I have a new dryer and someone hooked it up with 220V and blew it out. Is it repairable.?

Question

The dryer is a Kenmoor elite quite pac 9 smart wash. It is new and what I was told is that it was blow-out because they ran 220v through it.. Is it repairable and if so, what would I be looking for....I am a care-giver and the dryer belongs to one of my clients.....We would greatly appreciate any help that could be offered. I have some electrical experience and I am trying to help out a very dear and kind person that has a limited income. So! Maybe with some help from somebody with more experience. I can get this done for my freind and client. Thank You in advance and God bless!

Answer 1

What type of dryer is it? Either electric or gas. If it is a gas dryer, you will need to find out exactly what is good and what is bad. The motor is a given, the wiring and the timer are probably bad, and the igniter may be fried too. The worst part is that it's a kenmore. Some of their parts are only available at Sears, which means you will pay top dollar. I think you will find that it would be cheaper to replace it than to fix it. You could probably find a used one for a reasonable price. I would talk to whomever connected it up incorrectly, it's their responsibility for repairs.

Answer 2

How did someone hook it up to a 220 line?  220 outlets have a very distinct plug for them.  You wouldn't be able to connect a "regular" plug into a 220 outlet.  Is it possible that there is something else wrong with the dryer?

Answer 3

I am an electrian, so with the limited info you gave me  i have to make some assumptions,  I assume it was either a gas dryer with 120 volt cord for the motor and electronics or it was a small 120 volt unit with out gas.  In either case it sounds as if the kenmore people have looked at it and disqualified it from warranty.  Unless there was a small fuse inside the dryer that protected the electronic board and it blew and saved the board , you need a new board and it might possibly have ruined the motor, motor might be ok if the board was shut down by the fuse or destroyed before the motor was sent a signal to turn on.  If it was hooked up by a person paid (in buisiness) to do so they should be liable for repairs.  If it was a good samaritan, maybe the homeowners might cover it depending on the deductible.  If it is just the board it might be worth repairing if it is the motor also it might be better to replace the entire unit, cost wise.  You might be able to get a deal on parts off ebay... you never know.  good luck and if the person who hooked it up wrong does not know any better he has just enough knowledge to be dangerous  and get someone hurt.  Call you local IBEW Union Hall listed in the phone book under white pages I section.  We do a lot of community service work and they may have someone who can volunteer to help you without any labor charge.  Rereading this it looks like it is a stack unit, you may have two motors and two electronic cards.  Check with Sears or the manufacturer, if it was not clearly labled that it was 120 volt unit at the hook up point... they might be good enough to give you the parts, for pointing out to them that their labeling might not  be appropriate or safe enough, if it was; then the person hooking it up to 220v should retire from touching electrical wires!  Good luck!

Answer 4

Most dryers are 220 volt. It would be nearly impossible to plug a 110 dryer into 220 since the receptacles are very different. The 220 may have been wired incorrectly or there was a problem with the dryer itself. Only way to know is to call a repairman.

Answer 5

I would go after the person that hooked this up,  you were misinformed about it being hooked up to 240 insted of 120 if it's an electric.

If your dryer is a gas dryer it would have a 120 VAC circuit.

Your 'electric' dryer does run on 240v not 120v.

The only thing I can guess is the person crossed the wires on the plug when wiring it up to the unit, not sure how(next to impossible since the guage of wire is noticeably different) but thats the only thing I can think of.

Your dryer shouldn't be on the same circuit breaker as the washing machine. They both should have their own dedicated circuits. The washer runs off a 120 VAC circuit. I'm assuming your dryer should be on a 240 VAC circuit.  Before assuming you have a dryer problem double check you primary power from the receptacle. Unplug the dryer and inspect the cord. I have personally seen these cords burn in half. I would hate for you to tear your machine apart only to find that you didn't have proper voltage coming in. If your primary power checks good, assume we have a dryer issue. Now, if your dryer is simply not running, it could be something as simple as a blown thermal fuse. Unplug the dryer and remove the lower kick plate. There is a thermal fuse (white in color) mounted directly on the blower fan housing. Check to see if this reads a short. There is also a thermal cut-out located on the side of the heating element casing. The heating element is on the right hand side, the thermal cut-out will be the component all the way in the rear. This, too should read a short. If either one is bad, they have to be replaced. If the thermal cut out is bad, you need to replace the hi-limit thermostat along with it (that will be the component mounted right next to it). Now, if your thermal fuse or thermal cut-out goes bad, it's generally for a reason. It's usually an indication of poor air flow and dryer over heating. Check your dryer vent hose to make sure it is not kinked or clogged. If the hose runs under a crawl space or through a wall, check the entire run to make sure it is not clogged.

If everything checks good then we might be talking only about the display panel not get power. You definitely cannot program the dryer without the display panel operating. This problem can generally attributed to either the main control unit (MCU), the front panel itself, or the interconnecting wiring between the two. The MCU is located inside the top of the dryer on the left hand side. You will need to remove the top of the machine to access. If you decide to attempt yourself, follow these steps:

1. Unplug dryer!

2. Remove screws holding the top of the dryer casing on from the rear of the machine. The top lid should slide back first, then lift off.

3. You should be able to see the MCU on the left (you will need to remove the metal shield to gain full access to it.

4. Check the wires leading from the MCU to the front panel to see if they are seated properly.

5. Check the MCU for any burned or scorched components.

I hope this information helps you.

PS if the control panel is the culprit, the entire panel has to be replaced. It is sold as one complete unit.