Naturally, you want to protect your appliances and them operating in peak condition provided possible. But did you know that certain appliances have a device that allows the unit to protect itself? That device is a thermal fuse also it can be found on dryers, ovens, microwave ovens, even some dishwashers and refrigerators. This safety device protects the applying from overheating and potentially damaging the motor or other sensitive components. If your electric or gas dryer begins to overheat, the thermal fuse is made to open, or “blow”, interrupting the voltage and preventing power from reaching the motor and heating components.
Will the dryer run when the thermal fuse is blown?
Unlike a thermostat that can reset itself, once a dryer thermal fuse blows, it will need to be replaced with a new one prior to the dryer will run. While a blown thermal fuse is the most common reason a dryer won't start, run, or heat, you need to remove the fuse from the appliance and test it to determine if it has blown or not before purchasing a new one. On electric dryers, the thermal fuse is usually located on the blower housing or near the heating element. On gas models, the thermal fuse can be found on the blower housing or near the burner. To reach the fuse on some dryers, you can just uninstall the appliance's rear panel or perhaps a lower front access panel. However, many dryers will require you to fully disassemble the applying, removing the top panel (and, possibly, a control panel as well), a front panel, a front bulkhead, and the dryer's drum before you can access the fuse. That's the hard part. To uninstall the fuse itself, you'll unthread one or two mounting screws and disconnect the power wires from the fuse's terminals.
How to check a thermal fuse
Once you've removed, or isolated, the thermal fuse from the dryer, you can use a multimeter to test the component for electrical continuity – a continuing electrical path present in the part:
- Rotate the multimeter dial towards the lowest setting for “Ohms of resistance”.
- Touch the black lead to one of the fuse's terminals and the red result in the other terminal.
- If the meter display shows zero Ohms of resistance, the fuse has electrical continuity and has not blown, indicating that another component within the dryer is likely defective and preventing the appliance from running or heating. When the meter display shows no significant change, the fuse has no continuity which means it has blown and can need to be replaced.
Make sure the venting is clear
Once you've revealed that it is, indeed, a blown thermal fuse that's preventing your dryer from working, there is a very important maintenance procedure you need to perform to ensure any new fuse you install doesn't blow within a few hours of dryer use: clean the venting. The number one cause of thermal fuses blowing may be the build-up of lint inside the exhaust venting making the dryer overheat. At least one time a year you should detach the venting from the rear of the appliance and use a vent brush to clean out the lint and any other debris to ensure good air flow. You should also remember to clean out the dryer's lint filter after every cycle and get a vacuum cleaner to periodically clean out the filter housing as well.
Find the right dryer parts with Repair Clinic
Repair Clinic stocks thermal fuses for the top gas and electric dryers including those made by Kenmore, GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Electrolux, LG, and Samsung. While thermal fuses can look similar, it's important to purchase the exact one that's compatible with your model. To get this done, enter the full model number of your gas or electric dryer in the Repair Clinic website search bar, then select “Fuse, Thermal Fuse & Breaker” using the part category filter to identify the specific thermal fuse you'll need. In addition to fuses, Repair Clinic carries all the replaceable appliance parts to repair your dryer such as igniters, gas valve solenoids, heating elements, thermostats, timers, door switches, plus much more.
