Vintage DDE9205NCCWH GE Versatronic Dryer not heating

[simplyjh]

Model Number

DDE9205NCCWH

Hello,
I have a vintage GE Versatronic Dryer from the early 70's that stopped heating recently. It is still spinning and venting to the outside well. All of the controls are functional. It is getting full power to the appliance. No reports of overheating.

Should I replace the heating element at this point? Do you have any idea whether the heating element for this machine is still available?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer,
Joe

 

[Dan O.]

Should I replace the heating element at this point?

Without any investigation or testing? No.

There are numerous possibilities for a no heat condition. The most common ones are listed at the following link and should be checked one at a time until the cause is isolated in your case.

LINK > Appliance411 FAQ: Can anybody tell me the most likely scenarios for lack of heat in an electric dryer?

Confirming the full 240 vols it getting to the dryer should be done first.


BTW. Replacing the element on older GE dryers is a very large job so you don't want to attempt it unnecessarily.

Dan O.

 

[simplyjh]

Thank you Dan,
I will start there. Do you know in what area of the dryer the thermal fuses and heating element will be located in, should I need to check them?

Joe

 

[Dan O.]

I'll have to look it up later as it's too old for online parts lists. It probably doesn't have thermal fuses due to its age, just thermostats. On most GE dryers the element is in large the pan behind the rear of the drum. At least one thermostat will be mounted on it.

The following link might help with general information on its design.

LINK > The Appliance Clinic : G.E. Electric Dryer : Troubleshooting and Repair


Did you test the power? It is the simplest thing to do and requires no disassembly.

Dan O.

 

[simplyjh]

I did check that the breaker had not been tripped and also reset the breaker prior to posting. I will check the voltage tomorrow with a multimeter and if the voltage is normal/240v see if I can find and inspect the heating element.

Thank again for all of your assistance with this. I really appreciate it.

 

[Dan O.]

If you're definitely getting the full 240V to the dryer, the other possibilities for NO heat are one of the two thermostats are open electrically, both heater element coils have failed and are open, or a problem in the wiring between them.

There looks to be a safety thermostat mounted on the heater housing and the cycling thermostat on the blower housing. They along with the heater coils need to be checked for continuity.

LINK > Appliance411 FAQ: How do I test for continuity?


Dan O.

 

[simplyjh]

Hi Dan,
I was able to confirm that the dryer is getting 240v, however in the process of testing this I noticed that the back of the dryer was getting hot, meaning the heating element was warming up while the dryer was not running.

In order to check the power to the dryer I had tipped the dryer forward so that it was laying on the front/door.

When I put the dryer back into the upright position the heating element cooled down, even while attempting to run the dyer using various settings. In other words, with the dryer upright in it's normal position the original symptom of No Heat returned.

I was able to reproduce this scenario by laying the dryer on its face a second time. Again the heating element warmed up and made the back of the dryer hot. Once upright it returned to a state of No Heat.

I attached a photo of the back with circles around the areas I felt the heat coming from.

Any ideas where to go from here?

Joe

 

[Dan O.]

In order to check the power to the dryer I had tipped the dryer forward so that it was laying on the front/door.

That's not a normal way to service it and I wouldn't recommend it.

When I put the dryer back into the upright position the heating element cooled down,

There is likely a broken wire inside that creates a short when tipped. The element coil itself is a prime suspect but any wiring in the heater circuit could be suspect.

The heater coils (2) are discontinued but I found some still available (even old-stock OEM GE parts!) at the following link if needed.

LINK > GE Dryer Element Coil - 2 Pieces req.



Dan O.

 

[simplyjh]

I know it's an odd way of accessing the back of the machine but unfortunately the machine is in a very tight space and can't be moved any other way. The laundry room actually appears to have been built around this dryer.

I tore it apart and it looks like I definitely need new heating elements. The elements are actually broken in three places. It must have been grounding on the back of the machine when I changed its position. Is it possible that it's been running on one element for quite some time?

How should I go about searching for replacement elements?

Joe

 

[Dan O.]

I know it's an odd way of accessing the back of the machine but unfortunately the machine is in a very tight space and can't be moved any other way. The laundry room actually appears to have been built around this dryer.

Been there, done that. I've had to get customers to remove a sink or toilet to service their laundry equipment.

Is it possible that it's been running on one element for quite some time?

Very possible.

How should I go about searching for replacement elements?

How about looking at my previous post? You really didn't see it???

The heater coils (2) are discontinued but I found some still available (even old-stock OEM GE parts!) at the following link if needed.

LINK > GE Dryer Element Coil - 2 Pieces req.

.

 

[simplyjh]

Sorry about that. I see it now!

Thank you again Dan. You've been a huge help.

Joe