Electric dryer won’t start. Any suggestions?

[y_p_w]

Checked the breakers, and in any case the light turns on.

It’s more a traditional Maytag electric dryer. Just a knob with push to start and basic heat settings. I’m guessing no sophisticated electronics but just a lot of mechanical switches and motors.

I checked the door switch which does turn off the light when pressed in. Still won’t start. It seemed to have stopped mid-cycle. Unplugged it and plugged it back in.

 

[nomas]

Is there a schematic somewhere on the unit ?

 

[y_p_w]

Is there a schematic somewhere on the unit ?

No. Checked the back and inside the door.

 

[ripcord]

Just a guess, but check the door safety switch.

Edit: oops just read your post more carefully and you already did that. The thermal safety switch sometimes goes bad, too. It should look something like this.

 

[Nukeman7]

Probably a blown thermal fuse or a defective high temperature safety sensor. See video below:

 

[CarLuver]

blown thermal fuse usually just kills the element , but the dryer still turns. check for a broken belt . if not belt check for power going to motor.

i have worked on many a old style dryer and never had seen a bad board

 

[nomas]

No. Checked the back and inside the door.

Possibly on the inside of the rear panel .

 

[y_p_w]

Probably a blown thermal fuse or a defective high temperature safety sensor. See video below:

Decided to see if if I could have a look inside. Then I realized there no back panel per se. The back is three sided and doesn’t just pull off. Once I had the two top screws off, the top of the dryer pulled up, but where it’s screwed internally to the front. This is just a crazy design.

Maybe I’ll try to find vids on this particular series. The model is MDE308DAYW. Apparently on,y one thermal fuse.

https://www.appliancepartspros.com/parts-for-maytag-mde308dayw.html

 

[Nukeman7]

Decided to see if if I could have a look inside. Then I realized there no back panel per se. The back is three sided and doesn’t just pull off. Once I had the two top screws off, the top of the dryer pulled up, but where it’s screwed internally to the front. This is just a crazy design.

Maybe I’ll try to find vids on this particular series. The model is MDE308DAYW. Apparently on,y one thermal fuse.

https://www.appliancepartspros.com/parts-for-maytag-mde308dayw.html

This Amana dryer of the same vintage may be very similar in design and assembly.

 

[y_p_w]

This Amana dryer of the same vintage may be very similar in design and assembly.

I think that’s basically the same basic dryer. Maybe that one has more options. But the irony is this is my mom’s dryer. She had a previous Whirlpool dryer fail and decided on Maytag thinking it might be better.

I think I know what to look for now. Will need to put back most of the screws except for the top ones with the clips.

 

[Hall]

Decided to see if if I could have a look inside. Then I realized there no back panel per se. The back is three sided and doesn’t just pull off. Once I had the two top screws off, the top of the dryer pulled up, but where it’s screwed internally to the front. This is just a crazy design.

Our dryer quit a few months ago. All of the electronics to check require an almost 100% disassembly of the unit, including complete removal of the drum, just to access things to diagnose. I went out and bought a Speed Queen....

 

[Wireman1987]

Checked the breakers, and in any case the light turns on.

It’s more a traditional Maytag electric dryer. Just a knob with push to start and basic heat settings. I’m guessing no sophisticated electronics but just a lot of mechanical switches and motors.

I checked the door switch which does turn off the light when pressed in. Still won’t start. It seemed to have stopped mid-cycle. Unplugged it and plugged it back in.

sounds like a thermofuse

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CDCTH1V?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

if you watch a YouTube video not having a schematic if your handy you could try jumping it out "and see if the dryer will turn on" don't bypass the thermofuse completely.

 

[y_p_w]

Our dryer quit a few months ago. All of the electronics to check require an almost 100% disassembly of the unit, including complete removal of the drum, just to access things to diagnose. I went out and bought a Speed Queen....

This one is more electromechanical though. I just need to be able to access and test the fuse. That supposedly the most common reason they stop working.

 

[y_p_w]

sounds like a thermofuse

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CDCTH1V?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

if you watch a YouTube video not having a schematic if your handy you could try jumping it out "and see if the dryer will turn on" don't bypass the thermofuse completely.

It’s probably this one.

https://www.appliancepartspros.com/...-mde308dayw-repair/mde308dayw-wont-start.html

 

[Wireman1987]

It’s probably this one.

https://www.appliancepartspros.com/...-mde308dayw-repair/mde308dayw-wont-start.html

have you gotten the rear cover off yet?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Decided to see if if I could have a look inside. Then I realized there no back panel per se. The back is three sided and doesn’t just pull off. Once I had the two top screws off, the top of the dryer pulled up, but where it’s screwed internally to the front. This is just a crazy design.

Maybe I’ll try to find vids on this particular series. The model is MDE308DAYW. Apparently on,y one thermal fuse.

https://www.appliancepartspros.com/parts-for-maytag-mde308dayw.html

There is a belt switch that will prevent the motor from turning on. A common failure mode is the idler pulley fails which is tied into the belt switch somehow and must be replaced.

My Samsung dis-assembles like this and its awesome. I can have the whole thing apart, including drum out, in minutes once you know how it all works - without having to pull the unit away from the wall. Remove the top - couple of screws and some clips and lean it against the wall, remove the front same thing - a couple screws and some clips, remove the drum. Everything is there.

When I bought a heater element for it there was a list of about 100 dryers - all different brands - that used to the same heater element. I think this illusion that one brand is better than another is a myth. There all stamped steel with the same controls inside.

 

[y_p_w]

I got much of the front off. Didn’t have a putty knife handy but used an old credit card to push in the top clip. The hard part now is removing the contact from the door open switch. Two are coming off easily, but the other contact looks like it might be crimped to the contact. The video I saw show it coming off easily.

Addendum. Came off pretty easily with a bit of rocking with needle nose pliers. Gotta get the drum off now.

 

[y_p_w]

OK. Got the drum off. Found maybe 80 cents worth of coins in various parts of the dryer. Couldn’t get the thermal fuse off since it requires a 1/4” socket. I have one, but I left a kit at my parents’ place that my dad used and didn’t put back the ratchet or drive handle. Also missing one socket. But I could test it in place with a cheapo HF multimeter. Shows infinite resistance, so I’m sure it blew.

Now I need the part. There’s actually a local place that has it for a bit over $5, but they’re not open on weekends. Not sure if it’s worth replacing the belt while it’s already disassembled.

https://www.reliableparts.com/wpl-wp40113801.html

 

[Nukeman7]

Now I need the part. There’s actually a local place that has it for a bit over $5, but they’re not open on weekends. Not sure if it’s worth replacing the belt while it’s already disassembled.

https://www.reliableparts.com/wpl-wp40113801.html

You are in a conundrum about the belt. If it looks good, I would leave it alone since my experience is that new replacement belts are made with cheaper, less durable material. However, with Murphy's Law, the old belt will probably break in a week!

 

[ripcord]

But at least now he's got practice talking it apart and it will go faster the second time