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An Amana dryer that won’t turn on significantly disrupts your laundry routines. The same is true if the dryer turns on but won’t spin. This guide will help you address both issues quickly and get your dryer working again.
Your Amana dryer won’t turn on if there’s a problem with its incoming power supply. So first, check the electrical circuit, circuit breaker, wall socket, and the Amana dryer’s power cord for issues. All must be working to power your dryer. Next, check your dryer for a broken drive belt or worn-out drum rollers, as those will stop the dryer from spinning.
Troubleshooting these issues can be time-consuming. This guide will act as your cheat sheet to help you find the root cause and solve it as soon as possible.
Why Is My Amana Dryer Not Turning On?
When an Amana dryer doesn’t turn on, that’s a sign of a problem with the machine’s incoming power.
The power supply has several parts that you must be aware of. All of them must be in excellent condition for your Amana dryer to receive the power it needs.
The 4 parts of your Amana dryer’s incoming power supply are:
- The electrical circuit(s): Electric dryers connect to 2 of your house or building’s electrical power circuits. However, gas dryers only require 1 circuit because their heat is generated with gas, not electricity.
- The circuit breaker(s): Each of your dryer’s circuits are protected by a circuit breaker. A power surge, short circuit, or another electrical fault will trip the circuit breaker to protect the dryer from damage. An electric dryer uses 2 circuit breakers, while a gas model only uses 1.
- The wall socket: Your dryer plugs into a wall socket to receive its power supply. The wall socket is specialized for heavy-duty appliances like your Amana dryer.
- The power supply cord: Finally, your Amana dryer connects to your household or building’s power supply through its power supply cord. You must insert it into the wall socket to ensure the current can flow through and power the dryer correctly.
How it fails: As you read earlier, your Amana dryer won’t turn on if there’s a fault at any of the points listed above.
For example, the electrical circuits might have shorted out or caused the circuit breakers to trip. In both cases, the electrical current will not flow into your Amana dryer, preventing it from turning on.
Besides that, wall sockets can also suffer damage from a short-circuit or electrical overloading.
Lastly, the problem might not be with your household’s electrical system. Instead, the Amana dryer’s power cord might be damaged with rips, tears, or holes.
How to fix it: The solution you’ll have to use depends on which part is affected. If multiple issues affect the power supply, you’ll have to fix all of them to restore power to your dryer.
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Here are the things you can do yourself:
- Check if the circuit breakers are tripped. If they are, push them fully to the OFF position. Then, move them to the ON position to restore power.
- Check if the dryer’s power cord is damaged. If it is, you’ll have to purchase a replacement. You can replace the cord yourself, but it’s better to let a qualified technician help if you’re not experienced.
Suppose those steps don’t fix the problem. In that case, you’ll need an electrician to help you troubleshoot your household’s electrical circuits and the wall socket.
If you have the necessary knowledge and training, you could troubleshoot those items yourself. However, it’s always best to leave risky electrical work to qualified professionals.
Read: Why Does My Dryer Take Several Cycles To Dry Clothes? – Troubleshooting Guide
Why Is My Amana Dryer Not Spinning?
Suppose your dryer has power but doesn’t spin when you start a new cycle. In that case, here are the 2 most likely reasons, how they happen, and what you can do to resolve the problem:
Broken Drive Belt
What it is: The drive belt is critical for making your dryer spin. The belt transfers turning energy from the dryer motor to the drum.
So, the motor generates power to turn the belt, and the belt turns the drum.
Dryer drive belts are mostly made of rubber. However, manufacturers often include other materials to maximize the belt’s tension and overall lifespan.
How it fails: When your dryer can turn on but not spin, the most likely cause is a broken drive belt. Without a belt in place, the motor cannot transfer its turning power onto the drum.
Drive belts typically break when there’s too much stress placed on them. For example, that will happen when you overload your Amana dryer with too many laundry items. The excess weight strains the belt to the point that it breaks.
Besides that, choosing an incorrectly-sized belt for your Amana dryer or installing the belt the wrong way will also produce a broken belt.
How to fix it: The only solution here is to replace the belt with a new one. But, firstly, you must ensure that all pieces of the broken belt are carefully removed.
Then, wrap the new belt around the motor, drum, tensioner, and any pulleys your dryer has inside.
Read: Why Dryer Smells Like Sewage?
Worn-Out Drum Roller
What it is: The drum in your Amana dryer sits on several drum rollers that spin along with it. Those rollers ensure that the drum can turn in a balanced way without much turbulence, even at high speeds.
Most dryers have at least two rollers at the back or the front of the drum. Each can only function if it can spin freely alongside the drum.
How it fails: Drum rollers experience plenty of wear with extended use. Even a single worn-out drum roller will fail to spin and restrict the dryer drum’s movement.
How to fix it: Sadly, the drum rollers in your Amana dryer are not repairable. Once they wear out, the only solution is to replace them with a new one.
However, it’s best to simultaneously replace all the drum rollers in your dryer.
Think of it this way: if one roller has already worn out, the chances are high that the others will wear out soon.
That’s why it’s best to purchase a complete set of drum rollers and replace them all simultaneously. Doing so will prevent further roller-related problems and save you a lot of stress.
Read: Gas Vs Electric Dryer | In-Depth Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few more helpful things to know about your Amana dryer as you troubleshoot it for not turning on or spinning:
How Do I Know What Size Belt My Dryer Needs?
There are several ways you can identify the dryer drive belt you need. Firstly, inspect the worn-out or broken belt you’re replacing. The size of that belt is typically printed directly on the surface. Then, match that size to the replacement you’re buying. Besides that, check the user manual, any available technical sheet, or contact the manufacturer directly.
Read: GE Electric/Gas Dryer Not Heating?
Can You Use Any Dryer Belt?
No, dryer belts are not one-size-fits-all. In other words, they’re not universal. Instead, you must purchase a genuine and compatible belt from Amana to use in your Amana dryer.
Should Dryer Drum Rollers Be Lubricated?
You should not lubricate the drum rollers in your dryer unless the manufacturer explicitly tells you to. Lubricant can make the rollers sticky, allowing lint, dirt, and dust to stick to them quickly.
Does A Dryer Use Two Circuit Breakers?
Electric dryers use two circuit breakers. These dryers require power from two electrical circuits simultaneously to power their functions and generate heat.
Read: 5 Reasons Why Fisher Paykel Dryer Is Not Heating
What Kind Of Socket Does A Dryer Use?
Dryers made before 2000 used 3-prong wall sockets, and many older homes still have those sockets in their laundry rooms. However, dryers after 2000 were required by The National Electrical Code (NEC) to use 4-prong outlets instead, which you’ll often find in newer homes.
