FIXED Samsung DV42H5000EW/A3 Clicks & Turns Off After Pressing Start Button

[tony_fan01]

Model Number

DV42H5000EW/A3

Brand

Samsung

Age

1-5 years

I'm at my wits end. About a month ago, my dryer Samsung DV42H5000EW/A3 stopping working. I'd turn it on, press the start button and the relay on the PCB would click then the dryer just powered off. I tested thermal fuse, door switch, belt cut-off switch, motor windings, the fuses at the heating elements, and everything tested fine. Also, nothing is blocking the vent.

New PCB came ("PCB #1") , but I could tell it was used so I sent it back since it was supposed to be new. However, I put it in and the dryer worked normally. We did about 7 loads and no issues. As stated, I sent it back since it was used and I paid for new. Now PCB #2 arrived. I installed it, powered on the dryer, pressed start button and "click." Back to my original problem. I traced the clicking to one of the relays on the PCB so I boxed it up and sent it back as DOA. PCB #3 arrived today, I installed it, powered on dryer, hit the start button, and it ran normally so I powered it off. My wife put a load in the dryer 5 minutes later, powered it up, hit the start button, the lightbulb in the ceiling dimmed, and then "CLICK" from a relay on the PCB.

I tested everything listed above again fully expecting the motor windings to be shorted given the lights dimmed, but the resistance matches almost exactly what the specs are on the schematic. I am at a loss now as I find it hard to believe that I really got two bad PCBs in a row? Has anyone ever seen anything like this? PLEASE, if you have any suggestions, please reply.

Despite the thermal fuse testing fine, I'm going to replace it anyway as I had something really flakey happen with one of the fuses on the sub-panel for my water heater. Long story short, a fuse on one off the legs was testing fine, yet I didn't have power at the element it was feeding on the water heater. Other than that, I'm at a loss as everything else that I tested above I tested again today and it's all testing good\normal. So either my THIRD PCB just randomly failed, or something else is taking them out but I have no idea what it could be since the motor isn't shorted. Any suggestions would be most appreciated! At this juncture if I can't find the issue, assuming there is one and it's not just my usual "luck", then I'm going to return the PCB for a replacement, sell that new replacement on Ebay and buy a new dryer as I'm out of ideas.

 

[Jake]

That's very strange, I don't know what else could be causing this except possibly a bad neutral(ghost voltage) or a burnt wire at the dryer terminal block, where the power cord connects to the dryer.

I've run into many dryers that will RUN and NOT HEAT or NOT RUN AT ALL on my service calls. You may have a broken wire from one of the hot legs that connects to the terminal block in the back of the dryer.

Unplug your dryer, and pull it out from the wall and remove the metal cover where your power cord connects to your dryer and see if any of the wires have burned.

You would need to check for 220-240 volts at the terminal block with a multimeter.

Put your multimeter leads on both ends of the terminal block, it should read 240 volts.

Remember Black & Red on the ends are HOT, White in the middle is NEUTRAL

Then put one of your meter leads in the middle of your terminal block and one on the end you should read 120 volts, then on the other end you should read 120 volts as well.

Look at this from another member that had this same issue:

(click to enlarge)


Jake

 

[tony_fan01]

Thanks Jake. I'll do that and let you know what I find. I ordered both models of the relays that are on the board as I'm going to replace them on my original board and sell the new replacement when it arrives.

 

[Jake]

Ok Tony, sounds good, let us know what happens.

Jake

 

[tony_fan01]

Hey Jake, I figured it out. Like you, I was on the "power theory" given these boards kept "blowing." After we last chatted, and you confirmed my thinking, it dawned on me that the extension cord I was using had to be the problem because I've never had an issue with my stove, and the outlet I plugged the stove into is the same power source for the dryer. And because I've been putting off (for years) climbing into the craw space and running a line for my dryer, I just took the lazy way out and made an extension cord to plug into the stove outlet at one end and the dryer at the other..

Also, given that the wire I used for the extension cord is not solid, when you screw down each leg in the outlet box I used, it spreads the wire out and I think that factored in. So when I took the outlet side of the cord apart, I noticed that the white wire which is obviously one of the 120V legs, had a light black tint to it about 1/2" down the wire from where it screwed down to the block, indicating that it was heating up. I also looked at the screw that comes down on the wire when you tighten it up, and it had a lot of rust. However, the wire did not appear to be loose.

The metal clamp/screw on the other 120V leg that the black wire was on was shiny metal as you would expect to see. I really don't know what the issue was with the leg on the white wire because like I said, it didn't seem to be loose, but I did notice that a significant number of the copper strands were broken off so there wasn't as much contact with the metal and perhaps that was enough to cause the heat, but I still don't understand where the rust came from. Obliviously rusty metal conducts electricity, but there will be some level of impedance from the rust that will generate heat.

Therefore, I'm convinced that in some way that was causing the boards to get smoked despite me not seeing an evidence of arcing in the female outbox on the extension cord where this issue occurred. Next, and since I was hearing that dreaded clicking sound coming from what I believe was the motor relay on the PCB, I ordered replacements for both relays, replaced them, put my original board back in and powered on the dryer. It works fine, and I power cycled it a couple of times without any issues. Although I ordered 2 of each of those relays just in case. So if I have another issue (knock on wood I won't) I can replace them again if need be. I'll try to get a picture of the extension cord outlet up so you can see it.

 

[Jake]

Excellent Tony, glad good finding the problem.

Thanks for the update!

I'll try to get a picture of the extension cord outlet up so you can see it.

That would be good.

Jake

 

[tony_fan01]

Excellent Tony, glad good finding the problem.

Thanks for the update!


That would be good.

Jake

Here are the pics Jake. You can see the black looking area on the white wire going down about 1/2" from where the insulation starts that was caused by heat. As far as the rust, it was hard to get the pics because of the lighting, but it's also on the screw that clamps down on the wire. I'm going to clean the rust up. Now I just need to run the permanent circuit for the dryer rather than using a home-made extension cord. Especially considering that those clamp-down connectors are best used with solid wire.

 

[Jake]

Yes Tony, good pics! I clearly see that.

Now I just need to run the permanent circuit for the dryer rather than using a home-made extension cord. Especially considering that those clamp-down connectors are best used with solid wire.

Yes, perfect!

Jake