I have a gas Kenmore dryer-90 series-Model/stock # 7693269276932. It still runs but is not getting hot.?

Question

On the door panel it says that 240 volt dryers use 2 fuses located in main box & to try to replace or tighten. Are they talking about the electric box outside on the house or is there a fuse box actually in the dryer & if so where is it located? I have been having some blow outs with my christmas lights & don't know if this is causing the dryer problem or if it is just a coincidence. Also, do these dryers have pilots in them that could have possiby blew out & need to be relit? Please help, if you have any suggestions!

Answer 1

The most common problem when a dryer does not become hot is either the heat coil is shot, or one of the two thermostats that control the power to that coil. These are small and are located on the metal duct above the coil. One below or near the coil, (this one will blow if it becomes too hot), and one above it (this one turns on and off the heat so your clothes don't burn). You will have to take of the back panel to see all of this. If you have a meter, take off the back panel and turn on your dryer, put the meter on 240v and touch the coil on both sides where the wire feeds them, you should get 220/240. If you don't have voltage there most likely its the two thermostats that are bad. If you do get voltage there, the coil is bad, the coil can be tested by using the ohm scale of the meter, you should see resistance through it.

Pilots are for gas dryers,,, if you have a gas dryer you will not have a coil, the two heat detectors will be there, one on the pilot telling the gas switch weather its okay to open or not, the other will be father up and again is there to control temperature.

Some dryers the coils are accessible from the front lower panel, if the back looks welded on, go through the front panel, most are spring clipped on, the coil will be in a small duct or metal tube. Make sure to vacuum the inside of the dryer real good while you have the cover off.