How to test an electric clothes dryer heating element

SOURCE: Electric Clothes Dryer Problem

if the dryer worked fine before with the element not staying on when you open the door, etc, then what you have done is a very common mistake to make, you must have dislodged a wire off, or maybe placed one back in the wrong place, its a very easy error to make, which is why when removing parts for repair on any appliance you must make very detailed notes, better still take digital photographs with a digital camera double check any wires etc, don't worry i am a retired appliance engineer and even we can make this mistake

Bailey's Appliance Service

• 222 Answers
• Posted on Apr 25, 2009

SOURCE: Clothes dryer not producing heat

Check voltage at the receptacle first. The motor and timer operate on 120VAC. The heating element requires 208/240VAC to operate. Remove power from the unit. You can check the heating element, thermostats and thermal fuses using an ohm meter across each components terminals with one wire removed. The thermal fuses and thermostats should read zero ohms. The heating element will read low ohms (20 to 40). Successful heater operation still depends on the motor centrifugal switch being closed. Depending on the model, you need the heat circuit in the timer or electronic control to be closed.
I hope this helps you.

SOURCE: Whirlpool duet electric wil not heat

Remove 1 wire from the element . Your 220 V comes from ...110 motor , 110 control board . Check which wire is not getting 110 V , trace it and see which it comes from . That will tell you which one is defective .

SOURCE: replace electric heat element in Amana dryer

You can find an exploded view of the dryer on searspartsdirect.com. Looks like you access from the rear service panel.

SOURCE: what is cost of heating element of dryer

Prices vary by model number and parts resources. The element usually cost somewhere between $30 and $50. Here's a few websites you can use for reference to get an idea of how much a replacement element can cost:

searspartsdirect.com
pcappliancerepair.com
appliancepartspros.com
repairclinic.com

The average cost of these components varies, so shop and compare. The first three websites I listed also have helpful exploded view parts diagrams that can help you locate and properly identify the parts you need.

NOTE: In many cases, if you are experiencing a no heat problem, the heating element is NOT the problem. The heating element has protection devices that are designed to regulate the heat temperatures. If the dryer overheats the Thermal Cut-Out (TCO) typically will blow BEFORE the heating element. The replacement kit is much cheaper than purchasing a new heating element that may or may not be the problem.
If you have already diagnosed your problem, great. If you need to reassurance so you don't spend money you don't have to, the following links can give you some tips on how to troubleshoot a dryer:


http://www.fixya.com/support/r3574266-thorough_dryer_advice

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3576548-dryer_runs_but_does_not_heat

If you have any questions, please post back with your MODEL NUMBER so I can accurately determine how your dryer is configured. I hope you find this information helpful.