How to Check a Thermostat in a Dryer

Co-authored by Egor Shevtsov

Last Updated: October 26, 2022

The thermostat in your clothes dryer is an important component to the unit. If you've ever pulled clothes out only to find that they were still damp, or found that your dryer was not shutting off at the timer, the thermostat may be the first thing to troubleshoot. Thermostats regulate the heat used in the drying process. If the thermostat is faulty, you may need to replace it. You can use these steps to determine if your thermostat is the cause of malfunction, or if you have another heating component that's not operating properly.

Steps

1
Turn off the electrical power to your dryer. Unplug the appliance from the wall, or cut the circuit to the dryer at the main fuse or breaker box.^{[1]
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2
Access the dryer's rear panel. Pull the dryer from the wall and locate the rear access panel.
- Remove the metal screws of the panel with a Phillips screwdriver.
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3
Locate the thermostat. Check the blower wheel housing and vent systems and look for a small, oval thermostat, about 1 1/2 inches (3.81 cm) in length.^{[2]
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4
Detach the thermostat wires. The dryer thermostat will have 2 wires connecting it to the heating element. Label each wire prior to removal so you will know how to reconnect them.^{[3]
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- Identify the metal slip connector attached to the wires.
- Pull the wires by these connectors. If necessary, use needle-nose pliers.
5
Measure the thermostat's ohms. Ohms are used to indicate electrical flow.^{[4]
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- Use a multimeter to test the thermostat's resistance by setting it to the RX 1 setting.
- Place each of the meter's probes onto the wire terminals. You should receive a reading of 0. Resistance that is low, or near 0, means that the electrical flow is good. If the meter does not indicate 0, but reads infinity, your thermostat should be replaced.

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How many ohms should a dryer thermostat have?

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At room temperature, the thermostat should give you a resistance reading of 0 or close to 0. This indicates that there is good continuity within the thermostat. If you warm the thermostat, you may see the ohms reading jump up to around 10.
Question

How can you tell if a thermal fuse is bad?

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Set your multimeter to Rx1 resistance, then attach the leads to terminals on the fuse. If the multimeter needle doesn’t move, the fuse is blown.
Question

Can you run a dryer without a thermal fuse?

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You can bypass the fuse, but it’s not safe to run a dryer without a thermal fuse. Luckily, replacing a blown fuse is a pretty quick and easy fix. Put in a new fuse as soon as possible, and don’t run your dryer in the meantime!