Dryers Not Heating: Clean Sensors

 

I've been meeting with many laundromat owners recently that seem to be complaining about their dryers not getting hot. Some of the owners were just starting in the business having taken over existing stores and using the equipment left in place. That is understandable. We were all new in the business at one time. 

More and more I got the same from existing owners. I started asking owners if I could open up the dryers and take a look. What I found were dirty lint traps, blocked sensors, and sail switches that were taped shut or really dirty.

If your dryers aren't getting hot and mechanically they are fine there are a number of things you can check and fix yourself:

1. Lint traps clean?

2. Sensors not clean or blocked

3. Clean you sail switch damper

4. Install new exhaust damper

We've already talked about cleaning the lint traps in a previous posts:

Clean Dryers Make You Money

Front Panel Dryer Treasure

This time lets look at cleaning the sensors and thermistor. If you don't keep either clean, the dryer won't read the temperature correctly and either not add enough heat or too much.

Different brands and models of dryers have different locations for their temperature sensors so take a look at your operation manuals, manufacturer site, video and laundry sites online, or just explore your own dryers until you find them. Some models have them located somewhere around the basket inside the dryer. Other models have them in the back of the dryer. In this example I'm using older Maytag dryers because these types of dryers are still prevalent in the field, especially in the geographic areas I work in.  

One sensor may look like this, Usually located above the lint trap on 30lb stacks and more centrally located under the basket in single pocket dryers. It has a tendency to collect lint and sometimes dryer sheets.

Sometimes this sensor points up rather than out towards the front.

These sensors are located usually directly under the basket above or just to the side of the lint trap. They are about the size of a nickel, and should be shiny silver. These tend to collect skudge or lint or covered by tufts of lint or dryer sheets. Just taking the lint off isn't good enough. The skudge needs to come off too. Just rub it with your finger or a cloth until it is shiny again.

Even a small amount of debris can goof up this sensor.

The sensor should be this clean. You don't need to use any cleaning solutions on it. Just use a cloth or rub it with your finger.

It is hard to see in this picture (I'll get a new one sometime), but there is a black plastic thermistor with a small red line on the top. The thermistor should be cleaned so you can see the red line.

If you take care of these sensors and check them every time you clean your lint traps you will have solved one of the problems that is causing your dryers to not heat.

Ev

A Heck of A Nice Guy