Whirlpool Dryer not heating

[kyelzbub]

I have a Whirlpool Senseon Dryer
Model: GEX9868JT0
Serial: MK4002011
It quit producing heat last night. I have seen on schematic found on the internet that there is a thermal fuse accessed from the back panel, but the manual that came with the dryer says that there are two household fuses. Are there just a couple of regular fuses located on the dryer that I could replace, or is the thermal fuse my only course of action?

[HayZee518]

if the manual says there are regular household fuses look for some screw in type. I've never seen cartridge fuses in a dryer even the old ones! A thermal fuse may be of the klixon type that reset once they cool down and are located in the duct work of the blower output. one type of klixon is of the fused type that opens under an overload and stays open.

[Dan O.]

Whirlpool dryer Model: GEX9868JT0

It quit producing heat last night. ..the manual that came with the dryer says that there are two household fuses.

Yes (or breakers), *in your house fuse panel* for the dryer. Both must be good for the dryer to heat (see the following link). There are no "fuses" in the dryer besides thermal fuses.

LINK > Can anybody tell me the most likely scenarios for lack of heat in an electric dryer?

or is the thermal fuse my only course of action?

There could be any number of different causes for a no heat condition as explained at the link above. Each would have to be tested for one at a time until the cause in your case is found.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[kyelzbub]

Whirlpool Dryer Not Heating Follow-up

I had posted earlier this week about a Whirlpool Senseon Dryer
Model: GEX9868JT0
Serial: MK4002011
I have replaced the thermal fuse, but this didn't help. I am still not getting heat. I am curious as to whether or not this might be the Thermistor. I had to replace the thermistor about 3 years ago. Although I am not getting an error code this time on the digital readout. The thing that I notice the most is that when I start the dryer, typically the light on the Sensing cycle flashes for awhile before switching over to the Wet cycle. Now when I start the dryer the Sensing light flashes once, and then immediately switches to the wet cycle.
Even though I am net receieving the error code, could this still be the thermistor?

[Dan O.]

I had posted earlier this week about a Whirlpool Senseon Dryer

It would be best if you post follow ups as replies to your original message so all discussion on the same topic will be kept together in a single message thread so others can follow it from start to finish.

I have replaced the thermal fuse, but this didn't help.

Was it found to be defective? That's the only time replacing it would help.

I am still not getting heat.

Did you check each of the possibilities mentioned at the link I previously supplied??

Besides those, on your model there is also the dryer's electronic control (see the following link) inside the control panel. When those circuit boards go, they frequently show physical signs of burnt components.

LINK > Whirlpool GEX9868JT0 Electronic Control

I am curious as to whether or not this might be the Thermistor. Although I am not getting an error code this time on the digital readout.

I doubt it. When a thermistor fails usually some sort of error code should be displayed or sounded. It would also usually shut the dryer down within a short period.

The thing that I notice the most is that when I start the dryer, typically the light on the Sensing cycle flashes for awhile before switching over to the Wet cycle. Now when I start the dryer the Sensing light flashes once, and then immediately switches to the wet cycle.

I'm afraid I do not know what (if anything) that would indicate. Sorry.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[kyelzbub]

Dan,

Thanks for the advice. I did check the possibilities on the link provided in your first post. I have not been able to determine a cause from any of that though. Unfortunatley, I didn't find anything out of the ordinary.
The only thing I can think of at this point is a thermostat went out. Is there anyway to test for this? Would a thermostat going out completely disable all heating capability?

[kyelzbub]

One other thing that might make some sense of this is that every so often, we will get a cycle to run with heat. It will run for one or two cycles with heat, and then goes cold again for several cycles. I am not sure if this will help indicate anything, but figured it might help.

[Dan O.]

Dan,

I did check the possibilities on the link provided in your first post. The only thing I can think of at this point is a thermostat went out. Is there anyway to test for this?

Yes, such devices can be checked for continuity to see if they're open (aka defective) or not. There was a link at the bottom of that page describing how to test for continuity. If you didn't do such a test, how did you actually "check the possibilities on the link provided"???

Would a thermostat going out completely disable all heating capability?

It certainly could depending on how it failed. Any of the things discussed at the previous link could.

every so often, we will get a cycle to run with heat. It will run for one or two cycles with heat, and then goes cold again for several cycles. I am not sure if this will help indicate anything

I'm afraid that does not help at all to pinpoint possible causes, sorry. Although it almost certainly rules out the thermal fuse as a possibility but none of the others.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[HayZee518]

whatever happened to the open door, put clothes in, close door, push to start button type of dryer? start relay closes, motor starts, heat turns on. now we have to monitor moisture, clothes temperature, how much fuzz comes off as lint.

[kyelzbub]

We have heat. Apparently one does not require an error code for this device. After not being able to find any visible issues, I finally got smart and took another suggestion from the earlier link. I got a continuity checker and started testing everything. The only thing I couldn't get to work was the thermistor. Went down to the parts house, replaced the thermistor, and my clothes are no longer damp. Thank you for all you help. It seems that if history continues to repeat itself, I will be doing this about every 3 years.

[kyelzbub]

Well, that was short lived. I lost heat again two days ago. I went to get a voltage meter to get to the bottom of things. I am getting the required power from the socket. This is as far as I know how to use the multimeter I bought. I did start testing the thermostat and other components. When I checked the thermostat and it was fluctuating btween -2 and +4, which didn't make sense, but I am not sure if this is normal or not. I got the same reading from everything else too. I decided to test everything again with the ohm meter and everything read 0 except for the thermistor. The thermistor read +11. Does this mean that the thermistor is bunk? Could this mean I got a bunk one when I bought it? Am I just totally off?

[kyelzbub]

One other question. Another forum had suggested that there might me a problem with the circuit board. This forum did mention this once before, but only mentioned of a visual test in which you look for something burned out. Is there a way for me to check the board itself with the multimeter or maybe the lines to the components it hooks into? Would this be a possible way to detect something?

[Dan O.]

The thermistor read +11. Does this mean that the thermistor is bunk?

+11 what?? If you were testing for resistance, what resistance scale was the meter set on?

The thermistor's resistance changes with temperature. Its temperature/resistance calibrations will likely be listed on the appliance's wiring diagram.

Is there a way for me to check the board itself with the multimeter

Not usually. Such circuit boards are usually just assumed to be the problem if the rest of the possible causes turn out to be Ok or appear physically damaged. About the only thing that could be tested might be proper voltage from the heater relay on the board.

I will warn you that testing on a 'live' appliance can be very dangerous and should not be attempted by someone unfamiliar working on them.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[kyelzbub]

Well, this may have got to the point that I need to call in a professional, but I do have one last question. I was just checking the continuity on everything one last time before calling it quits. When I tested everything the light on the tester was very bright. When I tested the thermostat though, the light was very dim. Very, very dim. I kept testing it to try to get the tester to shine bright and strong, but to no avail. Would this be an indication of a malfunction with the thermostat?

[Dan O.]

I have no idea the type of tester you are using. Continuity testing is best done using an analog ohm meter set on the 1 ohm (it might be labelled "Rx1") scale. If a switch contact showed infinite resistance, it would be defective. If it showed 0 ohms resistance, it would be considered good... although it could possibly still 'open up' (fail) when under full load. The sure sign is infinite resistance.

Also continuity testing must be performed with at least one connecting wire removed from the component (which is why power should be disconnected from the appliance before testing) or else you can not be sure of reading the component's resistance or the resistance of the rest of the circuit (see the following link).

LINK > How do I test for continuity?

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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