GE Gas Dryer Igniter and MIrror Test

[99Saturn]

TLDR version: Can anyone explain (or better yet knows of a video demonstration) of how to view the igniter on a GE gas dryer? Service sheet indicates I should be able to observe through a viewer hole (which I don't seem to have other then perhaps a little slit in the metal)? My understanding is some dryers have a viewing hole in the back or front but mine at least does not. I'm having trouble conceptualizing here given that I may be looking for something that is not happening in a tiny mirror slide under the dryer.

Long(er) version - Dryer seemed to stop heating a week or so ago (promptly after cleaning a long neglected dryer vent). GE Profile dryer circa the mid 90s. DPSR473GW0WW. I'm by no means an appliance repair expert so I took to some googling. Cycling thermostat, gas coils, heat detector, flame sensor, cycling thermostat and high limit thermostat all test good according to the multimeter. Seems like igniter and the gas valve assembly itself are the next possible culprits, so looking to observe if I get a glow on the igniter to check the gas valve assembly.

As an aside, I am reminded why some people don't want to touch something DIY, I have disassembled and reassembled this some many times in the last week, and managed to create a squeal (fixed for now by greasing pulley) and mistakenly dropped a plastic insert to the drum bearing when I was taking the drum out, missing that I dropped it and successfully chewing through a set of bearing slides when I ran it for one cycle. On the plus side, guess I now know I should probably replace the drum bearing as I see a crack in the plastic piece I dropped, assuming i can get the heat working again...

 

[TheLastWord]

Turn off the lights and view in a dark room. Doesn't the front remove? Why did you remove the drum?

 

[oldcodger]

If it is like mine the whole front of the drier has to come off, which means the door latch is disconnected which shuts off the drier. I have had trouble with the gas valve coils failing and not letting the burner get gas. I recommend you replace them first. Their cheap and can be purchased on Amazon.

 

[99Saturn]

Turn off the lights and view in a dark room. Doesn't the front remove? Why did you remove the drum?

To access all the parts I mentioned other than the coils.

Re the dark room guess I’m trying to understand exactly where I am looking/positioning the mirror because I presume I could have a false positive if I position the mirror incorrectly and therefore don’t see any glow. If I remove the front panel (entire front panel) I don't believe it will run as @oldcodger indicated.

 

[99Saturn]

If it is like mine the whole front of the drier has to come off, which means the door latch is disconnected which shuts off the drier. I have had trouble with the gas valve coils failing and not letting the burner get gas. I recommend you replace them first. Their cheap and can be purchased on Amazon.

I actually swapped out both the cycling thermostat and the coils with new ones from amazon as well before testing (because I had read they were high likelihood and they were relatively cheap) both at the same time and each part individually. New and old coils tested within the same range on my cheap HF multimeter as well.

 

[mk378]

It's a hot surface igniter, it will glow orange when hot. If you can unplug it or otherwise isolate the wiring leading to it, it is a resistor, if it is bad it will be open circuit. Like @TheLastWord said, the glow should be visible with the lights out even if you're not looking at exactly the right place. If the gas is flowing but not igniting, you will smell unburned gas in the drum and the exhaust. If it never smells like gas either the valve isn't opening or of course there could be no supply to the appliance.

 

[Cujet]

Those ignitors are available as low quality, short or zero life units. Choose carefully. The Flame sensor can be disassembled and cleaned. They are very simple devices and can even be rebuilt properly by someone who is careful. One can renew the black coating on the bi-metallic strip and clean the contacts, sometimes the window itself can simply be flipped over for a fresh section of glass.

 

[George7941]

Another way to test the igniter is to measure the current it draws and see if it is in spec. If it is drawing the required current, it is glowing white hot, trust me. Orange is not enough, it needs to be white hot.
Gas oven HSIs draw 3.6 to 3.8 amps.

 

[Fitter30]

Hot surface igniters can be bad and still glow. They need to produce a minimum amp draw to open the gas valve. By taking the igniter with u to a appliance parts house they might have one that is cheaper than one is labeled GE. I've dealt with a small appliance parts store and he's given me the same part in another labeled box for more than few parts. This amp draw might vary. Would be in the service manual.
Normal amp draw 2.8 - 3 amps
Draws 2.7 bad

 

[99Saturn]

Update for anyone interested. Seems to have been the igniter. New part arrived today and the got some heat after a brief run to test it.

In case anyone stumbles on this thread or is curious, below right at the tip of the light is the viewing hole I was originally asking about.

 

[Chevyc10]

Igniters go out like incandescent light bulbs. Mine fail about yearly. Even when replacing with OEM. I keep couple spares on hand along with coils. They fail at worse time.