How can I fix my tumble dryer?

It's a dumb & expensive way to find a fault to replace parts at random hoping to eventually strike the right one. You need a multimeter to test the parts first. You can get a cheap one that will do the trick. Put it on ohms range, remove the wire from the element & put tester on both element terminals. If no reading then element is open circuit. Reading of 30 - 40 ohms is ok. Too high is just as bad as no ohms. If it checks ok then check the thermostat. Follow the wire from the element until you find it. There should be continuity but almost no resistance.

Alan
February 2009

Hi Lorwick,
I have just fixed my Simpson dryer which sounds like it had the same problem as yours. It was working fine except it was not heating up. The element that was in it looked perfectly ok but I replaced the element and it is now heating ok. The other possibility is that it could be the thermostat but you wont know that unless you get someone to look at it or try a new element first. I was told that if i replace the element and switched the dryer on and it still didn't work then i would not be able to get a refund on it. That only meant that when the element did finally go then i would have one in my shed already so it wouldn't be a total waste of money.

Ken Bos
February 2009