Throw it out and buy a new one.

[vpt]

Thats what a buddy tells me when I mentioned the heater went out on my dryer.





Old heater.


Both coils were broke. I remember my wife telling me the dryer wasn't working as good as it used to awhile back. I think that was when the first coil failed and just one coil was worked for the last who knows how long.


Didn't even pull the wifes cloths out to do the work.

[vpt]

[A.K. Boomer]

You the man Andy! I seen your title post and was about to pop a cork on you...

[sasquatch]

You used to be able to repair those heater wires, were they called "Ni-Chrome" ?

Had a toaster once years ago, i managed to stretch the wire and looped it back together, no fusion at all, and it worked great.

Fix her dryer and you won't have to do the ironing!! Lol

[kbertoson]

Did you clean the lint out before you took pictures? You may want to look at ereplacement parts they have very good parts breakdowns. That will give you an idea of a replacement part cost. I see no reason to replace it. Check your drive belt. It may be a good idea to replace that if the machine is an older model.

[macona]

We have tried to fix dryer elements before but they dont last very long. One thing that we found that makes a huge difference is to let the dryer cool down, dont just shut it down when it is hot. The elements are much happier that way.

[vpt]

Did you clean the lint out before you took pictures? You may want to look at ereplacement parts they have very good parts breakdowns. That will give you an idea of a replacement part cost. I see no reason to replace it. Check your drive belt. It may be a good idea to replace that if the machine is an older model.

Yeah I normally always clean up whatever I have apart. Although the lint wasn't real bad in it because I had it apart just a couple years ago to lube the idler wheel.

[CCWKen]

I had a burned coil on a dryer years ago. At the time, I was working, going to school and raising three kids. Throwing it out was not an option. Mine was more towards the center of the coil. All I did was take the two loose ends and wrapped them around a machine screw and added washers and a nut. It ran for years like that. We left it at the old house when we built a new house with all new appliances.

[vpt]

I had a burned coil on a dryer years ago. At the time, I was working, going to school and raising three kids. Throwing it out was not an option. Mine was more towards the center of the coil. All I did was take the two loose ends and wrapped them around a machine screw and added washers and a nut. It ran for years like that. We left it at the old house when we built a new house with all new appliances.

Honestly the thought crossed my mind to pull the coils together and crimp them or something but they were quite rusty and crusty.

[A.K. Boomer]

Yeah I normally always clean up whatever I have apart. Although the lint wasn't real bad in it because I had it apart just a couple years ago to lube the idler wheel.

Did you post about that? I think I remember that

[CCWKen]

If you crimp them, use steel. The "wire" crimps are tin coated brass. The tin will melt. Not sure about the brass but why chance it. Just hit the wire ends with sand paper.

[vpt]

Did you post about that? I think I remember that

Not sure, I did have the washer apart a couple years ago as well. Had a bad bent and idler wheel bearing.

If you crimp them, use steel. The "wire" crimps are tin coated brass. The tin will melt. Not sure about the brass but why chance it. Just hit the wire ends with sand paper.

thanks for the tip. If I did it I would probably somehow use the 100 nickle terminals I have from doing the stove.

[darryl]

When mine went out, all I did was clean the broken ends then twist them together. Made sure it wasn't going to touch anywhere of course. Got another couple years out of it. Then it went again, in another spot. Twisted that back together- but only got a couple months out of it.

One thing I found is that where the coils are tighter together than the average, there will be a hot spot- which is likely where a future break is going to happen. If you put in a new element, check for this- you can spread apart the tight looking spots so they spread the same as the rest of the coils. You might gain years of lifetime by doing that. The element that is, not your own- but then if you do the work with the power on you might shorten your lifetime

[atty]

I've been known to use copper sleeves, like the kind for fishing leaders. Just clean the ends of the wires, insert, give it a crimp, and you're good to go. That type of junction will outlast the next break in the coil.......which, unfortunately, is bound to happen.

[Bob Ford]

Try http://www.appliance-parts-warehouse.com/ There are likely others.

Bob