View single post by TL
 Posted: Sun Apr 15th, 2007 03:34 am
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TL



Joined: Sun Jul 17th, 2005
Location: Seattle, USA
Posts: 17
Status: 
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 Trying to help wrote: Oh, and when the dryer is set to "Low Delicate" ...the temp ... is ~150 deg F.

When the dryer is set to "High Heavy Flame Broil"...  Oven thermometer reads ~175 deg F.
(1) We are looking for average temps, not high points. 
...
(2) If you are averaging 155-160 ish on regular, and a lower temp then that on Medium and a lower temp then that on low, your are probably within specs.

(1) Over thermometers are not known for fast response.  I consider the temps shown to be averages.

(2)  Ah, but I am getting 150-ish on Low, not regular.

Voltage to the bias heater is 0 on high, ~67 Vac on Med, and ~115 on High.  So the temp selector is good.

But check this out:  this thermostat is stamped "150F - 25".  Which implies to me that it is 150 degs with the bias heater OFF, and roughly 25 deg F cooler with the bias heater ON. 
I'm getting 150 deg F with the bias heater ON, and roughly 175 deg F with it off.

So I did some pondering.  Since everything generally flows from a single root failure, I figure the order of events was: 
  1. 3 years ago the temp selector failed so that the heater always ran on high.
  2. After a year of that, the heater wires sagged a little and shorted to the case and now it was on high even on fluff mode.
  3. So I replaced the temp selector (verified bad) and fixed the heater (verified bad) which I eventually relaced on the advice of "Sublime Master" exsearsguy.
  4. So now I'm wondering if maybe around the same time, the bimetallic thingy in the thermostat got permanently bent from the overheating, and now it reads wrong.
Counterindications to this theory:  The dryer worked for about a year after I replaced the temp selector and bent the heater wires back into the right shape.  But even master  AccApp suggested changing the cycling thermostat, so I did.

No change.  Verra mysterious. 

-TL