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Dryers are meant to make laundry much easier and faster –that’s why we purchase them.
However, it is inevitable that they sometimes develop problems, especially after years of service.
Now, when this happens, you might want to try and fix it- after all, you may not have the budget to purchase a replacement right away.
Which brings me to what I want us to look at in this article: what to do if your Dryer stopped working all of a sudden (How to troubleshoot it)
So below is what might cause your dryer to suddenly stop working and how to fix it.
Dryer stopped working all of a sudden – How to troubleshoot a dryer that suddenly won’t work
Check for power issues
The first (and major) cause for dryers no longer working all of a sudden is when there are issues with the power supply.
This may range from a tripped circuit breaker to a power blackout. As such, you ought to first confirm that there is no blackout and while at it, be sure to confirm that the dryer’s circuit breaker is not tripped. If it is, all you will need to do is simply flip it back on.
Test if the thermal fuse is blown
This is often the case if your dryer suddenly stops after a power blackout-it can also be the case even during a dryer’s normal cycle.
In truth, it is also a major cause for dryers stopping out of the blue.
Now, the only way to figure out if the thermal fuse is blown is by doing a continuity test on the fuse – if unsure how to go about it, you can read this helpful article: how to test a dryer’s thermal fuse.
If it lacks continuity, you will need to replace it -and you can get a quality dryer thermal fuse here.
However, as you replace the thermal fuse, you will also need to clean the lint filter, blower wheel and most importantly, the dryer’s vent ducting.
This is because when they are clogged, they tend to lead to the thermal fuse blowing.
Check the moisture sensor
Another underrated yet likely suspect is the moisture sensor.
With time, it gets covered by lint till it reaches a point when it is fully covered in lint to an extent it will no longer work.
This will mostly happen when the dryer is running and when it does happen, the dryer will stop abruptly.
To check if the sensor is responsible for your dryer abruptly stopping, first wipe it with a soft piece of cloth and reinstall it. If the dryer starts running again, voila! You just found and fixed the culprit.
Nevertheless, if the dryer still doesn’t start up, you should look along the length of the moisture sensor bar for any visible cracks.
If you can spot any, it is an indication that the sensor bar is bad and you ought to get a replacement moisture sensor bar.
If you own a Samsung dryer, you are in luck since you can get an OEM moisture sensor here.
On the other hand, if all looks fine, you can move to the next step below:
Check the door latch
This is mostly the case for front load dryers stopping abruptly.
How would a door latch make a dryer stop suddenly?
Well, dryers are designed to only run when the door is fully closed. When the latch is faulty, it will be knocked open by the clothes as they are tumbled thereby stopping the dryer without notice.
With that in mind, you will need to test the door latch. To do this, simply try and lock the door, if it does not secure firmly on its own, it means that the latch is indeed faulty and you will need to replace it.
Do you own a Whirlpool, Maytag or Kenmore dryer? if yes, you are in luck since you can easily get a door latch replacement here.
Speaking of the door latch, it brings us to our next suspect – the door switch…
Test the door switch
This applies to both top load and front load dryers.
If the door switch acts up during a drying cycle, it will cut the dryer circuitry and as a consequence, stop the dryer out of the blue.
To test if this is the case, you will need to perform a continuity test on the door switch.
If it lacks continuity, it is the cause for your dryer abruptly stopping and as a result, you will need to get a door switch replacement. If you happen to own an LG dryer, we recommend you get an OEM switch replacement – you can get it here.
Beyond the basics………………
Check the drum belt
Is it loose? – perhaps it came off the idler pulley wheel and as a result, you will need to wrap it around the wheel to tighten it again.
Still on the belt, is it broken?
Well, if it is, you just found your culprit and you should replace it immediately. By doing so, you will have your dryer up and running in no time.
Here’s a belt replacement for Whirlpool, Maytag and Kenmore dryers.
Have a look at the idler pulley
Now that we have just inspected the belt, also be sure to inspect the pulley.
To do this, begin by testing whether the wheel can spin – try to spin it by hand. If it cannot, you just identified your culprit.
And while at it, inspect the idler pulley for any other damages.
If you can locate any damage on the pulley or the wheel is not turning, you will need to replace the idler pulley as a whole.
Speaking of replacing the idler pulley, you can order one for your Samsung dryer here.
Test the motor
When we talk about testing the motor, we are talking about testing it for continuity.
If it happens to lack continuity, it means that it is faulty hence it will need to be replaced.
While at it, be sure to get an OEM replacement part such as this LG OEM dryer motor.
Inspect the control board
The control board is always the final part to be inspected – this is because it cannot be tested for continuity and you will instead have to do a visual inspection for any signs of burnings or cracks.
If you can spot anything wrong with the control board, it means that it is bad. Consequently, you will need to replace it.
Dryer stopped working after heavy load
Most of the time, this is normally an indication of an overworked motor – the motor will overheat as it tries to tumble the heavy loads.
As it overheats, it will reach a certain point and it will just stop to cool down.
Nevertheless, if you try and start a drying cycle after some time, the dryer will continue running. This is because the motor has had the chance to cool down. But, it won’t run for long as it will soon get overheated.
However, do not do this continually as you may eventually burn up the motor thereby requiring you to replace it.
Dryer stopped working suddenly – frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why won’t my dryer start all of a sudden? / What causes a dryer to stop working? / Why would a dryer suddenly stop working?
As we have just seen, several factors may result in your dryer abruptly stopping. Just to recap these factors, they are:
- Power blackout.
- Tripped circuit breaker.
- Blown thermal fuse.
- Dirty or faulty moisture sensor.
- Faulty door latch.
- Bad door switch.
- Loose or broken drum belt.
- Faulty idler pulley.
- Bad motor.
- Damaged control board.
Why does my dryer stop after 5 minutes?
If this occurs continually, you most probably have an overheating motor or a clogged moisture sensor.
You can always check them out to figure out the exact culprit.
Dryer stopped working all of a sudden – parting words
It is our hope that the above troubleshooting steps will help you in fixing your dryer after it has stopped abruptly.
Now, for parts that require to be replaced, always confirm that the part you are about to purchase is compatible with your dryer model. If possible, you should purchase OEM parts.
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