My AOSmith USQ-1102 is about 1-2 years old. It started overheating last week and kicking the internal thermal breaker on the motor. This is rather premature. What do you think is going on?

If it smalls 'fishy', it is overheating at the motor windings. That would not cause the dryers thermal fuses to trip. Dryers don't normally have an internal breaker. Remove the motor, strip and clean it. Lubricate the bearings. It should spin very freely.

There are a few possible reasons why your AOSmith 1hp lift motor starts and then trips the breaker:

1. Overload: The motor may be overloaded and drawing too much current. Check the load on the motor and make sure it is within the motor's capacity.
2. Short Circuit: A short circuit could be causing the motor to draw too much current and trip the breaker. Check the wiring for any signs of damage or wear.
3. Faulty Motor: The motor itself could be faulty and causing the overload or short circuit. Check the motor windings for any signs of damage or wear.
4. Tripped Thermal Overload: The motor may have a thermal overload switch that shuts off the motor if it gets too hot. Check the motor for any signs of overheating and reset the thermal overload switch if necessary.
5. Faulty Breaker: The breaker itself could be faulty and tripping prematurely. Check the breaker for any signs of wear or damage.

It is recommended to consult a licensed electrician or motor technician to diagnose and fix the issue, as working with electricity can be dangerous if not done properly.

The motor is bad. It is overheating and shutting down on thermal overload. You need a new motor

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Outdoor units require there own power supply, check the breaker panel and the fuses in the disconnect switch box next to the unit if there are fused, If the capacitor that was changed last year was not the right rating or configuration it may need to be corrected. One of the most common mistakes is to find a dual run capacitor with on side not functioning and jump in a capacitor for the non functioning side, if this was done it needs to be corrected with the proper capacitor or capacitors.

Sounds like you might be causing the thermal overload of the motor to open shutting down the dryer. Try cleaning out all the vents--external to the outside and internal to the dryer. Cleaning out the internal ones will require you to open the dryer up. Be sure the dryer is unplugged before any work is done to its internal workings or the control panel is accesseed. Often times, lint inside the vent or just inside the dryers internal areas can collect near the motor and overheat it. Cleaning this out may aleviate your problem. If this does not work, it may be time to look at a new motor--or dryer replacement. Usually when a motor starts to have internal electrical winding problems there will be a horrible sounding buzz upon start up. Remember, a thermally overloaded motor only has so many restarts before it is done.

A dryer motor has an internal thermal proctive device. It may have started out with a severe vent restriction which would not allow proper airflow through the dryer cabinet. A lint build up can result in the motor overheating as you described. The fact that nothing is happening at all would lead me to suspect one of the following. The motor failed completely, a thermal fuse opened, a circuit breaker triped or a fuse opened. Any one of these conditions would prevent dryer operation. But then, so would something as simple as a failed door switch. You may want to get a pro in to let you know what your options are......After you cycle your dryer circuit breaker, or check the fuses.

If you did not press a reset ( and even if you did) the motor is damaged and that is causing the circuit breaker to trip. You need to have the motor inspected to see if the damage is repairable or if you need a new motor. A local electric motor repair shop should be able to take care of that for you. The thermal overload has reset itself if after cooling down the motor is trying to start but trips the breaker.

To be certain it is the motor, disconnect the line leads and be sure they are insulated from ground and one another. Turn the breaker back on. It should stay closed which confirms it is the motor tripping it when connected.

If for some reason the breaker still trips, there is a problem with the electrical circuit feeding the pump.

Check list:
clear vent pipe
dryer clean of lint
blower wheel tight
drum turns freely
fuse tight against heater.
Wires not shorted on high limit mounted above heater
electric bill paid.



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There is a thermal cut off on the motor. when it overheats it will trip and not start until the motor cools down. Replace the motor to solve the problem.