Beko Tumble Dryer not Drying

[andyr123]

Hi - got a Beko Condenser Tumble dryer not heating. Took back off which covers the heater , load of dust and fluff around the heating elements - removed all that. there are 2 cut out safety devices at top of heater bottom cut out device is re-settable , pushed the reset pin in and got a continuity meter put it across the bottom cut out device and it beeped the continuity meter. The top one however was open circuit and didnt beep the meter. Should this be open circuit like that? (it not a re-settable one like the bottom cut out device)

Just to get me out of trouble until I got a new heater element and just to get a load dry I shorted out the top cut out device with a piece of wire and put the terminals back onto it. But started it up and after 30seconds the 'drying' light on the front fascia panel goes from solid green to flashing green and there is no heat still.

Is there anything else I can try temporarily get it working until I can order a new heater element?

Thanks.

 

[John Peterhead]

Put it onto a drying cycle and check the voltage over the incoming supply to the elements. If you have no supply coming in it may be the control panel, not sure how this machine switches power but could be that as well, damaged cable etc..

 

[andyr123]

Put it onto a drying cycle and check the voltage over the incoming supply to the elements. If you have no supply coming in it may be the control panel, not sure how this machine switches power but could be that as well, damaged cable etc..

Thanks for the reply. If the safety cut-out(s) has failed though then I would get no voltage present at the element as well though.

I am also wondering if the top cut out is normally open or wether it has some kind of resistance in normal circumstances or if its normally closed when drier is working properly

 

[John Peterhead]

Thats why I asked if there was voltage at the element? If there is voltage there at the time it has to work or the element is at fault? But I am assuming you check the element before and it is working, however, when you put it back together and let it go through its cycle it is not. So that being the case, it must be the relay or CCT sending the signal to turn on the power to the element OR, there is a problem with one of the cables/conductors when you refit the elements, i.e. a broken cable

 

[andyr123]

Thats why I asked if there was voltage at the element? If there is voltage there at the time it has to work or the element is at fault? But I am assuming you check the element before and it is working, however, when you put it back together and let it go through its cycle it is not. So that being the case, it must be the relay or CCT sending the signal to turn on the power to the element OR, there is a problem with one of the cables/conductors when you refit the elements, i.e. a broken cable

ok thanks, I will give it a go

i kinda wanted more to know though if the top cut-out device was supposed to be open circuit or closed circuit though still, in normal operation all the time .. or should there be any resistance at all. in other words when you go to check the non-resettable top cut out with a meter , if it fails does it go open circuit, or closed circuit so it sends a signal to the main board to cut out the heater elements? - the wires that go to the cut outs look like thin wiring rather than 240v in series to the element

 

[John Peterhead]

The cut out, if operating correctly should be closed and full continuity flowing. When it pops it creates an open circuit to prevent current flowing. You state that you depressed the cutout, this is normally a bimetallic strip with the conductors on either side. Some can be reset others cannot. You can possibly confuse a stat with a cut out if you are unsure what you are looking at? Both are stats but one will need reset and the other is the temp regulator. I normally work on commercial machines and these are far easier as there is so much space etc..

An element cant be anymore than 3kW on a domestic machine as it cant be more than 13a. For 13a it is probably a 1.5mm cable, sometimes it may be 2.5mm

 

[foxhole]

Usually one which can be reset and a second which will blow as a failsafe , so will need replacing.Cheap easy fix.

 

[John Peterhead]

Usually one which can be reset and a second which will blow as a failsafe , so will need replacing.Cheap easy fix.

Yes but he says there is power when the machine is open. So that being the case it cant be faulty, unless as I say when he closes it up something moves? A broken cable perhaps. Not uncommon. But not as common on domestic machines.

If it is that the parts are cheap as chips

 

[andyr123]

SOLVED: Thanks all - cleaned out all the dust and fluff from the element and pressed reset on the lower cut out (or is NTC correct term for it) and fired it up and it heats now . I thought I had reset then bottom one loast night but i couldnt have .

The top one, well that still is open circuit and doesnt buzz the continuity meter when placed over the terminals - strange as you say if it overheats normally it should go open circuit and cut off power to the heating elements (or whole machine even) - as a test i shorted out the top cut off and fired up the drier and the drying LED stayed steady for about 20 seconds and then started flashing and no heat .... take off bit of wire I was shorting it out with (so it was back to open circuit) and fired it up and the drying light stayed lit and heat started working. Strange that, but that must be how the electronics work on this particular model.

Thanks for the replies anyway.

this tumble dryer by the way is heavily used and 12 years old (its got 2006 imprinted on the heat exchanger/condenser at the bottom of the so that must be when the dryer was manufacturered) and I bought it second hand myself over 2 years ago and had to put a heating element in it then because the old one was mashed up but apart from that nothing, no problems - just in case anyone is worried about reliability of Beko products