TIL my old way of checking dryer thermostats was a waste of time...

For years, I'd pull the whole back panel off a dryer just to get a multimeter on the high-limit thermostat... a real pain on those stacked units. Then a guy at a supply house in Toledo told me to just check continuity through the heating element circuit first. Did that on a Kenmore last week, found the open there in under two minutes, and saved myself half an hour of disassembly. Anyone else have a simple test that cuts out a bunch of steps?

3 comments

3 Comments

owens.laura15d agoMost Upvoted

That drain pump trick can be misleading though, a bad pump can hum but still be clogged.

finleyrivera15d ago

That continuity check trick is a lifesaver. My buddy wasted a whole afternoon on a washer before someone told him to just listen for the drain pump hum first.

laura_wilson15d ago

My uncle used to test his old fridge's compressor with a long screwdriver to his ear. He swore by it, but I always thought it sounded like a good way to get shocked.