Tag - Electrolux Dryer not heating

Diagnosing and Repairing Electrolux Dryer

**NOTICE**
Due to the danger and complexity of electronic equipment repair, the following technical tip is intended for professional reference only. Please refer to manufacturer’s recommendations as Encompass does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability or safety of this information. 

When dealing with an Electrolux dryer that is not heating and drying clothes, there are several areas to check for issues and possibly make repairs.

Check Thermal Fuse

The first component to check is the thermal fuse, which prevents the dryer from overheating. To check the thermal fuse and replace it if necessary, follow these steps:

  1. Turn off dryer at wall and remove plug.
  2. Locate the thermal fuse – it should be on the blower housing or by the dryer’s heat source (the burner for a gas dryer or the heating element for electric dryers).
  3. Then, use multimeter to check fuse for continuity.
  4. If it has continuity, it hasn’t blown, so check the next component. If there is no continuity, replace the fuse.
  5. Once the fuse has been replaced, check exhaust vent to ensure it’s not blocked, which is usually what causes the fuse to blow.

Test Igniter

The second component to check is the igniter, which ignites gas to power gas dryers. When it fails, the dryer cannot operate correctly. To check the igniter:

  1. Turn dryer off and remove plug (or turn off at the mains).
  2. Locate igniter and test for continuity with a multimeter.
  3. If the igniter has continuity, check the next component. If it doesn’t have continuity, it is defective and will need to be replaced.

Check Flame Sensor

After inspecting the thermal fuse and igniter, check the flame sensor, which detects heat from the flame. When the sensor is faulty, the dryer will not heat. To check:

  1. Make sure dryer is still turned off, then locate flame sensor.
  2. Use a multimeter to test the sensor for continuity.
  3. If it does not have continuity, it must be replaced.

Check Gas Valve Solenoid

For a gas-powered dryer, the next component to check is the gas valve solenoid, which enables gas to flow into the burner assembly via gas valve ports. When the valves fail, the dryer can’t heat. To check the gas valve solenoid:

  1. Turn dryer off at the wall and remove plug.
  2. The best way to check if a gas valve solenoid has failed is to check the igniter. Locate the igniter to see if it glows and then ignites gas.
  3. If it fails, replace all of the gas valve solenoids. If the igniter ignites the gas, then the gas valve solenoids are working correctly and not the source of the problem.

Test Heating Element

Another possible cause of an Electrolux dryer failing to heat is if the heating element is faulty. This will prevent the air that circulates the dryer from heating. To check the element:

  1. Turn dryer off at the wall.
  2. Find the element, and then use a multimeter to test it for continuity.
  3. If it doesn’t have continuity, it’s burned out and needs to be replaced.

Test Incoming Power

A problem with incoming power is another common reason for dryers to stop heating. To check the power:

  1. Check fuse box to see if the fuses have blown or circuit breakers tripped. They will need to be fixed if so.
  2. If they are correctly working, check the voltage by using a multimeter. Electric Electrolux dryers require two legs of 120 volts AC (for a total of 250 volts) to operate correctly.
  3. If there is a problem with the voltage, it will need to be repaired.

Test High-Limit and Cycling Thermostats

These two thermostats help monitor and regulate the dryer temperature while it’s running through a cycle. When they are defective, they can stop the dryer from heating correctly. However, they are not a common cause of issues, so only check them once you have tried all of the other components previously outlined.

To check the high-limit thermostat and the cycling thermostat:

  1. Make sure the dryer is turned off.
  2. Locate the thermostats (they are two separate components).
  3. Use a multimeter to check for continuity.
  4. If they both have continuity, they are not the cause of the problem. Otherwise, they will need to be replaced.

Test Timer

If every other component above is working, check the dryer’s timer. Like the thermostats, the timer is very rarely the cause of a dryer not heating, but they can be checked if all other components have been ruled out. To check the timer:

  1. Make sure dryer is turned off at the wall.
  2. Locate timer and use a multimeter to check it for continuity.
  3. If it has continuity, it is working correctly and doesn’t need to be replaced. Otherwise, it’s faulty and needs to be replaced.

Check Main Control Board

The final component to check is the main control board. This is again a very uncommon cause of a dryer failing to heat. It is also very difficult to test with the only option to replace it to see if it fixes the issue.

 

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Special thanks to Fred’s Appliance Academy for this helpful tip!