How to Verify the Thermal Fuse Is Burned out on a Dryer

A hot fuse is a small device. Only 2 inches long. This plays a key role in preventing fires. Federal law requires hot fuses to be included on all dryers manufactured since 1980. If the exhaust temperature of the dryer rises, the hot fuse will work. If this happens, the fuse will turn off the dryer or its parts. The hot fuse only works once. If it's high-Exhaust temperature event, the fuse must be replaced. Many dryers do not run once a hot fuse is triggered. On other models, the drum continues to turn and the dryer works, but there is no heating element. Once the unit has completed the drying cycle, the clothes are wet out of the dryer. Even within the same brand, manufacturers are inconsistent between different models. A hot fuse is installed on the exhaust pipe of the dryer. Normally, you have to remove the back plate of the dryer in order to access the fuse. Make sure to turn off the power of the dryer before trying to locate and troubleshoot the fuse. Most dryers insert 220-The voltage wall socket so you can unplug the power to cut off the power supply. The shape and size of the hot fuse are different. Some are made of plastic; The rest is metal. Look for a small device about 2 inches long, mounted directly on the top of the exhaust pipe. 

The hot fuse has two wires connected together. A reliable way to test if a hot fuse burns out is to bypass the device temporarily. However, it is tempting to operate the dryer this way or forget to replace the fuse once the dryer is running. Bypassing the fuse is just a quick way to detect if the fuse is broken. This is not a permanent solution. Disconnect the two wires on the Fuse, tie them together with a jumper, and then open the dryer. If it is running and heated, the hot fuse will burn out and must be replaced. Better and faster testing means need to set up the electrical multi-tester under the minimum RX setting. Remove two wire leads from the hot fuse and touch the multitester probe on each wire terminal on the fuse. If you read infinity, the fuse is fine. Any reading less than infinity indicates the need to replace the triggered thermal fuse. Replace the fuse with a fuse that perfectly matches the dryer brand and model. Then check the cause of the dryer fuse burning. Sometimes, age drains the fuse, but sometimes something else fails, causing the exhaust temperature to rise. Before troubleshooting, make sure the power supply is still off, and then check if there are air-constrained obstacles in the exhaust pipe. Check if the fan blade of the blower motor is damaged to ensure that the motor is not bound. You may also want to replace the dryer cycle thermostat with a hot fuse.If the thermostat fails, it is likely that a hot fuse will be triggered.