Troubleshooting a GE Clothes Dryer Thermal Switch
- 1). Keep your troubleshooting efforts safe and free of injury. Unplug your GE clothes dryer from its power source and shut off the flow of gas to your appliance, if applicable. Make certain that all electricity and gas has been shut off from your clothes dryer before proceeding.
- 2). Locate the lint screen at the bottom of the door opening in your GE clothes dryer. Remove the lint screen from its housing and wash it in warm, soapy water. Use a soft cotton towel to dry the lint screen thoroughly before putting it back in your dryer. Note that build up of lint can cause your dryer to overheat, triggering the thermal switch to activate. Clean the lint trap in your GE dryer before each use to prevent overheating.
- 3). Move your GE clothes dryer away from the wall so that you can easily access the flexible exhaust hose at its rear. Take the exhaust hose off of the dryer and examine it for kinks or obstructions. Clean out the inside of the exhaust hose to remove any lint that has collected. Reconnect the exhaust hose to the rear of your dryer and push the dryer back against the wall.
- 4). Go outside and examine the exterior exhaust vent for your GE clothes dryer. Clean all obstructions from the exterior vent, including built-up dryer lint. Check the exterior exhaust vent and clean it out periodically to prevent your dryer from overheating.
- 5). Open the top panel of your dryer so that you can access its thermal switch and test it for continuity. Insert a putty knife or flat-head screwdriver into the space directly below the dryer's top panel. Use the putty knife or flat-head screwdriver to apply pressure to the two metal clips that hold the top panel to the rest of the dryer cabinet. This will release the panel. Note that these metal clips are located approximately four inches from either side of the dryer. Lift the top panel of your GE dryer and lean it against the wall.
- 6). Peer into the dryer cabinet, behind the drum, to locate the heating element housing in your GE clothes dryer. The heating element housing looks like a round metal pan. Look to the side of the heating element housing to locate the thermal switch, which looks like a small piece of white plastic with two connected wires. Pull gently on the two wires to detach them from the thermal switch. Turn on a digital multimeter and set it to read "Rx1" resistance. Touch the multimeter probes to both sides of the thermal switch and read the multimeter needle. If the needle moves, your thermal switch is still functional. If the needle does not move, replace the thermal switch immediately.
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