GE GTDX180ED4WW shut-off with electric-burning smell

[rwmair]

Model Number

GTDX180ED4WW

Brand

GE

Age

1-5 years

New house, new appliances (well, new to us)

Using our GE dryer GTDX180ED4WW today. Its an electric model. Used it many times in the last 2 months without an issue.

Washed a new mattress protector and put it in the dryer on low heat. After a few mins, dryer was off, and non-functional. Pressing Start did nothing. The top surface was hot to the touch, and there was a strong electrical-burning smell. I was worried some of the internal electronics had fried themselves.

I cleaned the lint filter (which wasn't overloaded), and pulled the 240V plug from the socket and plugged it back in 10 seconds later. The light in the dryer came on. I repeated that to verify I hadn't mis-seen anything. I removed the mattress protector and put the rest of the load in on the usual medium settings. Pressed start, and everything was functional again. Later, returned the mattress protector and its now running smoothly on low heat.

Anything to worry about, or just one of those freaky things?

Thanks

 

[jeff1]

Hi,

Start with filter, vent pipe ( all the way from the dryer to the vent hood and outside ) as a good place to start.
# 507 will shut the dryers motor off if we get poor air flow. Even if the poor air flow is now corrected, the thermostat could also have been weakened from shutting off a few/several times.
Also make sure the motor is not plugged with lint and shutting off on it's built in safety/thermal switch.

LINK> High limit thermostat

LINK> Motor

Mattress cover may not allow enough air flow for the dryer?! What does the washing take on the cover say?

jeff.

 

[rwmair]

Thanks for the quick response Jeff.

It might take me some time to get to all this. The HOA we're in now supposedly checks the dryer venting each year. Not sure when it was last done. I'll follow up with the management and schedule my own if need be. The dryer is internal in a multi-unit building, so I'm assuming vents to the roof. (The only other option is to the crawl space under the floor, but I'm sure its not good to pump hot damp air down there where the HVAC system also lives)

The mattress cover indicated drying on low-temp was OK.

The dryer ran without issue for another 3-4 hours after that incident yesterday, so as long as I'm not doing damage with continual use, I wont consider it an emergency. When the dryer stops, the clothes are not always completely dry - that has been standard behavior on this one before yesterday, and my previous dryer too. Does that indicate a weakened thermostat, so for $40 its worth replacing anyway?

Thanks,

Ross

 

[jeff1]

I would certainly just keep an eye on it and not overly worry unless things happen again.

jeff.

 

[rwmair]

Hi Jeff,

Just following up on this before I call for service... the problem of this dryer shutting off ~ 5 mins after starting to use it has become fairly common. While it first happened on the low-heat setting, it has now happened with the other temp settings also.

Its always the same... approx 5 mins after starting to use it, it shuts off with the burning electrical smell. The interior light stays on, but that Start button wont do anything. Unplug the unit for 5 mins, and then it works fine for as long as needed for the remainder of the wash, even with removing clothes and switching to a different drying cycle for something else.

Any other thoughts? I'm sure the thermostat could be replaced, but it seems something more serious is going on too, possibly with a main control board (if this dryer has one)

Thanks

 

[Jake]

Jeff is taking personal time off.

It sounds like the motor maybe overheating shutting down.

Can you pinpoint where that electrical smell is coming from? Timer? Motor?

The timer is inside the console, this model doesn't have a main control board.

I'd unplug the dryer and open the dryer up and see if that electrical smell is coming from the motor and touch the motor and see if its extremely hot. Also clean all the lint out from inside the dryer.

Jake

 

[rwmair]

Thanks for following up, Jake.

I'm not familiar with taking dryers apart. If I look inside the dryer (where the clothes go), the only thing to dis-assemble seems to be three hex screws holding the circular aluminum? back panel in place. Is that where to start? Is it likely full of lint behind there, in addition to the motor?

Or should I be looking for something else obvious to pop-up and open? Not sure I can move it easily - its in a tight closet-like space with the vent ducting attached behind, which goes thru the floor - so I'd need a front or top panel that opens easily.

Thanks

Ross

 

[Jake]

Ok Ross,

If I look inside the dryer (where the clothes go), the only thing to dis-assemble seems to be three hex screws holding the circular aluminum? back panel in place. Is that where to start?

No.

When you click the motor Jeff posted in post #2 you will see a video of how to get access to the motor.

If your leery about doing this job, by all means ask a friend or relative that's mechanically inclined to watch the video and do it.

Or have GE come out at 1-800-432-2737 and do it for you.

Jake

 

[rwmair]

Wow - I missed the video link first time around.

If it takes a pro on a video almost 15 mins to do that, then I'd expect 3-4 hours for me! :-( For instance, there's no way I can just walk around the back to easily remove the three screws behind the top control panel.

I have a service call in to GE, so I think its best I just keep it at this point!
Will try and watch what they do, as best I can in accordance with COVID protocols, of course.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good, keep us posted.

Jake