WiremanWireman · Electric dryer runs but no heat: troubleshooting for electricians · 2023 NEC ·
Electric dryer runs but no heat
Both 240 V legs, the thermal fuse and high limit, then the element.
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How it works
An electric dryer runs on 120/240 V. The drum motor and controls use 120 V, one hot to neutral. The heating element uses 240 V across both hots. That’s why a dryer that tumbles but won’t heat has often lost one leg of its supply. The element circuit also runs through a thermal fuse, a high limit, a cycling thermostat and a switch on the motor that only closes once the motor is up to speed.
Every question and answer in this guide. Tap “Step by step” to walk through it.
- Is it an electric or gas dryer?
- ElectricTest: Check both legs of the supplyExpect: About 240 V hot to hot (208 V in many apartments), and about 120 V from each hot to neutral.
- One hot reads 0 V to neutralOne leg of the 240 V supply is missing
- Both legs presentTest: Test the thermal fuse and high limitExpect: Both closed (near 0 Ω).
- Thermal fuse or high limit openThe thermal fuse or high limit opened from overheating
- Both closedTest: Test the heating elementExpect: About R = V² ÷ W: a 5,400 W element at 240 V reads about 10.7 Ω. Most read roughly 7 to 12 Ω. OL to the cabinet.
- OL across the elementBurned-out heating element
- Reads to the cabinetElement shorted to the cabinet
- Normal resistanceCycling thermostat, motor switch or control
- GasGas dryer: ignition or gas valve
- ElectricTest: Check both legs of the supplyExpect: About 240 V hot to hot (208 V in many apartments), and about 120 V from each hot to neutral.