Dryer wont start! (it starts, but, as soon as the button is released, it stops!!)

[WarDemon666]

I have a Moffat clothes dryer and it wasnt drying very well (it took two whole cycles to dry a batch of clothes) so I took it apart and found out that the back end of the drum was clogged, and the vent going outside was also pretty clogged.

This is the second time I take it apart, first time was because a bushing of some sort was gone and it was squeaking. When i put it back together the first time it gave me the same problem, i wasnt able to keep the dryer running, when i started it, as soon as I let go of the start button, it would shut off. I fixed it by taking it apart, finding no problems, putting it back together! I didnt do anything and it fixed itself! This time, everything I try wont let it start by itself...

What could be the problem?

here are some pictures that could aid in finding the problem:

To view all the pics in a gallery:
http://img213.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dryer014lc8.jpg


or seperately....
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer013ld0.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer012ke5.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer010tb9.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer008ip0.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer003am3.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer001em6.jpg


Thanks everyone!


EDIT:

if no one can find a solution please, if youre at work, and have nothing to do, PLEASE, PLEAASSEEEE try and help me google the answer to this problem,,, i dont wanna get a technician again. He costed me over 100$ to fix an element once, and it ended up breaking after a year. I installed the last element, it costed 20$ and its still been going after 1 year!!

is there any way i could test these electrical components? I have a multimeter and uber skillz

update:!

I found on the left side of the motor a wire that leads to a small black box (some type of fuse or something, one wire in one wire out) that says :MICROSWITCH, its too far and too small to see the writing unless I take it apart.. i dont have time to take it apart but I will later on tonight.

This black box goes to the start switch. If you look closely on the pictures of the switch, there are two wires on one side of the switch!!!

IM GUESSING: one for the START of the motor, probably,,, and another for continuation without the switch depressed?

Could this be the problem?

 

[AMDMaddness]

Its the button/switch that tells the dryer the door is closed thats broke I bet. loose wire or bad switch or the pin that triggers it is broken etc.

 

[Juice Box]

tape any buttons down that need to be depressed for it to run, and just remember that you have clothes in the dryer

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Its the button/switch that tells the dryer the door is closed thats broke I bet. loose wire or bad switch or the pin that triggers it is broken etc.

oh i forgot to mention that,,,,

if i close the door it starts but doesnt stay on...

if i open the door it doesnt even start

so im guessing that switch is still good..... what do you think?

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Its the button/switch that tells the dryer the door is closed thats broke I bet. loose wire or bad switch or the pin that triggers it is broken etc.

oh i forgot to mention that,,,,

if i close the door it starts but doesnt stay on...

if i open the door it doesnt even start

so im guessing that switch is still good..... what do you think?

I could agree with that logic, yes

 

[AMDMaddness]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Its the button/switch that tells the dryer the door is closed thats broke I bet. loose wire or bad switch or the pin that triggers it is broken etc.

oh i forgot to mention that,,,,

if i close the door it starts but doesnt stay on...

if i open the door it doesnt even start

so im guessing that switch is still good..... what do you think?

Humm very odd.... go buy a new dryer? J/K google it!

 

[bctbct]

my kenmore did the same thing. it was a relay. looks like the middle four wire relay in image http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg

cost about $50 and was special order only. based on the location and that it is four wire

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness
Its the button/switch that tells the dryer the door is closed thats broke I bet. loose wire or bad switch or the pin that triggers it is broken etc.

oh i forgot to mention that,,,,

if i close the door it starts but doesnt stay on...

if i open the door it doesnt even start

so im guessing that switch is still good..... what do you think?

Humm very odd.... go buy a new dryer? J/K google it!

hehe,,, ive been googling for the last 2 hours. you guys are my last chance at wearing dry clothes tomorrow!!! jk. lol

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: Juice Box
tape any buttons down that need to be depressed for it to run, and just remember that you have clothes in the dryer

when researching my prob i recall reading


DO NOT TAPE SWITCH!

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: bctbct
my kenmore did the same thing. it was a relay. looks like the middle four wire relay in image http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg

cost about $50 and was special order only. based on the location and that it is four wire

i just looked at that thing (second thing to the right) and its only got two wires, not four... and the other things are buttons that go in the front,,, (check other pics)

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: bctbct
my kenmore did the same thing. it was a relay. looks like the middle four wire relay in image http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg

cost about $50 and was special order only. based on the location and that it is four wire

i just looked at that thing (second thing to the right) and its only got two wires, not four... and the other things are buttons that go in the front,,, (check other pics)

the part with the blue wire....called a motor heater relay. Everything worked fine except the dryer would not run unless you held the start button in. What I meant in my earlier post was I selected that relay from your pic based on where it was and that it had four wires. similar to my kenmore...but other than that I am guessing.

This is a common problem in kenmore/whirpool

 

[AMDMaddness]

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: bctbct
my kenmore did the same thing. it was a relay. looks like the middle four wire relay in image http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg

cost about $50 and was special order only. based on the location and that it is four wire

i just looked at that thing (second thing to the right) and its only got two wires, not four... and the other things are buttons that go in the front,,, (check other pics)

the part with the blue wire....called a motor heater relay. Everything worked fine except the dryer would not run unless you held the start button in. What I meant in my earlier post was I selected that relay from your pic based on where it was and that it had four wires. similar to my kenmore...but other than that I am guessing.

This is a common problem in kenmore/whirpool

Try the old beat the crap out of the relay trick to get it to unstick maybe.

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness

Try the old beat the crap out of the relay trick to get it to unstick maybe.

[/quote]

Good answer I never tried that but I did slam the fcukin door shut and that didnt fix it

 

[Nohr]

It's lonely and wants to spend some time with you. Is that so much to ask for drying your clothes in a timely manner?

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness

Try the old beat the crap out of the relay trick to get it to unstick maybe.

Good answer I never tried that but I did slam the fcukin door shut and that didnt fix it

[/quote]


i tried that too, i also tried kicking it, and punching the controls a little. it didnt like me

 

[AMDMaddness]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness

Try the old beat the crap out of the relay trick to get it to unstick maybe.

Good answer I never tried that but I did slam the fcukin door shut and that didnt fix it

i tried that too, i also tried kicking it, and punching the controls a little. it didnt like me
[/quote]

try using the plastic part of a screw driver and hit the relay itself not around it.

 

[WarDemon666]

if no one can find a solution (please, if youre at work, and have nothing to do, PLEASE, PLEAASSEEEE try and help me google the answer to this problem,,, i dont wanna get a technician again. He costed me over 100$ to fix an element once, and it ended up breaking after a year. I installed the last element, it costed 20$ and its still been going after 1 year!!

is there any way i could test these electrical components? I have a multimeter and uber skillz

 

[bctbct]

did you google the model number?

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: bctbct
did you google the model number?

google hardly finds anything about moffat dryers,,,, and i cant find the exact model, ive tried searching for it but couldnt find anything....


its 1:30 am and I have to get up at 5 tomorrow so I have to go, I hope someone finds a solution for me by tomorrow....


Thanks to everyone again!

 

[OrganizedChaos]

sf there is a capacitor on or near the motor? thats what i would blame.

was the a schematic folded away in there? (or taped to back or bottom, manufactures like to hide them) take a pic or scan it if there is?

 

[bctbct]

before you do anything else google the model number. thats how you will find exact info people have posted and these appliances all have there little quirks that show up time and time again

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: AMDMaddness

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: bctbct
my kenmore did the same thing. it was a relay. looks like the middle four wire relay in image http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dryer014lc8.jpg

cost about $50 and was special order only. based on the location and that it is four wire

i just looked at that thing (second thing to the right) and its only got two wires, not four... and the other things are buttons that go in the front,,, (check other pics)

the part with the blue wire....called a motor heater relay. Everything worked fine except the dryer would not run unless you held the start button in. What I meant in my earlier post was I selected that relay from your pic based on where it was and that it had four wires. similar to my kenmore...but other than that I am guessing.

This is a common problem in kenmore/whirpool

Try the old beat the crap out of the relay trick to get it to unstick maybe.

Or maybe re-solder the contact points inside it? Sometimes after a lot of heat cycles, soldered joints crack / come loose. I had a flaky main relay in my Prelude that was all better after I pulled the cover off and added some solder to the contact points on the PCB.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
sf there is a capacitor on or near the motor? thats what i would blame.

was the a schematic folded away in there? (or taped to back or bottom, manufactures like to hide them) take a pic or scan it if there is?

nope couldnt find anything!

I checked for a cap on the motor,,,, couldnt see any that were evident,,, but there are a few wires going to the motor,,, about 6 or so,,,,,


argh!! ****** thing.

i have to go, if anyone thinks of anything, please post,,, any information could help!!!

thanks again!

 

[WarDemon666]

ttt!! no replies since yesterday??

 

[WarDemon666]

i just read about a centrifugal switch that could be the problem,,, but i dont know where it is and how to test it! can someone help?

"If the motor starts and runs when you press the start button and shuts off right after you let go of it, the centrifugal switch probably needs to be replaced."