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Caution:
Please read our safety
information before attempting any testing, maintenance
or repairs.
 Before testing the ignitor, unplug the dryer or shut off
the power at the fuse box or breaker panel to avoid an electrical
shock hazard.
A gas dryer blows air through
a burner assembly to heat the air. The burner assembly consists
essentially of a gas valve, ignitor and a flame sensor. If
any part of the burner assembly malfunctions, the result will
be low or no heat and slow drying of the clothes.
There
are two common styles of ignitors, glow ignitors and spark
ignitors. The ignitor ignites the gas either by heating up
and glowing, or by sparking. If the ignitor fails, the dryer
will not heat.
The easiest way to check the
ignitor is to observe it. Remove the small access panel in
front, select a high temperature setting and start the dryer.
Watch the burner assembly, shortly after starting the dryer
the ignitor should begin to glow or spark. If you see it glow
or spark, then the ignitor is working.
If the ignitor did not appear
to function and it is the spark type, it may be out of adjustment
which generally requires professional service or it may require
replacement. If the ignitor is the glow type, you can test
it for resistance with a multitester.
The ignitor has two wires connected to it.Label the wires and connections
so that you can properly reconnect them later. The wires are connected with slip
on connectors. Firmly pull the connectors off of the terminals (do not pull on
the wire itself). You may need to use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the
connectors. Inspect the connectors and the terminals for corrosion. If either
is corroded they should be cleaned or replaced.
Set
the multitester to the ohms setting X1.
Touch one probe to each terminal. You should get a reading
anywhere between 50 and 600 ohms. If you get a reading of
zero or infinity, the ignitor is definitely bad and will need
to be replaced.
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