I have a electric hot point dryer. Model # htdx100em8ww. It will only work if the start button is depressed.

Some thermostats such a cycling thermostat are resettable and automatically cycle on and off based on your temperature setting choices. Others such as a thermal fuse are not resettable and will blow if dryer gets to hot. That type has to be replaced after determining and correcting why it overheated.

Is your dryer door closing all the way? I think it is the start button not connecting to the electrical point it needs to touch to start because if it has gas heating it, that is why you have heat, its an electrical problem for sure..however it could be small problem but fixing elcetrical switches can be dangerous for someone who isnt trained to touch

you need to open front panel or top, depends on brand and model...
you will see door switch there, to check you will need electrical meeter, unplug from power before opening it.
check continuity of switch, by pressing/depressing it.
if it's working than check start button switch if your model has it.
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a complete model # from inside the door would be helpful, on wost dryers when this occures the motor is packed with lint so the sentrifisle switch cant move from the pastion to the run or the switch on the motor itself is bad, the run windings in the motor could be bad. some of thethe more complicated dryers have a relay on their control board than burns out. try blowing out the motor with compressed air or the blow end of a shop vac use the skinney attat. to concentrate air

Hi, your start push button is malfunctioning. simply replacing this start switch will fix your issue.

You will have to chase power in the machine. Start at the start button and follow the wires with a meter check each connection point. Have you checked the door switch?

there is a holding contact at the motor wiring, check the schematics and trace that holding contact. it should hold the motor running as soon as it starts.

tnx 4 using fixya,

drcool

The hot wire runs through the start button as a bridge to complete the circuit until the motor centrifigal switch closes the circuit when running. Now if you manually start your dryer and the timer doesnt advance keeping the dryer on until you open the door or advance the timer manually then the timer is good but the motor to advance the cam is faulted. The second scenario is that the dryer is off when the door is open, but when you close the door the dryer starts. With the second scenario we have a closed circuit at all times. At this point you have either a stuck start button or the centrifigal switch is closed. Usually it is the start button on this model.

it is time to replace it, that sound and smell is from the dryer motor itself.

Check the fuse. This is a German unit, so every part including the light bulb is 208/240 volts. If the fuse for the dryer on the back is open the unit will not start.