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carolbrandywine

Dryer is taking too long to dry!!!

Kendrah
14 days ago

My LG washtower is a year old. It was fantastic until three weeks ago when the dryer started taking forever to dry a load. Any ideas on what else I can do before calling a technician?


What I've done:


Always dry on timed, low to medium heat

Always dry jeans and heavy items separately

Reduced load size, increased load size

Clean lint trap each use, washed it too

Don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets


Cleaned the entire ducts - from machine to outside - next to nothing came out

Checked that air is flowing to exterior vent

No kinks in duct work

Looked inside back of machine when pulled out from duct - nothing stuck

Checked the breaker

Cleaned off the drying sensor inside the drum

Tested with LG Thinq app and it detected no problems


Don't use eco mode. (Don't think there is one.)

"Drying stage" symbol flashes when in use.

"Cool down" remains lit during use.


Thoughts?



Comments (14)

  • wdccruise
    14 days ago
    last modified: 13 days ago

    From the User Manual, page 7*:

    • "To reduce the risk of fire due to contaminated loads, the final part of a tumble dryer cycle occurs without heat (cool down period). Avoid stopping tumble drying before the end of the drying cycle unless all items are quickly removed and spread out so that the heat is dissipated."

    If the Cool Down indicator is lit, the dryer may not be heating so it takes forever to dry the clothes.

    -----

    *for model WKE100HWA

    Kendrah thanked wdccruise
  • dadoes
    13 days ago

    "Kendrah: Don't use eco mode. (Don't think there is one.)"

    There is an Energy Saver option, which per the user guide functions only on the Normal cycle and is enabled by default. It stays off for successive cycles if turned off until directly reselected ... although you might check to confirm that's the case.

    There's an airflow obstruction indicator (Flow Sense) on the panel. Presumably it isn't lit?

    Kendrah thanked dadoes
  • wdccruise
    13 days ago
    last modified: 13 days ago

    From the WKE100HWA User Manual:

    "Energy Saver option is selected. (on some models)

    "• If using the Normal cycle, deselect the Energy Saver option that is selected by default. This option reduces energy use by adding an air dry section to the beginning of the cycle. It is normal to feel no heat at the beginning of the cycle while in Energy Saver mode."

    Yeah, I'd try the "Normal" dryer cycle, with default settings and the Energy Saver turned off.

    Kendrah thanked wdccruise
  • Kendrah
    Original Author
    10 days ago
    last modified: 10 days ago

    I spent 45 minutes troubleshooting it over the phone with LG. This guy has been an appliance tech for 30 years and sounded like he knew his stuff - though who knows.

    I run my dryer on the lowest setting 99% of the time. He said that oxidation naturally occurs and builds up on the heating element (can't remember the technical term but he said it is like the filament of a light bulb). He said that high heat, which I'm not using, burns it off. His recommendation was to run the dryer for 1 hour on highest heat to burn it off then try running a load. And, that I should run my laundry on the next to lowest heat setting not the lowest.

    It all sounded reasonable in theory. I did an empty 60 minute high heat cycle then ran a medium sized load on the next to lowest setting and at 75 minutes, items were still damp. I tried another hour on high heat last night. May try another load again to see if there is progress.

    - He said the cool down indicator should be on throughout the whole cycle because it means that it will, during the last five minutes, go into cool down mode.


    -He determined that hot air is coming into the dryer drum. (I can have it on for just a few second and the area where air flows in get quite hot.) I was wondering if it was really hot because of an over heated motor rather than hot air coming in. He said no.


    - That the energy saver mode is not running. He was completely baffled until he came up with the oxidation theory.

    Thoughts?

  • wdccruise
    10 days ago

    "His recommendation was to run the dryer for 1 hour on highest heat to burn it off then try running a load."

    If you set the dryer to run at high heat for, say, 30 minutes and you open the dryer's door after 20 minutes, is it hot inside?

  • dadoes
    10 days ago

    That repair fellow is highly suspect. Dryer electric heating elements operate at maximum heat generation any time they're energized. The element cycles on/off (same as an oven, central heating system or portable space heater) to maintain the target temperature in the drum. Lower heat settings have the element on for shorter periods of time but it still operates at maximum output when energized. The thermostat that controls the element is outside the drum, in the exhaust air stream. Moisture evaporating from the clothes has a cooling effect on the exhaust so the element runs longer / more often to reach and maintain the target temperature. The clothes retain heat on an increasing curve as moisture reduces and they progress toward dryness so the element cycles on less often and for shorter periods.

  • woodbutcher_ca
    10 days ago

    Hi Reset the breaker. Woodbutcher

  • Kendrah
    Original Author
    10 days ago

    I'm a freaking space kadet. Just looked up our invoice and see that I purchased an 8-year warrantee for free service and repairs. (It is been a stressful month. Can't believe I didn't look this up to start with.) They can't come for more than a week so I'm up for trying anything else in the meanwhile.


    If you set the dryer to run at high heat for, say, 30 minutes and you open the dryer's door after 20 minutes, is it hot inside?


    If I run it for 30 seconds it is hot inside.


    "The element cycles on/off (same as an oven, central heating system or portable space heater) to maintain the target temperature in the drum."


    A-ha! Super useful information. Indeed, the


    Reset the breaker.


    If the breaker were the problem, wouldn't it not be starting or having any electricity at all? All of the switches in the breaker box are in the correct position.

  • ker9
    10 days ago

    Have your duct cleaned.

  • Kendrah
    Original Author
    9 days ago

    Yes, air flowing to outside is forceful. Keeps the exterior metal flap in the fully upward position the entire time it is running. When I disconnected the vent line from the exterior I ran it with my hand over it and it was super forceful. I also did the toilet paper test to make sure not air was leaking out from anywhere else.

  • claudia valentine
    7 days ago

    he recommened that you, essentially , pre heat your dryer and run it empty for one hour?! That is absurd! Sure looks to me that something is not right.

    Is that cool down light supposed to be on like that?

    So many appliances are not good like they used to be. I have a new washing machine and dryer and they are both awful!

  • dadoes
    7 days ago

    The cool down light is on at the start of a run as part of the indication of the full cycle sequence that will occur. It's steady at the start, blinks when the cool down phase begins. Per the user guide.

  • TBL from CT
    6 days ago

    This is rather 'out there', but are the clothes coming out of the washer fully spun dry or can you tell that they're the same dampness as a month ago?