Nothing is more frustrating than a sad pile of wet laundry and a dryer that won’t turn on. If you are having issues with your GE dryer, there are a few things that could be wrong with it.
If your GE dryer won’t turn on, it may be a problem with your dryer door or electrical source, which can be easily fixed. It may also be an issue with the thermal fuse, which can get clogged and stop working.
The rest of this article will look at the reasons your GE dryer is not turning on and the solutions to that problem. It will also explore what to do if your GE dryer turns on but won’t spin and what to do if your GE dryer won’t turn off. Read on to find out how to fix your GE dryer.
GE Dryer Won’t Turn On
There are a few different reasons your dryer may not be turning on, from fairly simple considerations to hardware issues. It’s worth checking every option to see if it’s a problem you can easily fix yourself or if you’re going to need a new part.
Problem With the Dryer Door
A simple thing to check is the dryer door. Your GE dryer will not start if the door is not fully shut. It may seem obvious, but try shutting – rather than slamming – the door, and make sure that it is fully closed before pressing the start button.
One issue with this may be the door switch. After a while of wear and tear, the door switch may become scorched or jammed, and if this happens, the dryer will not register that the door is closed. Open it up and have a look, and if it has been damaged, it will need to be replaced.
Display Says ‘1 or 2’
For models made since 2019, you have to select a ‘personality setting’ during set up manually. Press the start button to toggle between settings, and choose ‘type 1’ if your dryer is an electric one or ‘2’ if your dryer is a gas dryer. After selecting the appropriate setting, the dryer should start as normal.
Problem With the Electricity Source
Obviously, the dryer needs to be connected to electricity to run, so make sure it still is hooked up to power. First, check the plug connection and make sure the plug hasn’t fallen out or been dislodged.
If it’s plugged in, but the dryer still doesn’t seem to have power, check the house circuit breakers. The dryer is on a separate circuit, and so even if your house has power, it’s worth checking to make sure all your breakers and fuses are working.
Problem With the Thermal Fuse
A GE dryer thermal fuse is designed to protect the dryer by preventing certain dryer parts from overheating and being damaged. However, if the dryer’s vent system is clogged, the thermal fuse can end up blowing out, and the dryer will overheat.
Check the dryer vent system and clean out the lint or other blockages. If this doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to have the thermal fuse repaired replaced.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 14, 2020.
GE Dryer Turns On but Won’t Spin
Even more frustrating is if your dryer is turning on but won’t spin your clothes! There are a few different reasons this may be happening.
Problem With the Drive Belt
The most common reason a dryer drum stops spinning is that the dryer belt has slipped or been damaged. There is an easy way to determine if this is your problem: if you try to spin or turn the dryer drum, just with your hand, and it is difficult or resistant to movement: there is something wrong with the drive belt.
To fix this, you’ll have to remove panels on the dryer to access the belt. If you are confident doing this, it should be fairly simple to determine if the belt has snapped or if it has simply slipped out from where it ought to be. If you’re not incredible at DIY, however, it may be easier to seek professional help.
Problem With the Capacitor
If the dryer drum will spin for a bit and then shut down when it has to change directions, you are most likely looking at a problem with the capacitor. The capacitor is part of the motor, and it provides a burst of energy needed to jolt the motor into stopping and restarting the spin cycle. If it goes out, the whole motor may need to be replaced.
Problem With the Motor
If the dryer motor is the issue, the lights and display will still work, but you won’t hear the engine or see the drum spinning. If the motor is broken, you will need to get it replaced.
Problem With the Rollers
Your GE dryer is equipped with two dryer rollers, which work with other components to move with the action of the drum to facilitate the spinning movement and put less strain on the motor. If these fail, the motor makes an extra effort to keep the drum spinning, and this eventually takes its toll. Your GE dryer may not be spinning because of an issue with the rollers.
How to Fix
If your dryer turns on, but the drum will not spin, it is probably a problem with an internal component that will need to be replaced. You can contact GE Appliances Service to receive support.
GE Dryer Won’t Stop
A different problem, but no less annoying, is if your dryer cycle won’t stop and won’t dry your clothes. This is normally a hardware issue that may lead to different parts being replaced.
Problem With the Blower Wheel and Airflow
The blower wheel circulates air into the dryer and through the ventilation system to blow warm air onto the clothes. The sleeve of the blower wheel can wear out over time, making the motion unstable. Sometimes lint or clothing can also get caught in the wheel. If either of these things happens and the blower wheel is defective, the dryer will take a long time to dry the clothes, and the cycle will not end.
To check if there are problems with the blower wheel, test the airflow. If there is still strong airflow when you remove the dryer vent, you don’t have anything obstructing the flow. With the dryer turned off, reach in and spin the fan – if it wobbles in place, it needs to be replaced.
Problems With the Gas Valve
If your GE dryer is a gas model, it relies on gas valve solenoid coils to regulate the gas flow into the burner. When these have issues, the burner can’t run consistently and may stop and start during a cycle, which means that the dryer won’t be able to heat to the right temperature and may continue to try.
You can diagnose if you have a problem with the gas valve solenoid coil by checking the igniter. If your igniter glows but doesn’t light the gas, then you have an issue with the gas valve solenoid, and it’s not releasing the gas.
Final Thoughts
There are many things that can interrupt the smooth running of your dryer. To prevent future problems, regularly clean your dryer vent to protect the thermal fuse and the blower wheel.
After you have checked the electrical connection, the door, and the software settings, it’s time to consider that you have a problem with the components, and look into getting them replaced.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 14, 2020.