Dryer has a hard time starting

[Scott Tuttle]

When I try to start my dryer it buzzes but if you give
the drum a little help by pushing it it'll start, what's wrong?

TIA

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Robert Hancock]

Could be the motor's centrifugal switch is bad, the start winding is bad
(i.e. replace motor) or there is something blocking the movement of the drum
so that it cannot start properly.

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from hanc...@nospamhome.com
Home Page: http://members.home.net/hancockr

"Scott Tuttle" <scott_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:89he8b$dk0$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...

[Scott E. Thompson]

Mr. Hancock is correct, but it could be all those missing socks !!! They are conspiring
against the dryer. [X files time !! :-O]
Seriously though, it sounds like the start capacitor is fried [shorted]. If it buzzes real
loud, check for shorted capacitor. If it hums lightly, check the start switch, then the
capacitor for open circuit. Replace capacitor if needed, along with start switch if it is
totally thrashed [not too likely, but possible].
One last thing to include: does the dryer have a manual push button for starting the
dryer? Something located near the timer that you would push or turn to start the dryer. I
should have made this point first, but your dryer might not have this feature. That
wouldn't explain the starting buzz, though, but had to be asked.
Although the above items [not including the rampant sock theory] would apply to normal
situations, trying to spin start a dryer that has 4 loads of soaking wet laundry in it
would also be a reason why the motor would have trouble starting.
Scott.

Robert Hancock wrote:

--
This Was Sent By:
Scott Thompson / Thompson Electric
ad...@SoCA.com
PC # 2

[Scott Tuttle]

> Seriously though, it sounds like the start capacitor is fried
[shorted]. If it buzzes real
> loud, check for shorted capacitor. If it hums lightly, check the
start switch, then the

It buzzes loudly, I'd already taken it apart looking for
something jamming the works and cleaned all the lint out
which didn't help. I didn't see anything in the bottom that
looked like a capacitor, is it in the top part with the starter
button? I also checked the voltages from the outlet and they
looked ok too.

> situations, trying to spin start a dryer that has 4 loads of soaking
wet laundry in it
> would also be a reason why the motor would have trouble starting.

That was my theory at first when the woman came crying! :)

[Ed]

"Scott E. Thompson" wrote:

> Seriously though, it sounds like the start capacitor is fried [shorted]. If it buzzes real
> loud, check for shorted capacitor.

If you can find the capacitor. I don't recall ever seeing one in a
dryer.

[Greenlight]

Try switching the breaker firmly all the way off and then back on.

[Bill Fish]

Scott E. Thompson <ad...@SoCA.com> wrote:
: Seriously though, it sounds like the start capacitor is fried [shorted]. If it buzzes real

: loud, check for shorted capacitor. If it hums lightly, check the start switch, then the
: capacitor for open circuit. Replace capacitor if needed, along with start switch if it is

: totally thrashed [not too likely, but possible].

What kind of dryer is this?im thinking hard now,and i cant recall
seeing any brand that has capacitor-start dryer motors.

[==]

On Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:38:19 GMT, Scott Tuttle
<scott_...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>When I try to start my dryer it buzzes but if you give
>the drum a little help by pushing it it'll start, what's wrong?
>

Either the start windings are going south on the motor or you have a
bearing going bad. Be careful. Eitherr one can cause heat where it
shouldn't be. Some motors have a switch to trasfer the power to a
different set of windings in startup. The older ones could be
replaced but you'll have to check yours.

[Ed]

== wrote:

> On Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:38:19 GMT, Scott Tuttle
> <scott_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >When I try to start my dryer it buzzes but if you give
> >the drum a little help by pushing it it'll start, what's wrong?
> >
> Either the start windings are going south on the motor or you have a
> bearing going bad.

I think that it's the centrifugal switch, it can't be replaced
separately. It needs a new motor.

[Ed]

Scott Tuttle wrote:
> I didn't see anything in the bottom that
> looked like a capacitor, is it in the top part with the starter
> button?

Once again, the dryer doesn't have a starting capacitor, it also doesn't
have a run capacitor, it doesn't have a capacitor of any kind. You can
look for one if you want to, but you will never find it.

The reason you can "spin start" your dryer, is because the cent. sw. in
the motor is hung up in the run position. Change the motor or buy a new
dryer. It's really that simple.

[Scott Tuttle]

Thats what I was afraid of. Motors expensive?

[L.Evans]

I do that job for $200 & feel on a Whirlpool dryer it is well worth doing
the repair.
At present the Whirlpool is the best unit in the market......IMHO