Dryer I push the start button and it pops the circuit breaker. The electrical wire outside was sparking before this began to happen. Is there a fuse or something that could have been ruined in my dryer?

Breaking a light bulb off in the socket and experiencing sparks could lead to damage within the electrical system of the dryer. The sparks likely indicated a short circuit or an electrical issue. Here are some potential reasons why your dryer might not be working after this incident:

1. The sparks may have caused a surge that blew a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker. Even if you've checked the main breaker, your dryer might have a dedicated circuit breaker or fuse in the electrical panel. Verify and reset or replace any blown fuses or reset the circuit breaker.

2. The broken light bulb and sparks may have damaged the light bulb socket or the wiring connected to it. Inspect the socket and surrounding wiring for any signs of burning, melting, or damage. If the socket is compromised, it may need to be replaced.

3. Sparks could have caused damage to internal wiring in the dryer. Carefully open the dryer cabinet (after disconnecting power) and inspect the internal wiring for any visible signs of damage, such as burnt wires or connections.

4. Dryers often have safety features like thermal fuses or safety thermostats to prevent overheating. If these components were affected by the sparks, they might have blown or tripped. Check and replace any faulty thermal fuses or safety thermostats.

5. The sparks could have damaged the electronic control board of the dryer. If the control board is malfunctioning, it might prevent the dryer from operating correctly. A professional technician may need to inspect and replace the control board if necessary.

6 .The sparks might have affected other electrical components within the dryer, such as relays, switches, or the motor. A comprehensive inspection by a qualified technician may be required to identify and fix these issues.

It's essential to approach any electrical repairs with caution, and if you're not comfortable or experienced, it's recommended to consult a professional appliance repair technician. They can conduct a thorough diagnosis and perform the necessary repairs to ensure the dryer is safe and functional.

The fuse should be in between circuit breaker and circuit board or on circuit board. You can use volt meter also to trace the fuse location.

• If you took the drum out and took the belt off you may have put the belt on wrong as there is a switch under the drive or idler pulley that must be pushed on from the pressure of the belt on the pulley. Also go and make sure both breakers are ok in the breaker box as it runs on a 220 volt sys. and if one is tripped this type of thing can occur.
• Good luck and please rate me if this helped! thanks again for choosing fixya

Anytime a major appliance causes a circuit breaker or fuse to operate (especially the high value types 20 to 30 amps and up on 120 volt and even more so for 240 volt circuits) is reason for concern. Since yours is an electric dryer, that tells me it is a double pole (240 volt) 30 Amp circuit breaker is tripping. This can be caused by a failed / failing motor, shorted heating element or damaged wiring inside the dryer.

There are generally no resettable / replaceable fuses or circuit breakers in these appliances, and since the circuit breaker or fuse in your electrical panel continues to trip when attempting to run the dryer, the problem has not cleared itself (it seldom does).

It does mean however, that a thorough inspection of the dryer is in order. This is not really a good "first time DIY" type repair to undertake, largely due to the fact that the appliance operates at 240 volts and should you make an error with your repair or not employ electrical safety while performing tests, etc., lives may be endangered.

My advice to you is to call for professional repair and be present when the repairer shows up. Watch, listen and learn. If you are cordial, the repairer may respond in kind and explain how and why he is doing what he doing. Some repairers do not like to have an audience while they work and that by no means reflects poorly on him.

Good luck!

This could be the non resettable thermal fuse has popped, or the door switch is not working. Open the door and press on the door switch until it clicks and push start to see if it works. If it clicks and still no start, then the thermal fuse needs replaced. UNPLUG the dryer, remove the back and you will see the white thermal that looks like a regular thermostat with 2 wires on it. It is located on the air plenum. There could be 2 depending on the exact model, but normally only one white one. These thermals usually pop when the temperature gets too hot as a warning something needs checked. Check your vent and be sure it is absolutely clear, and the flapper on the outside is not stuck with lint buildup.

Hi

Thanks for using FixYa. The issue might have happened due to a blown fuse or burnt wiring/components on the control board. You'll need to check and replace the fuse and replace it.
Blows fuses or trips circuit breaker —ELECTRIC Models:
• The amperage readings are at 240 volts. One line will be 24 amps and the other line will be 21 amps. The neutral line will be at 3 amps. If the above amperages are not present, then the house wiring, fuse box or circuit breaker should be suspect.
• Shorted heating element to housing.
• Incorrect wiring or a wire shorting to ground.
• Drive motor winding shorting to ground.


Please do rate the solution & revert for further assistance.


Thanks

Rylee

hi. I can help you.

Electric dryers use 220 volts or two power lines of 110 volts each. Some components in the dryer need only 110 volts; the heating element requires 220 volts. So it's possible for one part of the dryer to be fine and another part to have a short circuit. Short circuits can be caused by the heating element, the main power cord, or any other part of the internal wiring. To decide where the problem lies, unplug the dryer, then:

• If the circuit breakers or fuses remain on and/or intact when the dryer is unplugged, it's likely the problem is with the dryer. Contact a qualified appliance repair technician.
  
  
• If the circuit breaker trips or the fuse blows when the dryer is unplugged, it's likely the problem is with the house wiring, fuse box, or circuit box. Contact a qualified electrician.
  

sounds like the overheat circuit breaker popped for safety. when the unit cools it will work again. most likely problem is your vent out is blocked, or lint filter full. once i found a birds nest on the exaust outside lol.

Hello davidkado,
There is a high probability that when you replaced your fuse box to circuit breakers that the wiring at the fuse box was retightened. If your dryer had been operating Ok for the better part of a year and then you started to blow fuses on a regular basis.. chances are the wiring coming from the fuse box tap was becoming loose from thermal expansion and contraction and that by changing to a breaker system.. your wiring was cut and reterminated to fit the breaker tap. I suspect you won't be having any additional problems...
Regards,
Rick

Has a household fuse blown or has a circuit breaker tripped?
There may be 2 household fuses or circuit breakers for the dryer. Make sure both fuses are intact and tight, or that both circuit breakers have not tripped. Replace the fuse(s) or reset the circuit breaker(s). If the problem continues, call an electrician.
Is the correct power supply available? (Electric dryers only)
Electric dryers require 240-volt power supply. Check with a qualified electrician.
Is the dryer door firmly closed?
Your dryer door may not be fully closed. It may look shut, but may not be latched. Push on the door to engage the latch or latches. Some models have an upper and lower latch. Both latches must be secure for the dryer to run.
Was the Start, Push to Start or Hold to Start button firmly pressed?
Large loads may require the Start, Push to Start, or Hold to Start button to be pressed and held for two to five seconds.
Is the Cycle Control knob set on a Sensor Dry or Timed Dry cycle? (on some models)
The Cycle Control knob must be set in a Automatic Dry or AccudryTM or Timed Dry cycle. The dryer will not start if set on the Wrinkle ShieldTM option.
Is Controls Locked status light on? (on some models)
Press and hold the Cycle Signal button for three seconds. This will turn off the Controls Locked feature.
Did you recently install a power supply cord on the dryer? (Electric dryers only)
The power supply cord may be incorrectly installed. If the power cord is incorrectly installed, the dryer may not start or heat. Review the Installation Instructions to check that the power supply cord is properly installed.