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Electrical Wire and Cable


Why Dryers Will Not Dry Clothes or Produce Heat

Why is my clothes dryer is turning but not heating and not drying the clothes? How to Find Out Why Dryers Will Not Dry Clothes or Produce Heat.


Home Electrical Wiring Video

How to Wire a GFCI Outlet
without a Ground Wire

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Clothes Dryer Problems
Electrical Question: Why is my clothes dryer turning on but not heating and not drying the clothes?

This electrical wiring question came from: Keith, a Homeowner in Illinois.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Keith.

The Cause of Dryers that Do Not Heat or Dry Clothes

clothes-dryer-wiring

Common Dryer Problems that Prevent a Dryer From Heating and How to Fix Them

More about Electric Clothes Dryers

How to Wiring a Dryer

2-pole-circuit-breaker

See more about Home Wiring for Illinois


The following may also be helpful for you:

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring:

» You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! «

Here's How to Do It:
Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book

Great for any Home Wiring Project.
  electrical wiring  

Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring

Perfect for Homeowners, Students,
Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians
Includes:
Wiring GFCI Outlets
Wiring Home Electric Circuits
120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits
Wiring Light Switches
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet
How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring
Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring
NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring
....and much more.


Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring
with my Online Video Course:
Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example


Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right

The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!

The Non-Contact Electrical Tester
This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.

The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring!

The Plug-In Outlet Tester
This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use.

Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!

The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter
My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets..

The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.


More articles about Dryer, Electrical Wiring and Home Electrical Wiring:
« Previous Next »
Increasing Electrical Circuit Size Adding Sub-Panels to Main Panels


FAQs Frequently Asked Questions and Comments

4 Responses to “Why Dryers Will Not Dry Clothes or Produce Heat”
  1. james lovett says:

    I have just recently put a new dryer in our laundry room ,however the room is not attached to the house,so we ran a 220/240 #10 from the laundry room to the house breaker panel which was approx,150ft of wire the dryer runs but now the dryer does not heat. Could it be that the wiring is to long a distance from the main panel to the dryer? Everything else works on it.

  2. Dave Rongey says:

    James,
    Troubleshooting an Electric Dryer Problem
    The first thing I would check is the connections to make sure they are correct, because it may be that you do not have both hot legs configured correctly which will prevent the heating elements from working. Yes, the distance may very well be a factor which will also affect the heating elements as well. With a detached laundry room project such as this you may consider installing a sub panel which is sized for the distance and any additional electrical circuits.
    I should point out that because this installation is at a detached building you may be required to install a separate ground rod at the detached building. Consult your local building authority for clarification.
    Dave

  3. floyd says:

    I have a roper by whirlpool. I’ve had it about a year and a half. I went to start it and it wouldn’t start, so I moved the dial to another setting that did not require heat and it started. It will work when it’s on heat. When you put it on a heat setting the dryer will not come on at all.
    Thank you for your time, Floyd

  4. Dave Rongey says:

    Hi Floyd,
    Cycle Timer Problem for a Clothes Dryer
    The control cycle timer may need to be replaced because of a possible bad contact. An inspection of the timer components may provide further indication of the condition of the cycle timer control for this specific Whirlpool washer dryer unit.
    I hope this helps,
    Dave