ktomkow

Hello,
i have a crusader ct51v tumble dryer that i have had for at least 8 years, but recentlly it has just started mis behaving. after it has been running a while anything from 5 to 20 mins it will blow the fuse in the plug of the extension lead that it is plugged in to. i have replaced extension leads fuses etc and on occasion it has even caused my wife hair straighteners to fry the wires in the plug, it is now connected to an extension lead with a built in trip and it now just trips that all the time.

does anyone know the cause of the problem and how to sort it out we need the dryer with having a baby and we cant afford a replacement

thanks in advance

K

SABL

Hi ktomkow,

Is your dryer making any odd noises??

If no strange sounds are present and the drum is not on a bind, if you can, check the heating element and see if it is touching the housing that it is contained in. There is a chance that the element is arcing and causing the short that is blowing the fuse.

With age many heating elements will sag and touch places that it should not.

Best of luck and congrats on the baby..... I raised 5 of 'em.
SABL

mack1

Hi ktomkow,

Is the drier in the same location in the house? I'm wondering if the exstension lead is longer than it used to be.
Does the lead seem hot to the touch when running the drier?
Is the drier a 220 volt unit and is the ampere rating listed for the unit. There should be a data tag on the back. Also, does the extension have an ampere rating or wire size stamped on it?

If the voltage is low at the drier, it will draw more current, thus blowing the fuses. As the elements start to heat up the resistance of the elements goes up thus reducing the current through them. A self regulating thing. It surprises some folks that lower voltage causes more current.

If the extension cable is longer or smaller sized wire, the voltage at the drier will be lowered, causing more current. Cable heating up will indicate this.

If something is binding the tumbler drum, it will cause more current draw.
If you can, unplug it and open it up. Look at mechanism that holds the drum up (small wheels, slide bars, whatever) and make sure they are not binding. Make sure the drive motor is OK. It's hot in there and motor bearings sometimes fail. There's probably a long belt that goes around the drum to the drive motor. Make sure it is not rubbing or binding.

Good news about the baby, congratulations.

Best regards,
Mack1

ktomkow

it has been making an unusual sqeeking as the drum rotates and this is only recent, but i coudn't say whether it started sqeek at same time as started trippin

ktomkow

have tried in total about 5 different extensions because i didn't have any replacement fuses so i just swapped them over i happened to have quite a few spare all were different lengths but dryer has not moved location,

i have been using the dryer and as long as i dont go over 30 mins on the timer it is ok!

what could this indicate? would overheating trip the power

mack1

Hi ktomkow,

The unusual squeaking sounds like the drum rubbing against some runners sometimes used instead of a more expensive wheels. If there is more friction between the drum and whatever it rides on, there would be more load on the motor and that, of course, along with the power to the heater coils could cause the overcurrent.

Several years ago, we had a GE drier that was equipped with sliders instead of wheels. I was replaceing the heater element and noticed the cheap junk that it was made of. But after saying that, the darn thing lasted 10 or more years.

Normally, Driers circuits are wired in the house for only that purpose. A circuit breaker in the home braker panel will throw if the circuit is overloaded. Driers are equipped with a short cable with plug on the end. A 220 volt drier circuit will have a three prong plug and will be about a #6 wire (large wire). No fuses or extension cables from the wall plug and the drier. There's a fusable link in the wire inside the my present drier. I remember replacing it a few years ago. Drier heat will help it to burn out, like if you forget to clean out the fuzz from the exhaust filter.

After saying all the above, it likely friction between your drum and runners that is causing the overcurrent.

Best regards,
Mack1