September 10, 2018
Service
Your dryer can generate a lot of heat, and that can be dangerous if the electrical components are malfunctioning. That’s why every dryer comes with a thermal fuse. It’s a safety measure that will break if the circuit has too much power, and that means the circuit won’t close and the dryer won’t heat up.
Whenever the thermal fuse breaks, you need to troubleshoot your dryer to find the underlying cause. Once you do, you can replace the thermal fuse. Order replacement part #DC47-00015A for Samsung dryers and follow these steps to get your appliance back in working order.
1. Unplug the dryer or flip the circuit breaker.
No matter what appliance you’re working on, the first step is always to unplug it. This protects you, the appliance, and the immediate area. Because you will be directly disassembling and reconnecting electrical components, this step is even more important.
2. Disassemble the dryer.
Pull your dryer away from the wall so you can access the back of the appliance.
Remove the top panel. Loosen the two screws at the back of the top panel’s edge and set them aside. Then pull the panel back away from the front bracket and lift the panel away.
Next, remove the control panel at the front of the appliance. Start by carefully separating the top of the panel from each of the tabs along the back of the control panel. Then tilt the panel forward and pull it up. Set it on top of the machine without tugging the wire harness on the right side.
Then remove the front panel. Start by opening the dryer door and removing the two screws near the bottom of the cavity. Then shut the door and remove the four screws along the top edge of the front panel. Now you can pull the panel slightly forward.
Tilt the top away so you can access the door switch behind it. Disconnect the wire harness to the door switch so you can pull the whole front panel off the bottom mounting tabs. Carefully set it aside. You can now access the dryer’s internal parts.
3. Remove the heater element assembly.
The heater assembly is what holds the thermal fuse. First, disconnect the moisture sensor in the bottom right corner. Shift both wires out of the way so you can see the heater element assembly and lower bracket behind it. Next, remove the lower bracket by loosening the three screws holding the heat element panel in place.
Lift up the top heater element so you can pull the lower bracket free. It has two additional locking tabs in the back, so push the back of the bracket up to completely remove it. Set it aside. Then carefully disconnect the heater element from the back duct and pull the heater assembly fully out.
4. Uninstall the thermal fuse.
Set the heater element on a flat workspace against the side of the dryer. It still has wires connected to the inside of the appliance, so don’t move it too far away.
First, remove the wire connections from the top of the thermal fuse by prying them off with a flathead screwdriver. The blue wire connects to the inside prong and the black to the outside one. You will need to remember the orientation for reassembly. If you want, take a picture before removing the wires so you have a guide to refer to.
Once the wires have been disconnected, unscrew the thermal fuse bracket. The fuse itself has been riveted into the small bracket, so you’ll need to drill the rivets out. Secure the assembly in a clamp and drill out the rivets. Then pull the old fuse out of the bracket.
5. Replace the thermal fuse.
Set the new part in the bracket while the bracket is still in the clamp. Install the rivets in each side of the thermal fuse with a pop gun.
Next, loosen the bracket from the clamp and position it back against the heater element assembly. Resecure it with the two screws. Then reattach the blue and black wires to the correct prongs. They should just snap into place.
6. Reassemble the dryer’s internal parts.
Now that the new thermal fuse has been installed, you can reassemble the appliance. Start by putting the heater element assembly back in place.
First, carefully feed the assembly into the rear ductwork and lock it in place.
Next, put the lower bracket back in. Slide the two rear tabs of the lower bracket into the two slots near the rear of the dryer’s bottom panel. You may have to hold up the heater element so you have more room to get the bracket in place.
Then lower the assembly on top of the lower bracket. Push the front of the bracket so it slides into a third bottom slot, and make sure the heater element assembly is flush with the bracket.
Rethread the two screws that secure the lower bracket: one connects the heater element assembly’s lower tab to the bracket, and the other two secure the bracket to the dryer’s bottom panel.
After that, reconnect the moisture sensor’s wiring harness. You should hear a snap when they connect.
7. Reassemble the dryer’s exterior panels.
Slide the front panel into the three bottom brackets, and then tilt the panel in against the machine. Before it’s completely flush with the front frame of the dryer, connect the wiring of the door switch. Then shift the front panel flush with the frame of the dryer and make sure the front tab clicks into place.
Retighten the four top screws, as well as the door screws behind the dryer door.
Next, put the front console back in place. Lower it so it aligns with the bottom mounting tabs. Then tilt the top of the panel towards the machine so it snaps into the top tabs.
After that, slide the top panel into place. The front edges need to slide under the exposed brackets attached to the frame. Push it fully forward and then resecure it with the screws at the back of the top panel. Plug the dryer in.
A broken thermal fuse is generally a warning that something else is wrong with your dryer. Go to Dan Marc Appliance to find troubleshooting tips or schedule an appointment with a technician who can get to the bottom of it.
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