Kenmore Evenheat - no heat even after replacing EVERYTHING!

[uvalaw]

My electric Kenmore Evenheat dryer intermittently wasn't producing any heat. Recently, it stopped heating altogether.

I tested all of the possible components with a multimeter per the tech sheet (including the temperature selector switch) and found that only the heating element didn't check out. Replaced that with a brand new part, but still no heat. Then I replaced all the other cheap & easy stuff (new thermal cut-off, new high limit thermostat, new thermistor, new thermal fuse), but still no heat. Then I replaced the more expensive stuff (new Evenheat control board, new motor because I thought maybe the actuator was faulty), but still no heat.

What else could possibly be wrong? The dryer runs fine, but just doesn't heat up.

[Dan O.]

Model number?

My electric Kenmore Evenheat dryer

I'm afraid that is not enough information to identify the appliance in question. What is needed is its exact model number. If you post it we can look it up to see what appliance design you're dealing with to maybe answer your question.

PS. I seen this exact same message posted in at least one other forum. It shouldn't be necessary to duplicate it across the Internet. If you don't get an answer in one forum, then you could move on to try another.

JMO

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

[uvalaw]

Sorry, the model # is 110.63942101.

I've also checked the power with a multimeter and it's good.

I just swapped the motor relay with the heater relay, since the motor was running fine before. Now the motor will only stay on if I hold the start button in and the heater element still isn't firing up when I'm doing that (i.e., holding the start button and letting the motor run).

Is this a definite sign that my problem is the relay? I'm figuring that if it was the relay (and I'm guessing that it was, since now the motor's not running on its own), then the heater element should still stay on as I'm forcing the motor to run. Or am I wrong?

I hope I'm wrong and that I've finally isolated it to the relay!

P.S. Dan O. - sorry for posting this across the Web, but I'm really desperate here. I've been without a fully functioning dryer for 3 weeks now as I've been screwing around with it, and I'm too cheap to pay a real repair man. I've gotten different folks with some different suggestions on the different forums, so it does help to post around.

[HayZee518]

swapping around components isn't really a good idea. the current on the relay contacts may be higher than the contacts are rated and you'll burn them up. a heater relay or contactor may not have an extra contact which is used as a sealing contact for the motor. a motor starter has two active contacts for single phase and an auxillary contact for the holding circuit for the contactor. the holding contact is in series with the stop or door switch.

[uvalaw]

HeyZee, I'm not sure I understand you. The motor and heater relays on my machine are

the same part.

[HayZee518]

Dryer wiring

Look at the following diagram. It is typical of a motor control circuit with an extra set of contacts used to close a heater relay. R1A is the sealing circuit for the coil through the door switch. R1B operates the heater relay.

[uvalaw]

Update: I removed both relays and tested the coil resistance. Both showed infinite resistance. Could it be that BOTH relays are bad? If so, then how would the motor still run normally?

I then did a live test with the dryer running in heated dry. The relay connected to the heater circuit showed 0vDC at the coil terminals and ~200vAC.

I'm not sure what this means exactly...

[HayZee518]

send me a copy of the wiring diagram. a good relay will show some resistance with an analog meter. an open coil is always zero. the control circuit for the dryer is almost always 24 volts AC not DC. if you're using a digital meter instead of an analog meter, you will always read some wierd resistance or voltage.