FIXED SDE515DAYW Maytag dryer won't start. Not door switch, not thermal fuse.

[CallMeT123]

Model Number

SDE515DAYW

Brand

Maytag

Age

6-10 years

The door switch works. This was tested by the light coming on and off by pressing the button. I used a multimeter to test the thermal fuse for continuity (and jumped it) and that looks fine.

The one strange symptom I have is when the door switch is pressed and the light is off, when I push the start button, the light gets twice as bright as compared to when the door switch is not pressed. Is this normal? Other than that, nothing seems to happen at all. I can hear the timer ticking normally. I have also bypassed the start button to test that, but it seems to be working since I can get the interior lamp to get super bright repeatedly by pushing the start button.

 

[Jake]

The one strange symptom I have is when the door switch is pressed and the light is off, when I push the start button, the light gets twice as bright as compared to when the door switch is not pressed. Is this normal?

Not, that does not seem normal to me.

First, you should have a dual breaker in your home breaker box, find the one that says DRYER, then turn them both OFF, then ON again and see if that fixes it.

If not, 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)


If you get 240 volts on both ends of the dryer terminal block, then let's test for Ghost Voltage, Which means you have a bad neutral in the breaker at the breaker box that the DRYER is plugged into.

PULL YOUR DRYER OUT FROM THE WALL--->To test for Ghost Voltage would be to put your meter probes on both HOT LEGS(OUTER TERMINALS) of your dryer's terminal block(WHERE YOUR POWER CORD CONNECTS TO) then have someone turn the dryer ON TIMED DRY 40 minutes and see if your meter drops from 240 volts after the person presses the START BUTTON.

 

[Jake]

If your voltage is good, then you can check your motor per the tech. data sheet I'm posting below. Look on Page 5--->Motor Trouble Shooting. Make sure you disconnect power to the dryer first!

Here's the motor for your model, if needed:
Drive Motor WP2200376

 

[CallMeT123]

Jake,

Thank you for your response. I tested everything you said and everything came back correct. All the connections still look brand new. So that got me thinking back to the door switch. I should have mentioned I just replaced it, but I thought since the light was shutting off, that it was working correctly. Once I jumped the switch, the dryer was able to turn on!

Now, the problem is my brand new switch isn't working properly and I think I may have bought the incorrect one? Right now, when the switch is open, I am able to start the dryer. It's like my white and grey wires need to be switched, but they don't fit.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[CallMeT123]

I believe I need to buy W10169313. I bought WE4M415 instead.

 

[Jake]

Now, the problem is my brand new switch isn't working properly and I think I may have bought the incorrect one?

That is correct, you bought the wrong door switch by accident.

Yes, W10169313 is the door switch for your model:
W10169313 Dryer Door Switch Kit


Let us know how it goes when you get the correct door switch installed.

 

[CallMeT123]

I installed the correct door switch over the weekend and it is all resolved. I was able to reconfigure the connectors on the incorrect door switch and get the dryer to work as well. Thanks again for your help

 

[Jake]

Excellent, glad to hear that.

Thanks for the update!