Fairly new Whirlpool Dryer not working

I have a <1 year old Whirlpool Dryer Mod WED5700SW0. My wife was drying clothes, and checked to see if they were dry. She closed the front door, and nothing happened when she hit the start button. I checked to make sure there was power, there was, and nothing blocking the door closing. The timer dial still moves, and you can here the humming sound, but the drum doesn't turn. I waited a while, and then when we tried to start it, there was a buzzing sound, and you can smell a burning sort-of electric smell. I lifted the lid up, and saw the belt in tact (the limit of my skills...). I saw no blackened wires/connectors, and the switch on the door looked fine also. One point, we have noticed that some of the heavier clothes/loads have been taking longer to dry than they should have, so I wondered if that meant some heating element was going out. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you! Randy

 

I had a similar problem last year it was the heating element you mentioned the coil.I replaced it myself

 

UNPLUG DRYER You might have a thermo fuse bad, Take back off and there is a white fuse with 2 wires to it. Should have a circuit through it. If thats bad replace it and than check vent to the outside. Fuse usually blows from overheat, Most overheats are from clogged vents

 

The thermo fuse was OK, I checked the vent, and there was some residual lint, but nothing close to being blocked. While having the back off, I did go ahead and take off the heating element with the thermostat attached, and I removed the thermal cut-off fuse also. How can I tell what part of the element/thermostat is bad?

 

All stats will show no resistance (in other words, they are all "closed", to allow current to flow through them totally un- impeded, and the element(s) will show just a little resistance on the ohms scale.

I like to both ohms test AND actual volt test when the machine is running. You need to be very cautious if you have never done this, working around 240 volts!

 

UNPLUG DRYER
Can you turn drum by hand? don't force it but you should be able to turn drum from inside dryer with a little resistance. If drum dose not turn I would take front off and remove belt remove drum and see if you can turn motor by hand. If it doesn't you may have something jammed in the blower wheel that is accessed from the back Being careful you can plug in the front and than start motor with drum out. If motor turns but won't run you need a motor

 

Thanks, that may be it. I did check all stats and heating element- all fine. I then turned the drum with door button engaged and and the start button pushed. It actually turned, but rather slowly. I put a damp sleeping bag and comforter in, the drum tried to turn, but just couldn't. I popped the top again, and the belt is intact, but to me it seemed a little loose. I'm going to take the front off and see if I can access the motor like you stated and see if something is impeding it turning. Maybe that'll be it, but if the motor itself is bad, shouldn't they last longer than a year? We're a family of 3, and aren't heavy on the laundry. Just wondering. thanks to everyone who has answered this. Cordially, Randy (trainwreck)

 

For what it is worth, I've never had to replace any a/c motor, of this type, just because it was 'slow' with no other problems with it. That goes for furnaces too.

Make sure motor bearing, idler bearing, drum support (rear bearing or roller bearings) are all good and turn easily and are not 'gummy', that the belt is not stretched and the idler pulley has reached it's limit to keep tension on it - and as mentioned the blower wheel does not have like some sock in there jamming it up, or the front teflon slides that hold up the front of the drum, are good. One of these is bound to be your problem.

 

Well, I took the front and drum off, and accessed the blower wheel in the back. I was excited becasue I found all kinds of goodies (pencils, coins, and eyelass parts) all around the blower wheel. I also noticed the drive belt somewhat wedged between the pulley wheel the the arm of the pulley itself, although that may have been caused by me when I was pulling off the front. The blower wheel and motor were able to spin very freely. I placed the drum and belt back on, and turn the drum by hand. I turned the dryer on, and again it just hums. I can turn the drum and it rotates, although slowly. I can put the sleeping bag in, turn the drum, and it will just barely rotate; if I add just one item more, it doesn't turn. The belt doesn't appear to slip at all, and the ribbed side doesn't seem worn down. Couldn't all the crap in the blower wheel and/or the belt being wedged cause the motor to burn out, or at least damage it enough to where it doesn't turn well? Should I go ahead and buy a new motor?

 

Well, if everything is freed up and nothing wrong like we mentioned, then it pretty much has to be the motor, if the correct voltage is getting to the machine and through it.

 

Make sure that you are getting 240 at back of machine, 120 on each leg and check with the machine off and on. Be careful 240 Kills.

 

You could unplug power cord, remove the drum, drive belt, leave the front panel with door switch wired in, so the motor will come on, plug it back in, and see if the motors will run normal. Either the motor is bad, or something is causing the motor to run that way. You will not be able to run it that way but 15 to 30 seconds. Good luck.

Himeros

 

Thanks to everyone for their help. It indeed was the motor, and I didn't crack the fan attached when I took the old one off. It really helped me to remove the back clamp to get an adjustable wrench on the squared spoke of the plastic fan, and turn the "axle" on the motor leaving the front clamp on for support. The dryer works well, and the drying time is much shorter than it was; I don't think the old motor had worked well for a while given the clothes weren't dry sometimes after a full cycle. Thanks again, Randy