So my Kenmore dryer has died. It is 5 years and 8 months old. That is, of course, 8 months past the warranty date. It's been tripping the breaker if you put too much in it since it was pretty much new. My old dryer never did that. This evening I started a small load and after a few minutes the breaker tripped and now, after resetting the breaker, the dryer is just dead.

Anyways the question is do I call a repairman or just go out and look for a new dryer? Does anyone know any reputable appliance repair people in the area?

Why don't you study up on how to fix it yourself? Provided your dryer has mechanical controls, and not a keypad, it should be a relatively simple machine.

Get a new one. Service call w/repair is going to cost nearly as much as just buying another Kenmore model.

It might not be dead, unplug it and plug it in again, then try it. If it still doesn't work do this...

Repairing Your Own Dryer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47hZkkV6CWk

If the dryer is electric, may sure the power to it is actually off and check the cord connection to the dryer is not loose, and the wall outlet is in good shape. My outlet had singe marks, and needed to be replaced.

Maybe the circuit breaker needs to be replaced?

There's really not much to a dryer. If you're at all handy with things then you should be able to fix it.

If it's only tripping the breaker under heavy load, and is and has been working fine otherwise, then you should be able to narrow it down to several components.

The first thing to check is that you've not added anything else to that circuit that's causing it to blow when the motor/heating element kick in at higher levels under full load. The immediately response always is no, but usually when you have a breaker tripping that hasn't before that ends up being the case.

Next, usually dryers run 220 and split the power between the motor that turns the drum and the heating side so usually you can fairly easily trace to find which side is causing the problem and from there you're dealing with a limited set of components. If the motor side, then it's probably the motor starting to go bad/draw more power when it has to work harder. If the heating side, then most likely the heating element or controls for it. There are various other things, but given your description, those are the most typical.

No point in going into any more detail unless you're prepared to open things up but, if so, then there are lots of guides on the Net. Also if you open it up you can clean out all of the dust clogging things up that's the biggest cause of replacements. Not the vent, but inside where it builds up and never gets cleaned out.

Be sure to check you vent to the outside. If that is clogged up the air can't flow and it stresses the motor and makes it run longer in order to get clothes dry. When was the last time you cleaned out the dryer duct?

I have a dishwasher which went out of warranty and broke. I called Sears service and they said I could still buy an extended warranty for $229 which would cover the repair and warrant the dishwasher for a year. I bought it because I knew it needed new controls which would cost more than the $229 with installation. Despite what you hear, I was very happy with Sears service. Call them and see if you can still get a warranty, chances are it will cost you less than the repair or buying a new one.

BeenThereDoneThat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Get a new one. Service call w/repair is going to
> cost nearly as much as just buying another Kenmore
> model.

This. And there is no way I would mess with something that is tripping the circuit breakers. Just not worth it.

Get a Samsung or LG this time. They make great appliances.

Matag Man Wrote:
--------
>
>" Next, usually dryers run 220 and split the power
> between the motor that turns the drum and the
> heating side"


OH MY FUCKING GOD THE I-G-N-O-R-A-N-C-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have just proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have not even the slightest little clue about electricity. Please OP do not listen to this fool!!!!!

Licensed Electrician Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Matag Man Wrote:
> --------
> >
> >" Next, usually dryers run 220 and split the
> power
> > between the motor that turns the drum and the
> > heating side"
>
>
> OH MY FUCKING GOD THE
> I-G-N-O-R-A-N-C-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> You have just proven beyond the shadow of a doubt
> that you have not even the slightest little clue
> about electricity. Please OP do not listen to this
> fool!!!!!


It maynot be technically correct, but if your 220 loses a leg, the dryer will run and be warm, but it won't get hot enough to dry anything in one or two cycles.

As stated above, dryers are simple machines. First check to see if it is clear of lint. (this should be done every 6 months by simply removing the panels and cleaning the interior, vent etc. A REAL fire hazard if not done.) The most common failure of an electric dryer is the heating element. A couple of screws, an electric coupling and a new element (bought on-line) and you're back in business while wearing dry underwear.

Not necessarily Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Licensed Electrician Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Matag Man Wrote:
> > --------
> > >
> > >" Next, usually dryers run 220 and split the
> > power
> > > between the motor that turns the drum and the
> > > heating side"
> >
> >
> > OH MY FUCKING GOD THE
> > I-G-N-O-R-A-N-C-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> >
> > You have just proven beyond the shadow of a
> doubt
> > that you have not even the slightest little
> clue
> > about electricity. Please OP do not listen to
> this
> > fool!!!!!
>
>
> It maynot be technically correct, but if your 220
> loses a leg, the dryer will run and be warm, but
> it won't get hot enough to dry anything in one or
> two cycles.


That's because, at least in most, the heating element normally runs 220 while they split out a circuit to neutral to provide 110 for the motor, timer, lights, etc. If you lose a leg, then the motor and the rest are still good but the element doesn't have full power.

But then I'm a 'fool' who has no clue about that thar electricty thingy so maybe you should ask Sparky above how that works. lol

Maytag Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not necessarily Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Licensed Electrician Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Matag Man Wrote:
> > > --------
> > > >
> > > >" Next, usually dryers run 220 and split the
> > > power
> > > > between the motor that turns the drum and
> the
> > > > heating side"
> > >
> > >
> > > OH MY FUCKING GOD THE
> > > I-G-N-O-R-A-N-C-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> > >
> > > You have just proven beyond the shadow of a
> > doubt
> > > that you have not even the slightest little
> > clue
> > > about electricity. Please OP do not listen to
> > this
> > > fool!!!!!
> >
> >
> > It maynot be technically correct, but if your
> 220
> > loses a leg, the dryer will run and be warm,
> but
> > it won't get hot enough to dry anything in one
> or
> > two cycles.
>
>
> That's because, at least in most, the heating
> element normally runs 220 while they split out a
> circuit to neutral to provide 110 for the motor,
> timer, lights, etc. If you lose a leg, then the
> motor and the rest are still good but the element
> doesn't have full power.
>
> But then I'm a 'fool' who has no clue about that
> thar electricty thingy so maybe you should ask
> Sparky above how that works. lol

Even I know that residential dryers have no neutral run to them just the 220 and a ground. You can get 120 from one leg to ground but it is illegal and dangerous to put a load on the ground. Should the ground ever be lost the entire cabinet would be live. I have seen dryers with a step down transformer for a 120 circuit though.

duuuhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Even I know that residential dryers have no
> neutral run to them just the 220 and a ground. You
> can get 120 from one leg to ground but it is
> illegal and dangerous to put a load on the ground.
> Should the ground ever be lost the entire cabinet
> would be live. I have seen dryers with a step down
> transformer for a 120 circuit though.


Guess you've never seen one of these then huh?

Quote

NEMA 14-30 clothes dryer receptacle and plug

All NEMA 14 devices offer two hots, a neutral and a ground, allowing for both 120 V and 240 V (or 120 V and 208 V if the supply system is three-phase rather than split phase). The 14–30 has a rating of 30 A and an L-shaped neutral blade. The 14–50 has a rating of 50 A and a straight neutral blade sized so that it does not fit in the slot of a 14–30.

Which standards now specify and if the dryer is 5 years old it likely has.

Virtually nobody builds a step-down into a dryer. There's no need or reason to. You can just use a 110/220 motor. Some people do hack step-ups/downs to run dryers where one or the other was not intended.

did you continue to run your dryer, for 5 years and 8 months, with it popping the breaker? why didnt you look into that after, oh, i dont know, the 3rd or 4th time it happened, not 60 some odd months later after the thing died?

at any rate, the breaker popping could mean the dryer is/was pulling too high a load, or the breaker was bad. odds of the breaker being "bad" for 5+ years, w/o completely crapping out 4+ years ago, are exceedingly remote.

you have two problems to address here, assuming the dryer was "good" from the start, and those are: getting current dryer to work, and determining why the breaker pops when a heavy load is in.

check the vents for lint build up, that could the issue. but i find it strange the vent would be so clogged up to overload the new dryer, 5 years ago when you put it in and pop the breaker, but not totally clog up since then. somebody said it above, dryers are very simple appliances, google up the model # and "not working" and youll probably get all sorts of responses. my dryer pooped out, did that myself, and 50 dollars later i was back in business. repairman quoted close to $400 for diagnose/repair.

also, look around for an appliance supply place near you, they wont be as cheap as online, but they can still save you some money possibly. most dryers have some sort of thermal limiting fuse ( or fuses ), that you cannot visually tell if good or bad, like the heating element. i dont believe their either open or closed too, so a continuity check wont work, you'd need a multimeter and the corrent ohms for good or bad. the appliance store can check for you. if one of those are bad and you dont get it, your dryer still wont work even if the element is visually toast and you replace that.

So many 'experts' so little time Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> duuuhhh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Even I know that residential dryers have no
> > neutral run to them just the 220 and a ground.
> You
> > can get 120 from one leg to ground but it is
> > illegal and dangerous to put a load on the
> ground.
> > Should the ground ever be lost the entire
> cabinet
> > would be live. I have seen dryers with a step
> down
> > transformer for a 120 circuit though.
>
>
> Guess you've never seen one of these then huh?
>
> src="http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/UR/urelectr
> ician/2013-08-06_005938_dryer_receptacle_14-30r_4-
> wire.jpg">
>
>
>

Quote

> NEMA 14-30 clothes dryer receptacle and plug
>
> All NEMA 14 devices offer two hots, a neutral and
> a ground, allowing for both 120 V and 240 V (or
> 120 V and 208 V if the supply system is
> three-phase rather than split phase). The 14–30
> has a rating of 30 A and an L-shaped neutral
> blade. The 14–50 has a rating of 50 A and a
> straight neutral blade sized so that it does not
> fit in the slot of a 14–30.
>

>
> Which standards now specify and if the dryer is 5
> years old it likely has.
>
> Virtually nobody builds a step-down into a dryer.
> There's no need or reason to. You can just use a
> 110/220 motor. Some people do hack step-ups/downs
> to run dryers where one or the other was not
> intended.

Commercial dryer. Dumbass.

Unless you really know what you are doing I would not take advice from these "Its simple to fix" people. Around a hundred bucks for a diagnostic check compared to a $15,000 funeral.