red and black, O.L. if on black and white or red and white.

-Llew

[jumptrout51]

You either have your meter set wrong or you have a neutral wire problem.
You should read 120 volts from black to white and red to white for a complete circuit.

Look closely at the wires at the terminal for a burned wire.
No burned wire, open the wall outlet and inspect the wires and the female connections.

Read voltage at the wall connection for 220 volts and 120 volts from hot to neutral on both legs.

[llew_x]

OK, I just went and checked it again. I must have got mixed up plugging and unplugging the cord. My multimeter is definately set to measure V/AC.

From black to white or redt to white it's 120V.

Black to red is 245V. The receptacle does say 30A -125V/245V.

So i'm going to go back at it when I get out of work today to recheck the thermostats and fuses and heater coils.
In an earlier post you mentioned to make sure I unplug the wires going to each component before I check them. Should I unplug both wires or just one? And as long as I get any reading other than O.L. then that means there should be continuity and the component is working, correct?

I really do appreciate your help!

-Llew

[JWWebster]

With the power disconnected you should take at least one wire off each thermostat and limit just to be sure you don't somehow get a false read. 

[JWWebster]

If it runs at all and the heating element is OK then you most likely need a limit kit. It mounts on the element canister.as pictured above.

[llew_x]

I'm sorry, I'm not too sure what you mean by "limit" after diconnecting at least one wire from each thermostat. Could you please further explain?

I really don't mean to sound stupid but I don't want to pretend I understand advice being given when I don't fully understand... I just want to get her fixed and be up and running again.

-Llew

[JWWebster]

You dryer has a series of safetys. If the control thermostat fails, the filter housing gets blocked with lint, or the vent gets stopped up  the heat could cause a fire. The bottom cannister thermostat limit is the lowest temp one 250F, it should shut down first if it fails then the limit mounted at the top of the cannister is set to Blow at 300F When it blows that is an indication of an external vent blockage. If the problem is from within the dryer then the fuse mounted on the blower housing will blow an the dryer won't run. The fuse is rated at 350F and is tied into the door switch. That is why the wires are smaller. They don't carry the heat load. If the duct fuse blows it is the same as if you opened the door. The dryer simply quits running.

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