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Thread: Ground Strap

  1. #1

    Ground Strap

    Model Number: HTDX100ED6WW
    Brand: Hotpoint
    Age: Less than 1 year

    Hello,

    I would like to order a ground strap for my brother's dryer (Hotpoint HTDX100ED6WW). I contacted GE and they provided me with part number WE1M1015. This ground strap is curved and only protrudes less than an inch from the terminal block. It is my personal opinion that the correct ground strap for this model number is actually the ground strap that is used with model number WE4M325. The reason why I believe this is because it is straight and protrudes two inches from the terminal block, which is the distance that I measured between the terminal block and ground screw at the back of his dryer. Continued contact with GE has just resulted in them repeating the same model number (WE1M1015) with no response to my questions concerning whether or not it will fit. I have attached images of the back of his dryer as well as of the aforementioned part numbers (WE1M1015 and WE4M325). If anyone has experience with ground straps, would you please tell me if I'm crazy or if GE is recommending the wrong part number?

    Finally, I understand that the ground strap is necessary to ground the chassis for safety reasons, but would the lack of a ground strap prevent the dryer from heating? My brother said that his dryer spins but does not heat. I've already checked the fuse and the thermostats, and the resistance is zero for each.

    Thank you,
    Nick
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20170708_120055 (1).jpg   20170708_120018 (1).jpg   20170708_120027.jpg   WE4M325.jpg   WE1M1015.jpg  

    Last edited by nickintexas; 07-08-2017 at 09:36 PM.

  2. #2
    Doc
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    709
    Although I have not done this I agree with you that the unit should use the ground strap WE4M325.

    Not sure why you need the ground strap a a piece of 14 or 12 gauge wire would do the same thing.

    As far as I know the lack of a ground strap will not stop the unit from heating.

    As with any heating problem the first thing to check is the power. The heater requires the full 240 volts.

    Try flipping the breaker off/on slowly, sometimes you can loose half the line without actually tripping the breaker.
    If this does nothing, check the voltage at the plug
    L1 to L2 should be 240 volts
    L1 to Neutral and L2 to Neutral, both should be 120 volts.
    If OK
    Unplug the unit and check the wires at the terminal strip in the machine to make sure none are loose or burned out
    If OK
    Check the power at the terminal strip.
    Be careful as 240 volts is lethal !!!

    If OK then the next thing is to unplug the unit and check the heating elements with a meter.
    They are usually in the 8 to 12 ohm range.

    Do you have the wiring diagram for it?
    Sometimes it is glued on the back or may be stored in the control console.

  3. #3
    Thank you for the reply, denman.

    Yes, I have read that a 10 or 12 AWG copper wire will do the same thing, as my own dryer is equipped in this way, but I would prefer to get the OEM strap. If I get the OEM strap, I don't have to worry that the crimps between the connectors and wire will hold properly throughout the lifetime of the dryer. It's about the same price too because I would have to buy connectors and wire at the hardware store.

    I'm assuming that in between checking the terminal strip for loose wires and checking the power at the terminal strip that it is required to plug the dryer's cord back into the wall with the circuit breaker turned on? In terms of safety during the voltage verification at the plug and at the terminal strip, are there any mistakes that people commonly make that would make these steps more dangerous?

    Yes, I did find the wiring diagram. I removed all of the thermostats and verified the resistance. All of the heating elements checked 0 resistance, except for one of the inner terminals of the biased control inlet thermostat. I heard though that the inner terminals do not need to be checked because they are for a small heater used to control the low heat setting.

    I quickly verified the continuity of the heating element, although I did not remove it from the panel. Is it necessary to completely remove it to check the continuity?

    Thanks.

  4. #4
    Doc
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    709
    Yes to check the power at the terminal strip the unit must be plugged in.
    The biggest problem is not paying attention at what you are doing re: looking away and having the meter probe slip and short out etc.

    You should not have to remove the heating element to check it but often it is a good idea to disconnect one side of what you are measuring. This ensures that you do not read an alternate/parallel circuit.

    I do see one problem in that your elements read 0 ohms.
    I think you are using too high of a meter scale.
    Doing this can confuse things as you may read an alternate circuit path. Lets say your altrnat path was 50 ohms. It would still show zero on your meter but this would not beater coil.

    Below is my standard blurb on reading resistance with a meter.

    A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity
    1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
    2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
    3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale's dynamic range.
    4. When you start always short the meter leads together. This will tell you that the meter is working and if there is any 0 offset.

  5. #5
    There is definitely a problem at the outlet. I measured 120 V between one of the hot lines and the neutral, but there isn't any voltage between the two hot lines or between the neutral and the hot line that I suspect is the problem. This is strange because I would have expected that if the differential between the problem hot line and neutral is zero, then I would think that the differential between the good hot line and bad hot line would have been 120 V.

  6. #6
    Doc
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    709
    "then I would think that the differential between the good hot line and bad hot line would have been 120 V."
    No because the bad side of the line is disconnected (open) so basically it is like one meter lead is not connected to anything so you read 0 volts.
    The bad side would have to be connected somehow to a Neutral for you to read 120 volts.

  7. #7
    Hi Denman,

    Would you be able to point me to any information regarding the inner workings of the door switch? I recently disassembled it and putting it back together has been rather challenging. This is for a Hotpoint dryer and the model of the door switch is 40t85 5e4.

    Thanks

  8. #8
    Doc
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    709
    Sorry but I have no info on this.

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