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SC Tiger
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I need some help on a dryer issue I'm having.  The dryer is a 13-year-old Bosch.  

The problem is that the thermal reset keeps tripping.  This is the high-load reset that will trip if the heating element gets too hot.  I reset it last night, it made about two loads, and then tripped again.  I've ordered another reset but I know this thing is designed to trip if the unit gets too hot.  I'm trying to figure out what else would cause excess heat.

I cleaned as much lint out of the unit as I could but didn't take the heating element out and clean it.  When the new reset arrives I plan to give the element a really good clean with compressed air.  If the element is bad I plan to just replace the dryer, since I don't want to sink too much money into this thing at it's age.

Any ideas of what could cause the element to get too hot and trip the reset, but take 2-3 loads to do it?  In the meantime I plan to use it intermittently to allow it to cool down between uses and see if that helps.

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3 hours ago, SC Tiger said:

I need some help on a dryer issue I'm having.  The dryer is a 13-year-old Bosch.  

The problem is that the thermal reset keeps tripping.  This is the high-load reset that will trip if the heating element gets too hot.  I reset it last night, it made about two loads, and then tripped again.  I've ordered another reset but I know this thing is designed to trip if the unit gets too hot.  I'm trying to figure out what else would cause excess heat.

I cleaned as much lint out of the unit as I could but didn't take the heating element out and clean it.  When the new reset arrives I plan to give the element a really good clean with compressed air.  If the element is bad I plan to just replace the dryer, since I don't want to sink too much money into this thing at it's age.

Any ideas of what could cause the element to get too hot and trip the reset, but take 2-3 loads to do it?  In the meantime I plan to use it intermittently to allow it to cool down between uses and see if that helps.

Just an opinion, but.  My experience with appliance thermal switches are that the most of them are mechanical, and after a cycle or two they start to trip too early.  I would clean the dryer as you already intend to do, and replace the reset as you also intend to do. 

I wouldn't look for more until I proved to myself that the previous actions haven't done the job.  If you attack everything at once as a potential failure, then it's very difficult to narrow down the culprit.  Most of the time the problem is the simplest part failure.  I think you have it well in hand.

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22 minutes ago, janice6 said:

Just an opinion, but.  My experience with appliance thermal switches are that the most of them are mechanical, and after a cycle or two they start to trip too early.  I would clean the dryer as you already intend to do, and replace the reset as you also intend to do. 

I wouldn't look for more until I proved to myself that the previous actions haven't done the job.  If you attack everything at once as a potential failure, then it's very difficult to narrow down the culprit.  Most of the time the problem is the simplest part failure.  I think you have it well in hand.

This switch is mechanical.  Smaller mechanical breakers (such as the ones on generators) tend to have that issue too.  Every time they trip they get damaged a little bit.  Most are in areas where they shouldn't ever trip, yet every so often they do.

I've ordered a high-temp thermostat (the one that trips) and a normal thermostat.  Puts me at $80 with shipping (shipping was around $10 so I decided to go ahead and get both).  I'll go that far.  If they don't fix it then I can send them back and only pay shipping.  I'll chance the $20.  

Beyond that - next candidate is a $120 heater, which on a 13 year old dryer isn't happening.

I also need to make sure the dryer vent tube didn't get kinked while I was messing with it.  

Edited by SC Tiger
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First thing to do is try running loads without the lint filter in place.

 

If that is successful then you need to clean the lint filter and area around the trap. I found the best way to clean a lint filter is with a toothbrush. What happens is if you are using dryer/anti-static sheets the residue builds up on the lint filter, not necessarily clogging it but slowing down the air flow.

 

A real easy test is to see if water will flow through the screen uninhibited.

 

Another thing to consider is what settings you use with the dryer. If you use time dry that's one thing but if you use sensor dry, you also rely on the metal sensors inside the drum that detect moisture and know when a load is dry. Make sure you clean those sensor, too, even if they look clean. Along with that, make sure that all wires are connected that make the sensor active.

 

Another idea that just came to mind is try running the loads on a lower heat setting and see if that helps.

 

I'd also check the exit point of the vent to ensure it's opening fully.

 

It may all boil down to air flow or lack of.

Edited by Bish1309
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Sounds like you've got an oscillating flux capacitor. Give it an tri-axial orbital twist with a metric crescent wrench and see if the issue resolves itself. 

If the magic smoke comes out or the entire living structure becomes engulfed in flames, don't blame me. I was never here that day.

 

As we used to say back in old Mexico City, "Rots of ruck!"

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8 hours ago, SC Tiger said:

I need some help on a dryer issue I'm having.  The dryer is a 13-year-old Bosch.  

The problem is that the thermal reset keeps tripping.  This is the high-load reset that will trip if the heating element gets too hot.  I reset it last night, it made about two loads, and then tripped again.  I've ordered another reset but I know this thing is designed to trip if the unit gets too hot.  I'm trying to figure out what else would cause excess heat.

I cleaned as much lint out of the unit as I could but didn't take the heating element out and clean it.  When the new reset arrives I plan to give the element a really good clean with compressed air.  If the element is bad I plan to just replace the dryer, since I don't want to sink too much money into this thing at it's age.

Any ideas of what could cause the element to get too hot and trip the reset, but take 2-3 loads to do it?  In the meantime I plan to use it intermittently to allow it to cool down between uses and see if that helps.

You have one of the high end ones with all the NASA buttons.  I am a simple guy, but I have the same problem.  The drier vent needs to be professionally cleaned out.  With all the crap and nonsense that has kept me busy in the last two weeks, that has been a lower priority.  However, it is one I plan to solve.  Because, like you I hate having to three cycles to get them dry and then you need oven gloves.  I clean the lint trap out with every load.  That doesn't solve the problem.  The problem is the vent hose.  I am no contortionist by any means.  If I get on the ground I feel like the world's skinniest turtle.  So, I am going to get some professionals to fix my problem.  I suggest you might do the same.

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On 5/17/2019 at 9:28 AM, janice6 said:

Just an opinion, but.  My experience with appliance thermal switches are that the most of them are mechanical, and after a cycle or two they start to trip too early.  I would clean the dryer as you already intend to do, and replace the reset as you also intend to do. 

I wouldn't look for more until I proved to myself that the previous actions haven't done the job.  If you attack everything at once as a potential failure, then it's very difficult to narrow down the culprit.  Most of the time the problem is the simplest part failure.  I think you have it well in hand.

I agree, I would just confirm that you are getting good flow out the vent.  You might also try turning it down and see how it does.

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My dryer just decided to refuse to turn on.

Luckily, last year my uncle had his washer die, and bought a new set, so I have a perfectly good dryer to replace the dead one with.

 

Found a bunch of small rocks and screws in the dryer vent hose, but not much dryer lint.

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2 hours ago, Cougar_ml said:

My dryer just decided to refuse to turn on.

Luckily, last year my uncle had his washer die, and bought a new set, so I have a perfectly good dryer to replace the dead one with.

 

Found a bunch of small rocks and screws in the dryer vent hose, but not much dryer lint.

Uncle or not there are a tone of good dryers for free or $50 on craigslist.  I got my last dryer for free, worked great for years then we moved.

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On 5/17/2019 at 2:51 PM, Bish1309 said:

First thing to do is try running loads without the lint filter in place.

 

If that is successful then you need to clean the lint filter and area around the trap. I found the best way to clean a lint filter is with a toothbrush. What happens is if you are using dryer/anti-static sheets the residue builds up on the lint filter, not necessarily clogging it but slowing down the air flow.

 

A real easy test is to see if water will flow through the screen uninhibited.

 

Another thing to consider is what settings you use with the dryer. If you use time dry that's one thing but if you use sensor dry, you also rely on the metal sensors inside the drum that detect moisture and know when a load is dry. Make sure you clean those sensor, too, even if they look clean. Along with that, make sure that all wires are connected that make the sensor active.

 

Another idea that just came to mind is try running the loads on a lower heat setting and see if that helps.

 

I'd also check the exit point of the vent to ensure it's opening fully.

 

It may all boil down to air flow or lack of.

He knows things.

On 5/18/2019 at 1:09 PM, holyjohnson said:

Make-a-Clothes-Line-Step-3-Version-2.jpg.a34b5bb79ab3fe7805acbe2242d4c480.jpg

Honey, I got that new dryer you wanted! 60 feet of it!

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On 5/18/2019 at 1:09 PM, holyjohnson said:

Make-a-Clothes-Line-Step-3-Version-2.jpg.a34b5bb79ab3fe7805acbe2242d4c480.jpg

Only problem is I sometimes get my clothes straight from the dryer to get dressed.  And the neighbors might not want to see me bare-assed........

On 5/17/2019 at 4:24 PM, Cougar_ml said:

Don't forget to also check the exhaust hose and outside vent cover, those tend to get ignored and can build up to heavy blockages over time.

Checked.  Were clear, but I think the dryer got shifted and had the hose kind of kinked.  I'm considering putting two 90 degree hard joints together instead of the flexible hose.

On 5/17/2019 at 2:51 PM, Bish1309 said:

First thing to do is try running loads without the lint filter in place.

 

If that is successful then you need to clean the lint filter and area around the trap. I found the best way to clean a lint filter is with a toothbrush. What happens is if you are using dryer/anti-static sheets the residue builds up on the lint filter, not necessarily clogging it but slowing down the air flow.

 

A real easy test is to see if water will flow through the screen uninhibited.

 

Another thing to consider is what settings you use with the dryer. If you use time dry that's one thing but if you use sensor dry, you also rely on the metal sensors inside the drum that detect moisture and know when a load is dry. Make sure you clean those sensor, too, even if they look clean. Along with that, make sure that all wires are connected that make the sensor active.

 

Another idea that just came to mind is try running the loads on a lower heat setting and see if that helps.

 

I'd also check the exit point of the vent to ensure it's opening fully.

 

It may all boil down to air flow or lack of.

Lint filter is clear, but there was a lot of built-up lint inside the filter area.  That area is a bitch to clean.  I have a flat vacuum hose that kinda works but not great.  Often you have to pull it out and blow the accumulated crap out of it.

I clear the lint filter after every load.  It's right in the door,  If I run the machine WITHOUT a lint filter, it trips an error and shuts down.

On 5/17/2019 at 2:45 PM, tous said:

Can you statically test the thermal switch for expected operation and result on a bench?

Get that engineering stuff out of here!  :anim_lol:

Probably could if I can control the heat going to it (temperature and location), but I don't know exactly when it should open.   And I don't have a great way to get the exact temperature I need and get it at the right point since it's a contact sensor - even using my slide rule.

21 hours ago, Vegas Eggus said:

Ours was doing that when the exhaust was restricted. Previous owners had a 1/4 inch screen at the roof cap. It was clogged. Eventually just took it out and solved the issue. 

Exhaust venting is clear.  This one goes right out the wall.  

And right below it is one of the crawlspace vents!  I might fab something up to deflect the lint that goes through it past the vent, because it tends to clog it up.

 

I screwed around with it a little more Friday evening and this is what I found:

1)  Heating element had some lint and dust in it.  My understanding is that when these get too dusty or linty, it can cause them to get hotter and trip the thermal reset.  So I took it out, blew compressed air through it, and then checked to make sure it wasn't grounded out.  Metered out fine.

2)  Cleaned out as much dust from inside the dryer as I could, including the vents on the back.  The lint trap had a lot of built-up lint in it that had somehow gotten past the lint filter (probably sticks to the filter and falls off when I take the filter out or something, which I do every load).

3)  Have run 3-4 loads on the second to lowest and second-to-highest settings and it hasn't had an issue.  It doesn't really have heat settings as much as it has a moisture sensor and different dryness levels - damp dry, dry, really dry, and incinerated or something.

4)  Vent to outside is clear as is the flexible tube, though that might get replaced by two vent elbows put together.

5)  Something I neglected to mention is that there was a LOT of stuff piled on top of this thing.  Enough that it actually muffled the sound of the dryer and it is now louder since I cleaned it off.  I suspect that had a negative affect on the air flow.

6)  New thermostat is on it's way.  Next time it trips I'm putting that one in.  Essentially it's a tiny breaker connected to a thermal sensor.  Those small breakers are damaged every time they trip, plus this one is pretty old.

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On 5/17/2019 at 6:29 PM, Rinspeed said:

As long as the vent hose was checked I would bypass it until the new one came, might want to keep an eye on things first load though.    ?

I would but my wife is big on the house remaining unincinerated.

Women - am I right?

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10 hours ago, SC Tiger said:

I would but my wife is big on the house remaining unincinerated.

Women - am I right?

Want to know how to get out of doing the laundry?

 

Burn the house down.

 

She'll never let you touch the dryer ever again.

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