Dryer relay dead?

[Bminder]

Friend's Fridgidare/Electrolux stackable dryer won't heat.
Model LEQ6000ES2.
I found a couple youtube vids, so before tearing it apart and just replacing the heating element, I did the checks it said to do.
It's getting 240 volts, 120 and 120 like it's supposed to.
Then I checked the relay off the control panel. It acts dead, no change on the mulitmeter when I turn run the dryer on high heat. So I thought I could just change the relay, but I can't find it listed anywhere as its own part, just part of the control board...
Anyone know what to do next?

 

[MBfreak]

The PCB design on many Electrolux appliances are substandard.
They solder in a high current ( 5-10A) small relay and the thermal expansion under load stresses the PCB trace at the soldering joint so hairline cracks develop around the solder"blobs".
Check carefully with a magnifying glass or just use an ohmmeter.
Fix is to solder in a piece of wire from the solder blob onto the track 10-20 mm away.

Ola

 

[Bminder]

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying... Do I open the control panel so I can check the relay's attachment to the mother board?

 

[MBfreak]

Yes.
You need to access the PCB ( Printed Circuit Board) that contains the electronics and relays for the drier.
It is connected to the wiring thru a number of plug in contacts. Take a picture and then disconnect the PCB. Inspect the PCB traces around the relays ( rectangular plastic boxes on the component side of the PCB, around 1" long and 1/2"*1/2" )
Inspect the solder joints and pcb traces really careful. Use an ohmmeter, if you are lucky you will find that the solder blob on the pcb-track is not making contact with the pcb-conductor around it. Maybe som sparking marks are visible?

If this is not the problem, inspect the electrolytic capacitors in the power supply part of the board. If they are swollenand/or have leaked out some goo, replace them.

Countless appliances, computers, stereos have ended up in scrap bins due to a $1 faulty electrolytic capacitor.

Post a pic of the unit from both sides, maybe we can be of more help.

Ola

 

[pepi]

What about the temp control, as in sensors, thermal coupler ? If any thing there is bad, it will keep the relay from energizing, turning on the element. the 120 on the relay is the working voltage for the heating element, There is a control voltage for the relay.

Also keep in mind, the whole board, probably can be replace, not uncommon or expensive. But need to look at that as the LAST thing considered.

As to the mobo-jumbo regarding tracing the lands on a PCB, waste of time. A replacement PCB would have been tested and just an R&R

 

[RPH]

The traces the MB is referring to are nothing more than the wire applied to the board. Anyone here wouldn’t stop to think about an open circuit problem and fix once found. The board has the same issue. MB has mad great suggestions on what to check and how to check them. You have to remove the old board to install the new so might as well try. Some will go as far to resolder all connections because if one broke, there may be others that are failing. As to the other peripheral components even the new board won’t fix those if bad.

 

[MBfreak]

pepi.
Your rude statement says a lot about your attitude.
Why do you want to display that?
Parts seller??

Ola

 

[Bminder]

So one option is to just replace the control panel?
And the relay might not be closing because another sensor is bad?

 

[RPH]

No, I think the course is to investigate more. We will help but you have to do the leg work.
Or you can get out the checkbook and throw parts at it.
Your choice.
Pictures of board would be a good place to start. Simple electrical tests may confirm some theories.

 

[MBfreak]

I attach a pic of our dishwasher control unit that gave up life. 45 minutes later it was back in service, the fault was a capacitor in the power supply part.
Repairing your own equipment has nothing to do with expediency or opportunity cost.
It has everything to do with progressing your skills and learning to understand how things ACTUALLY function. And pride of course.


Ola

 

[slow]

I attach a pic of our dishwasher control unit that gave up life. 45 minutes later it was back in service, the fault was a capacitor in the power supply part.
Repairing your own equipment has nothing to do with expediency or opportunity cost.
It has everything to do with progressing your skills and learning to understand how things ACTUALLY function. And pride of course.


Ola

Well said, I fixed my old refrigerator in 5 minutes by reflowing some solder around a relay. Still working good 5 years later as a garage refrigerator. .
Garage door opener, BCM in 1992-2002 Firebirds, all a victim of poor solder joints from the factory. I have likely saved over a grand in repairs like this over the last 10 years. Even a kids light up necklace on Christmas day repaired with some simple solder skills.

 

[Bminder]

Here’s a couple pic of the back of the control board



Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[MBfreak]

Bminder.
The PCB is not visible behind the plastic cover(s).
Please unplug the leads and extract the PCB so you can take a hires pic of both sides.
We may be able to help you.
Do you have a DVM?

Ola

 

[Bminder]

The screw heads have a square hole, I've not seen that type of screw head before.

ALso, if the relay isn't closing, could that mean something beside the relay is bad, or is it probably the relay?

 

[Bretny]

I had a dryer go dead and it was the $4 therofuse in the exhaust. Do you have a volt meter? Turn the dryer on and start checking for where the voltage stops.

 

[couch67]

The screw heads have a square hole, I've not seen that type of screw head before.

lol that looks like a #2 robertson (square drive) head, common in Canada for woodworking and sheet metal screws, but haven't seen them much on anything that is mass manufactured.

If you dont have a bit for it, looks like a philips screwdriver might work in a pinch.

 

[vandancouver]

Bminder -

The relay isn't closing most likely because the control voltage to the relay most likely isn't getting there. You need to remove those covers, show pictures of both sides of the PCB so we can help you out a little more.

Your relay not closing could be different issues, if that's what it even is. Your relay has a control voltage, when it gets the signal it will close the contacts within the relay passing your other power.

Please show us some pics. Would love to help out.

 

[RPH]

Pull the board and take really good photos of both sides. Mark all the plugs if there is more than one. They should be keyed but you never know. If I suspect there not then I mark the edge of the plug and the socket. Check the connections at the plug, both pin and socket. Bad connection there could be it. Do you have the model number and make. We might locate a schematic of the unit.

 

[Milton Shaw]

You have not said what the voltage is on the relay output terminals. It should be 120 out. The other side of the 240 volts comes through the motor start switch inside the motor. That provides the safety so no heat if fan is not running. Those switches burn out often and sometimes can be replaced or may require motor replacement. The relay bad could mean that operating you would have 240 across the relay as both line 1 and line 2 are feeding the relay. On most dryers all the controls, thermostats, and safeties are on line one, and the motor switches line two as the only control on line 2.

 

[Bminder]

It's my friend's dryer and so I don't have access to it after work every night.
Milton, when you say the voltage should be 120 out, do you mean after the relay? Or where it plugs in to the circuit board?

I'll see if I can get the white plastic cover off and take some pics.

 

[DenisG]

Check the thermal limiter:
https://www.partselect.com/PS419402...odelNum=LEQ6000ES2&sSearchTerm=Will-Not-Start